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National Mathematics Study

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Title: National Mathematics Study


1
The Centre for Literacy
University of Malta
2
  • The Centre for Literacy
  • Introduction
  • Main Aims
  • Research and Development Projects
  • Publications

3
Introduction
  • Literacy is fundamental to all forms of personal
    learning and intellectual growth.
  • In todays global society, a literate population
    is essential for a nations social and economic
    development.

4
  • The Centre for Literacy is a research and
    development Centre that focuses on the area of
    literacy and other basic skills.
  • Its mission is to respond productively to the
    increased need for literacy and other basic
    skills issues to be addressed in both
    professional development and research.

5
  • The Centre is involved in
  • policy advice,
  • programme management,
  • consultancies and
  • training
  • for different educational and professional
    bodies, ministries, national agencies and
    institutions.

6
The Centres Users
  • These include
  • The Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment
  • The Ministry of Social Policy and the Family
  • The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC)
  • Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology
    (MCAST)
  • The Foundation for Educational Services (FES)
  • Primary and Secondary Schools in Malta and Gozo
  • A number of non-governmental organisations

7
Aims of the Centre
  • The Centre aims to
  • undertake practical and theoretical research
    which is of interest to policy makers,
    practitioners and academics in local, national,
    regional, and international contexts
  • maintain strong partnerships with schools and
    other educational agencies
  • provide consultancy services to the educational
    commCentrey
  • give high priority to the dissemination of
    research outcomes

8
Research and Development Projects
9
First National Literacy Survey
  • In 1999 the Centre for Literacy was asked by the
    Minister of Education to conduct the very first
    Literacy assessment on the Island at a National
    Level.
  • The First National Literacy Survey assessed the
    literacy level of all Year 2 pupils attending
    state, private church and private independent
    schools in Malta and Gozo.
  • For this purpose, two suitable tests were
    created, one in English and another in Maltese.
  • Using the multilevel modelling technique the
    Centre assessed the performance of all pupils in
    both languages, together with the National
    Foundation for Educational Research for England
    and Wales (NFER) and the Education Division of
    Malta.
  • This is reported in Mifsud et al. (2000).

10
Second National Literacy Survey
  • As a follow-up study to the 1999 National
    Literacy Survey a similar study was conducted in
    2002, which assessed the literacy skills of the
    same cohort of pupils, who were in Year 5 in
    March 2002.
  • Once again standardised tests were created for
    both Maltese and English at Year 5 level.
  • Using the multilevel modelling technique the
    pupils performance was assessed at this level
    and the results were fed back to schools in the
    form of detailed reports, which were explained to
    the heads of school during a day seminar
    organised by the Centre.
  • The results of the 2002 National Literacy Survey
    are reported in Mifsud et al. (2004).

11
Value Added Study
  • In addition to the two National Literacy Surveys,
    the Centre for Literacy carried out a value added
    study.
  • The data of each individual pupil from 2002 was
    matched with the data of this same pupil from the
    1999 survey.
  • An analysis of this comparison is of utmost
    importance to be able to assess every pupils
    progress over the three years.
  • Through this study, the Centre was able to target
    pupils and schools with difficulties and those
    that were doing exceptionally well.
  • Furthermore, the Centre provided schools with
    ample feedback through seminars and individual
    school reports.
  • This value added study is an important analytical
    tool to help schools assess and improve their
    performance.
  • The results of the value added study are reported
    in Mifsud et al. (2004).

12
Literacy Provision Project
  • Following the National Literacy Surveys, a
    detailed questionnaire was sent to all heads of
    primary schools in Malta and Gozo, asking how
    their particular school was planning to improve
    the quality of the education in the school, with
    particular reference to literacy.
  • The schools were asked about the actual books
    they were using at the time when the study was
    carried out, school facilities, such as
    libraries, facilitators, small reading groups,
    workshops for teachers to share ideas on making
    reading seem more pleasant to the pupils, and the
    schools future plans on this issue.
  • A report was published in the form of a monograph
    (Mifsud et al., 2003) and sent to all primary
    schools in Malta and Gozo.

13
Effective Literacy Practices in Primary Schools
(1)
  • The two National Literacy Surveys and the value
    added study were important in gauging the
    literacy attainment of all Maltese pupils at Year
    2 and Year 5 levels.
  • Maltese tests were adapted from standardised
    British tests (Vincent et al. 1996) on both
    occasions and may be used for future assessment.
    In addition, a national mean at both Year 2 and
    Year 5 levels was established from this analysis.
  • The data collected in 1999 and 2002 on the same
    cohort of pupils was then matched for a value
    added study.
  • The purpose of this was to investigate the
    schools role in adding value to the pupils
    literacy attainment from Year 2 to Year 5.

14
Effective Literacy Practices in Primary Schools
(2)
  • Once this quantitative analysis was finalised, it
    was thought important to carry out a qualitative
    study to investigate the significance of the
    schools and teachers role on the pupils
    performance.
  • Through these case studies we hope to delve
    deeper into the factors that make some schools
    more successful than others as reflected in their
    pupils performance in both the Maltese and
    English Literacy Tests.
  • Through this qualitative study we hope to
    identify those features of schools practices and
    characteristics which appear to make a
    significant difference in terms of student
    performance gains.
  • In this sense qualitative work is therefore
    necessary to get beyond the quantitative
    profiles.

15
National Mathematics Survey
  • As a result of the success of the two National
    Literacy Studies and the value added study in
    literacy, it was decided to conduct a national
    baseline assessment of all Year 1 pupils
    mathematical skills.
  • This study was conducted by the Education
    Division in conjunction with the Centre for
    Literacy of the University of Malta.
  • Following a pilot study, the main study was
    carried out in April 2004.
  • Once again the multilevel model was used for the
    analysis.
  • The results are reported in Mifsud et al. 2005.

16
Modern Foreign Languages Project
  • The Centre for Literacy recognises the importance
    of developing proficiency in modern languages,
    like French, Italian, German, Spanish, other than
    Maltese and English.
  • In a world which is moving towards unification,
    the Centre for Literacy is working towards
    improving and developing the methods of foreign
    language learning in schools, through the use of
    new technologies and other visual-aided material.
  • It is involved in a number of European Union and
    Euro-Mediterranean funded projects aimed to
    improve the teaching and learning of modern
    foreign languages through emerging pedagogies and
    innovative media.
  • Projects include the creation of databases
    hosting language resources, bringing together
    foreign language specialists from across Europe.
    These projects, most of which involve e-learning,
    are Linguanet eEuroInclusion ODISEAME TNP 3
    ENLU FEEL CentreE EU 6th framework project
    (FP6) Primalang.

17
School Improvement and Bookflood Programme
  • Following the two National Literacy Surveys and
    the value added study, the Centre together with
    the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment
    (MEYE) was able to target specific state schools
    that were under performing.
  • A number of tutors were assigned by the Ministry
    of Education to the Literacy Programme,
    co-ordinated by the Centre for Literacy.
  • The schools that were targeted were provided with
    a substantial amount of attractive, modern,
    reading material both for teachers and for
    pupils.
  • The Centre has to ensure that this material is
    utilised to its full potential, and teachers are
    guided on how to use these books in class.
  • In addition some schools were assisted in the
    setting up of school and class libraries.
  • In this way the Centre tries to ensure that
    illiteracy is combated at both primary and
    secondary levels.

18
Adult Literacy
  • The Literacy for Employment Programme was set up
    by the Centre for Literacy in collaboration with
    the Paulo Freire Institute in Zejtun and the
    Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) for
    unemployed adults wishing to acquire basic
    literacy skills in both Maltese and English in
    order to be better equipped when seeking
    employment. The Centre for Literacy was
    responsible for helping the main tutors to assess
    and target the learning needs and difficulties of
    the individual participants.
  • The Centre for Literacy was involved in the
    setting up of and acts as an Advisory Body to the
    Basic Skills Centre of The Malta College for
    Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), which
    tutors hundreds of young people who are following
    vocational courses.
  • The Centre for Literacy is also involved in the
    European Structural Fund Project. The role of the
    Centre is the
  • Training and supervision of Adult Literacy Tutors
  • Production of a series of Adult Literacy Manuals

19
Centres Research used for National Action Plans
  • Data and research produced by the Centre for
    Literacy has been used as a primary source for
    the drawing up of national reports like
  • the National Action Plan for Poverty and Social
    Exclusion produced by the Ministry for Family and
    Social Solidarity and
  • the National Action Plan for Employment produced
    by the Ministry for Education, Youth and
    Employment and the Employment and Training
    Corporation (ETC).

20
Publications
  • GRECH, R. (2005) "Don't Teach your Child Manglish
    - Raising Children to be Bilingual" in Child
    Magazine , The Times, Malta.
  • MIFSUD, C.L., RICHARD, S., HUTCHISON, D. and
    GRECH, R. (2005) Mathematics in Malta The
    National Mathematics Survey of Year 1 Pupils.
    Department of Planning and Development, Education
    Division, Malta.
  • MIFSUD, C.L., GRECH, R., HUTCHISON, D. and
    MORRISON, J. (2005) The Malta Primary Literacy
    Value-Added Project A Template for Value Added
    in Small Island States, Research Papers in
    Education. Routledge, UK.
  • MIFSUD, C.L., GRECH, R., HUTCHISON, D. and
    MORRISON, J. (2005) The Malta National Literacy
    Survey of Year 5 pupils (aged 9-10), Research in
    Education. Manchester University Press, UK.
  • MIFSUD, C.L. and ZAMMIT, M. (2005) A Framework
    for Autonomous Language Learning via the
    Internet, Best Practices in e-learning. Kluwer
    Academic Publishers, New York.
  • ZAMMIT, M. and SARLO, D. (eds.) (2005) Linking
    Literacies Sustaining Literacy Skills through
    Information and Communication Technologies.
    Education Division, Malta, Furtu Selvatico Boys
    Secondary School, Naxxar and the Centre for
    Literacy, University of Malta.
  • MIFSUD, C.L., GRECH, R., HUTCHISON, D., MORRISON,
    J., RUDD, P., and HANSON, J. (2004) Literacy for
    School Improvement Value Added for Malta.
    Agenda Publishers, Malta.
  • MIFSUD, C.L., RICHARD, S. and HUTCHISON, D..
    (2004) The Mathematics Attainment of Year 1
    Pupils in Malta Interim Report and Consultation
    Document on the Pilot Study. Department of
    Planning and Development, Education Division,
    Malta.

21
Publications
  • MIFSUD, C.L., GRECH, R., and DIMECH LLANAJ, E.
    (2003) Provision for Literacy in Maltese Primary
    Schools. Centre for Literacy Monograph Series No.
    3, University of Malta, Malta.
  • Centre for Literacy (2001) Niktbu u Naqraw
    Ktejjeb ta Tahrig. Centre for Literacy,
    University of Malta, Malta.
  • MIFSUD, C. and MALLIA, G. (eds.) (2000). Ways and
    Measures Teaching and Assessing Young Learners
    of English as a Foreign Language. Msida, Malta
    World Academic.
  • MIFSUD, C., MILTON, J., BROOKS, G. and HUTCHISON,
    D. (2000). Literacy in Malta The 1999 National
    Survey of the Attainment of Year 2 Pupils.
    Slough National Foundation for Educational
    Research for the University of Malta.
  • MIFSUD, C., MILTON, J., HUTCHISON, D. and BROOKS,
    G. (2000). Do Schools Make a Difference? A
    Report on using the Malta National Literacy
    Survey as a Basis for a School Effectiveness or
    Value Added Study. Centre for Literacy
    Monograph Series No. 2 University of Malta,
    Malta.
  • MIFSUD, C., MILTON, J., and BROOKS, G. (1998).
    The Reading Attainment of Year 2 Pupils in Malta
    Interim Report and Consultation Document on the
    Pilot Study. Centre for Literacy Monograph Series
    No. 1 University of Malta, Malta.
  • MIFSUD, C., MILTON, J., and FABRI, F. (1998).
    Reading Progress Tests Literacy Baseline
    Maltese Version. Centre for Literacy University
    of Malta, Malta.
  • MIFSUD, C., MILTON, J., and FABRI, F. (1998).
    Instructions Booklet for Literacy Baseline
    Maltese Version. Centre for Literacy University
    of Malta, Malta.
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