https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/18580 Sat, 04 Apr 2026 03:23:48 GMT 2026-04-04T03:23:48Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145274 Title: Is Maltese like water or stone? Abstract: This opinion piece argues that the future of the Maltese language does not depend on preservation through rigidity but on its ability to adapt and thrive within contemporary digital and cultural environments. Drawing on the metaphor of water versus stone, Żammit contends that true resilience lies in flexibility and movement rather than resistance. While Maltese remains widely spoken, it is increasingly absent from digital spaces where children form their identities, creativity, and sense of belonging. This absence risks rendering the language irrelevant to younger generations, who encounter and therefore choose languages based on their presence in lived experience. The article emphasises that language survival is not guaranteed by tradition or usage alone but by relevance and desirability, particularly in digital media, games, and online platforms. It calls for a shift from preservation to transformation, advocating investment in Maltese digital content and creative engagement to ensure the Maltese language remains a living, evolving medium. Ultimately, the piece warns that without intentional action to integrate Maltese into the everyday digital worlds of children, it may gradually fade; not through rejection, but through neglect. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145274 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144844 Title: Augmented reality for story-related activities in primary education : insights from the cyprus implementation of the cars project Authors: Christou, Eirini; Parmaxi, Antigoni; Timotheou, S.; Ioannou, Andri; Farrugia, Lawrence; Busuttil, Leonard; Żammit, Jacqueline; Alonso-Martínez, Laura; Rodríguez-Cano, Sonia; Delgado-Benito, Vanesa Abstract: This paper presents findings from the Cyprus implementation of the Children as Creators of Augmented Reality Stories (CARS) project, focusing on how primary-school learners engaged in the design and development of augmented reality (AR) stories as part of English language learning. The study was conducted in a multicultural sixth-grade classroom and followed a Learning Experience Design (LXD) approach that combined structured narrative instruction, project-based learning, and scaffolded use of AR creation tools. Over eight lessons, students explored a folktale, collaboratively authored original stories, and transformed them into interactive AR scenes using the Zapworks platform. Data were collected through language pre/post assessments, classroom observations, student questionnaires (including the Geneva Emotion Wheel), class-wide discussions, and teacher interviews. Results demonstrate that AR functioned as a meaningful and motivating medium for language learning. Students reported high levels of interest, joy, and pride, especially when seeing their narratives “come to life” through their own digital artefacts. Language assessments revealed significant improvements in the use of the English simple past tense, with the largest gains observed among students who began with lower baseline scores. Students also developed new digital and design competencies, including the use of 3D assets, basic scene sequencing, and AI-generated visual elements. Collaboration emerged as a key dimension of the experience, with students learning to negotiate ideas, distribute roles, and appreciate peers’ contributions within mixed-ability groups. Teachers described the intervention as enriching, engaging, and well aligned with students’ digital habits and curricular needs. They highlighted opportunities for creativity, storytelling, multimodality, and interdisciplinary teaching. At the same time, several challenges surfaced: platform complexity, time constraints, technical issues, and ensuring equitable participation for students with diverse linguistic and digital profiles. These challenges underscore the need for co-teaching models, prior training, careful task orchestration, and dedicated time for iterative design work. Overall, the Cyprus case illustrates how AR storytelling can support language development, foster digital literacy, and cultivate positive emotional engagement in primary education. The findings contribute practical insights for educators seeking to integrate immersive authoring tools into literacy instruction and inform broader recommendations for designing scalable, pedagogically grounded AR learning experiences. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144844 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144814 Title: Heartfelt pedagogy across borders : emotional experiences of language teachers in multilingual educational contexts with insights from Malta Authors: Żammit, Jacqueline; Farrugia, Lawrence Abstract: Teachers’ emotional well-being is increasingly recognised as essential for effective teaching and sustainable retention across diverse educational systems. This mixed-methods study explores the emotional experiences of 50 Maltese teachers in middle and secondary schools, using the Teacher Emotions Questionnaire and interviews. The findings show that while positive emotions, including joy, pride, and love, enhance teacher-student relationships and professional fulfilment, negative emotions, including anger, fatigue, and hopelessness, intensify with teaching experience and are linked to student misbehaviour, linguistic challenges, limited parental engagement, and insufficient institutional support. These patterns mirror international trends in multilingual and multicultural settings, where language teachers face heightened emotional demands. The participants emphasised the need for emotional intelligence training and systemic support structures beyond individual coping. By situating the Maltese context within broader global discourse, this study offers new empirical insights into teacher emotionality and underscores the importance of sustained, policy-level interventions to enhance resilience in diverse classrooms. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144814 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143510 Title: Foreword [Critical pedagogy in ELT : empowering learners] Authors: Żammit, Jacqueline Abstract: This foreword provides a conceptual foundation for the edited volume Critical Pedagogy in ELT: Empowering Learners, situating contributions within broader themes in English Language Teaching (ELT). Rooted in Paulo Freire's radical educational philosophy, it explores how critical pedagogy challenges traditional ELT paradigms by emphasizing dialogue, learner agency, social justice, and critical language awareness. The text synthesizes themes such as identity and culture, affective barriers, marginalization and gender, pedagogy and grammar, digital learning, and context-specific challenges, highlighting how ELT can empower learners to navigate power structures and inequalities. It addresses knowledge gaps in the field and underscores the transformative potential of critical approaches in diverse global contexts. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143510 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z