The educational properties of a Maltese picture book : limitations and possibilities

Abstract

Throughout this dissertation, the educational properties of a Maltese children’s book and how such books may be developed in order to have a greater impact on young children learning Maltese have been discussed. In-depth research was conducted on illustrated children’s books, as well as the process by which they are developed, with a special focus on rhythmic syncopation and how book illustration has developed over the years. This research is all included within the literature review section, which is essentially an overview of the relevant literature that was used in order to carry out this research. Further research was conducted through the use of questionnaires that were distributed to a number of teachers working in local primary schools. Grade 1 and 2 teachers were specifically targeted. They were given a set of questions to answer regarding already available Maltese books for children, as well as what they would like to have to use within the setting of a classroom. This allowed for a clearer picture of what is lacking in the industry as of right now and what teachers need in order to make their teaching methods more effective and efficient. The findings show that teachers feel that there is a lack of choice, particularly when it comes to Maltese picture books that aren’t just meant for reading purposes but also to be used for classwork as well. The book created for this project was made specifically to target these problems while keeping in mind what teachers deem to be lacking in books available nowadays, some of which include a mascot or ‘friend’, a sense of curiosity, age appropriate level of difficulty, an eye catching design and the recommended book size. This is discussed in more detail in the project and conclusion sections of this dissertation. The research concludes with further recommendations for future studies that could be conducted from this work, as well as ideas for future projects and further development regarding this topic.