Educators’ experiences when working with non-Maltese students with low proficiency in Maltese and English : a case study

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the experiences of educators when working with non-Maltese students with low proficiency in Maltese and English. Through a qualitative approach, teachers’ experiences of working with non-Maltese students were uncovered. Seven semi-structured interviews of different subject teachers were held individually to gain a closer understanding of what teachers go through in an increasing multicultural environment. The findings illustrate that language proficiency amongst non- Maltese students is a concern for teachers and that lack of basic communication due to lack of basic skills in English or Maltese does affect classroom management. The study also illustrates how teachers adapt their resources for non-Maltese students and what different methods they use to address the language barrier. Furthermore, it was concluded that more work needs to be done to help teachers work with non-Maltese students. Several recommendations and ideas were put forward by the participants proposing what schools and the directorate should do to address the reality of a multicultural school environment.