German in Maltese education : a survey of development and current trends

Abstract

The first part of the dissertation examines the introduction and gradual development of the teaching of German, as a foreign language option in state education. The role played in the dissemination of German language and culture by the outstanding local voluntary organisation, the German-Maltese Circle is also evaluated. These two preliminary studies serve to provide the background to the' analysis of the various factors in Malta which affect the development of communicative competence in German. The socio-educational approach includes an evaluation of the effect of parental influence and the workings of the educational system on the motivation of students who choose to learn German. The students' attitude to the language and its relative difficulty level are then gauged before proceeding to investigate the current use of the Vorwarts text-book as well as the importance of Deutschlandkunde (German culture).