https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/47112 2026-04-15T04:38:19Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/45288 Title: Postcolonialism and early childhood education in small island states Authors: Baldacchino, Anna Abstract: The impact of postcolonialism on primary, secondary and tertiary education in small island states (SIS), is well documented. This study explores the origins and character of colonial lingering in the pedagogy and practice of early childhood education (ECE) in SIS, with special reference to Malta and Grenada, both former British colonies. Interviews, observations and focus groups have been conducted in both countries. An online questionnaire was completed by 64 individuals residing in the world’s 27 small island states, (and of which 20 secured independence from Britain). The research findings suggest a colonial lingering in ECE in small island states. Manifestations of this include: the preference for school uniforms; the widespread use of standard English as the language of instruction; top-down pedagogy that obliges an early start to schooling; a strong focus on literacy and numeracy in the early years; restrictions in play-based learning; and story books, weather and alphabet charts that are not necessarily relevant to the country’s culture and tradition and written in the English language, even though both countries have their own vernacular. The findings encourage a sober and critical reflection of the policies and practices governing ECE in SIS. 2019-06-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/45287 Title: Spaces and places for pre-school children : little voices big ideas Authors: Tanti Burlo, Elena; Agius Ferrante, Charmaine Abstract: Accessible Early Years learning environments are a critical component of education providers’ commitment to enhancing equity for all young children within Early Years provision. This paper explores some of the broader cultural aspects of Early Years and architecture in creating an enabling environment that shapes universal design practices in Early Years inclusive settings. It examines how the transforming effects of the Early Years can be designed in relation to what we know about learning, more specifically about Universal Design for Learning (UDL), from the little voices and great ideas of our young learners, and from experts in architecture. with the flexibility to respond also to what we do not know about the future. The article deals with accessibility in its broadest sense: physical, educational, psychological and social accessibility for a truly inclusive environment with buildings that create a language pattern of harmony, a sense of belonging and inclusivity. 2019-06-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/45286 Title: Peter Garrett & Cots, Josep M. Cots (eds.) (2018) : The Routledge Handbook of Language Awareness [book review] Abstract: Language Awareness is an important topic in language education, and in recent years it has gained even more ground after the area of applied language study recognised that the Chomskyan (monolingual) notion of native-speaker-hearer is largely a myth. In second/foreign language education (SLA) in past decades the native speaker was set as the model for the learner. Teachers were preferably native speakers of the language they taught, and their learners were expected to aim toward native speaker competence. Now, it is common knowledge that the vast majority of language learners are plurilingual and multicultural even before they join the SLA class, and therefore they come already equipped with a certain level of language and metalinguistic awareness. In this context there can be no doubt that this book edited by Garrett and Cots is auspicious. The Routledge Handbook of Language Awareness (2018) consists of three parts, covered in 510 pages. The first part focusses on ‘Language Teaching and Teachers’; the second part is about ‘Language Learning and Learners’; and the third part goes ‘Beyond Language Pedagogy’. There are a total of thirty chapters, which on the whole, give a good overview of the field, bringing together theory and research and making it easily accessible in one book. 2019-06-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/45285 Title: Ellen Boeren and Nalita James (Eds.) (2019) : Being an adult learner in austere times : Exploring the Contexts of Higher, further and community education [book review] Abstract: Over the past decade, the attention to adult education generally, and adult learners particularly, has faced a gradual decline. The recent discourse on adult education identifies some major socioeconomic factors and policies, for instance, neoliberalism and austerity which might be the major key elements in this decline. Accordingly, the current book aims to provide an overview of the current status of adult and community education in the times of austerity. This book comprises 8 chapters and a concluding chapter as well, most of these chapters have been developed from the standing conference on teaching and research in the education of adults which was held on 5-7 July 2016, at the University of Leicester in the UK. This book includes two sections, the first section comprises the first three chapters. It focuses mainly on being an adult learner in higher education, highlighting the British and European contexts. Hence, in their introductory chapter, the editors offer their framework and provide some critical arguments on the current situation of adult education and the discourse on austerity. Chapter 2, authored by Ellen Boeren, explores the current state-of-art of adult lifelong learning participation. She highlights how UNESCO and the OECD influenced the European Commission to conceptualize the measurement of participation in adult education. She argues that it is problematic to determine the availability of educational opportunities for adult learners. Moreover, Boeren discusses educational attainment, age, and employment as individual determinants of seeking participation in adult education and lifelong learning. She clarifies that “adults tend to make fewer investments in their work-related learning once they are closer to retirement age and both upskilling and retraining are thus more recognized by younger adults who want to make progress within their occupation” (p. 31). 2019-06-01T00:00:00Z