Provision for literacy in Maltese primary schools

Abstract

As one of a series of follow-up studies to Literacy In Malta: The 1999 National Survey of the Attainment of Year 2 Pupils (Mifsud et al., 2000), it was decided to investigate the way different primary schools (state, private church and private independent) in Malta and Gozo were making provision for literacy. All heads of schools were asked to provide detailed information about the following: The language/s of instruction of the school, its language policy and what it aims to achieve through this policy; The way the school caters for literacy instruction, its reading and writing policies; How the school identifies, deals with, and supports pupils with literacy difficulties; The Maltese and English reading schemes used in the participating schools, and the budgets allocated by the school for additional books for use in the class and school libraries; The assessment procedures followed by the individual school and the way pupils' performance is monitored; To what extent parents are involved in their children's education. Furthermore, the schools put forward recommendations for the improvement of literacy standards. They identified also future initiatives for the promotion of literacy.