Ready, steady, go! The teacher as participant in school language policy

Abstract

This chapter explores the role of teachers as active participants in shaping school language policy through a longitudinal case study of a Maltese French teacher, Angela. Using a "Ready, Steady, Go!" framework, it traces her linguistic and cultural socialization from childhood (exposure to dialectal and standard Maltese, English, and foreign languages), through teacher education (university training and teaching practice), to professional practice in primary and secondary schools. The study highlights how teachers carry personal language histories, attitudes, and beliefs into the classroom, influencing pedagogical choices and language use. Key issues include diglossia in Maltese, the underuse of multilingual student resources, mismatches between teacher training and deployment, and the marginalization of foreign language teachers in whole-school planning. The chapter advocates for greater teacher empowerment, reflective practice, and collaboration among stakeholders to enhance plurilingual education and intercultural competence in Malta’s bilingual and tourism-influenced context.