Attitudes of boys and girls towards English in two Church secondary schools in Malta

Abstract

Different people adopt different attitudes towards different languages. Some may have an extremely favourable attitude towards one language, while others may hate it and look down on its speakers. This case study, based on both qualitative and quantitative research methods was conducted in two Church Secondary schools: one which caters for boys and another which caters for girls. This research study will focus on the attitudes that several local students have towards one of Malta's official languages, English. Additionally, it will verify whether these attitudes vary with gender and age. It will help us to discover which language students use regularly, why they opt for such a language and whether or not these respondents adapt themselves (linguistically) to the various situations they find themselves in.