Faculty of Education Research Seminars

The next Faculty of Education research seminar will be held on

Wednesday, 23rd February, 2000 from 6.00pm to 8.00pm
in the Faculty of Education Board Room,
Old Humanities Building, Room 326.

Speakers:
Dr Charles Mifsud, University of Malta.
Ms Mary Vella, Director for Curriculum, Education Division
Ms Josephine Milton, University of Malta.
Dr Greg Brooks, National Foundation for Educational Research, U.K.

Presentation:
LITERACY IN MALTA:
The 1999 National Survey of the Attainment of the Year 2 Pupils

The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) has just published the study: Literacy in Malta (ISBN 0 7005 1558 5) authored by Charles Mifsud, Josephine Milton, Greg Brooks and Dougal Hutchison.  This study reports on the 1999 National Survey of the Literacy Attainment of all Maltese Year 2 Pupils.

The Literacy Unit of the University of Malta, in conjunction with the Curriculum Department of the Education Division and all primary schools in Malta, conducted in 1999 a National Literacy Survey of all Maltese seven-year-olds for both Maltese and English.  Sophisticated multi-level modelling techniques were employed to analyse the data.  The aspects which were investigated included phonological awareness, literacy concepts, reading and spelling.  Variables like bilingualism (Maltese and English), gender, age, first language, pre-school education, special educational needs, parents' occupation and education, number of classes, type of school and region were considered.

This is the first time that such a study has been conducted in Malta.  It has both national and international implications, as this is the first time that the literacy standards of the whole population of seven year-olds has been investigated.  Also this is the first time that sophisticated multi-level modelling statistical analyses have been employed in literacy studies.  A follow-up study will be published in May 2000 which will discuss the School Effectiveness and Value-Added implications of the National Literacy Survey.

The Seminar will present and discuss the findings of the National Survey.

Dr Charles Mifsud is Head of the Department of Arts and Languages in Education and the director of the Literacy Programme of the University of Malta.

Ms Mary Vella is the Director for Curriculum at the Education Division.

Ms Josephine Milton is the Project Researcher for the Literacy Programme at the University of Malta.

Dr Greg Brooks is Principal Research Fellow at the National Foundation for Educational Research of the U.K.

For further information please contact : Dr. Charles Mifsud on 3290 2038