Programmes > Malta Writing Programme > General Information
General info on MWP
The Malta Writing Programme (MWP) is a project co-ordinated by the FES under an inter-agency service agreement with the Department of Curriculum Management at the Education Division.The MWP is one of the many methodologies that can be used in the implementation of educational basic skills policies. It has the advantage of being consciously grounded in the ethos, theory and praxis of the National Minimum Curriculum of Malta. This is because it does not only address writing strategies, but the reading-writing connection, writing across the curriculum, formative and summative assessment, autonomous learning and teachers' reflective practice and action research. It is therefore one way of implementing holistically the NMC whilst effectively addressing basic skills concerns.
The MWP uses a ‘teachers teaching teachers' model that is demonstrated as being very empowering and perceived by participant teachers as very realistic and acceptable.
The aims of the programme are to:
introduce writing process methodology as a vital component of basic skills provision to the different stakeholders of the school communities in the Maltese educational system;
- contribute to bringing about a gradual but radical change in language learning and teaching in Maltese education;
- work in synergy with other educational stakeholders to be of better service to school communities;
- introduce writing process methodology in adult basic skills provision through, amongst other ways, schools as community centres;
- promote action research and collaborative review in professional development;
- train and support a group of Maltese teacher consultants so as to disseminate the writing process methodology as much as possible;
- promote research and human resource development in the area of K-12 writing;
- develop and promote a regional service provision capability
Short background history
In August 2000, the first contact was established between the Institute of Linguistics at the University of Malta and the National Writing Project USA , for the provision of an Invitational Institute. The support of the NWP has expanded over time and it is now a key partner of the MWP.
During 2001 and 2002, the Malta Writing Programme (MWP) was under the aegis of the Institute of Linguistics , University of Malta . In September 2003, the FES was asked by the Department of Curriculum Management at the Education Division to take up the MWP. On the 9th of September 2003 an inter-agency service agreement was signed between the said Department and the FES .
This service agreement covered the provision of various levels of teacher training as well as teacher support, research and resource development and the provision of community based programmes.
Outputs of the Malta Writing Programme from its inception in June 2001 to August 2005
1) With respect to Open and Invitational Institutes and other staff training:a) Four 15-day intensive experiential and reflective Open Institutes spread over three or four weeks on the teaching of writing were led by NWP tutors for 120 educators. In April 2005 the first two-week Open/Invitational Institute was organised wholly by Maltese MWP tutors, for another 24 educators. Participants were class teachers, subject teachers (mostly Maltese and English but also Maths, Needlework, Art, IT), complementary teachers (primary school literacy support), school and central office administrators, support staff from the Foundation for Educational Services, and University of Malta staff. The schools represented were primary schools, secondary schools, junior lyceums, ex-opportunity centres and special schools, from the state and non-state sector.
b) 15 participants received further advanced training in November-December 2001 in writing process presentations during six evening sessions totalling nine hours.
c) Two Advanced Institutes with the aim of training teacher consultants were organised in 2001 and 2004 for a total of 20 participants.
d) 48 professional development sessions were given to over 600 teachers. These included 10 three-session programmes to teachers of 9 primary schools (four of which, from the same vulnerable region, together) and four groups of peripatetic Personal and Social Development teachers. Many other, one-off, sessions were given in response to requests by schools as a follow-up to a member of their staff have participated in an Institute, usually to support this teacher in present his/her experience to colleagues.
e) Three evening voluntary teacher conventions have been organised, with a total of about 70 participants.
f) The 4 th Invitational and 2 nd Advanced groups met two times each after the institutes; the meetings had social and general support functions.
2) With respect to the compulsory education sector:
a) 15 consultation visits to schools were made by Dr Larkin, Director of the Northern Arizona Writing Project in November-December 2001 during which 366 teachers and 262 children participated.
b) Writing Process methodology has been included in school development plans, departmental and individual schemes of work, and classroom practice in both Maltese and English, in primary and secondary schools and ex-opportunity centres.
c) Four two-day workshops were organised in 2001, 2002 and 2003 for a total of 44 school administrators, led by NWP and MWP tutors.
d) One one-day workshop was organised for 24 teachers and school administrators in Gozo in November 2005, led by NWP and MWP tutors.
e) Two one-day workshops were organised in 2004 for a total of 45 Education Officers and Subject Co-ordinators (curriculum development officers), led by NWP tutors.
f) Six parents' weekend workshops were organised in Malta and Gozo, some in collaboration with the Association of School Councils (AKS) for a total of over 120 families parents.
g) 11 family writing clubs, with 10 to 12 sessions each, have been organised in Malta and Gozo, with the participation of over 230 children and 70 parents
3) With respect to the University sector:
a) Writing Process methodology has become a core component of the Primary B.Ed training programme.
b) Five weekend writing workshops have been held for over 200 Primary B.Ed. students.
c) Writing Process methodology is now at the core of Maltese academic writing courses for Pharmacy, Social Work and Social Administration University students.
4) Research and resources
a) A specialised resource library has been set up, mainly with books donated by the National Writing Project and the Northern Arizona Writing Project, and others being acquired steadily by the MWP.
b) An MWP website has been set up for resource availability, information, support and training.
c) The first two editions of the MWP e-zine have been published on the website.
d) There are plans for the publication of the first Maltese collection of action-research projects by teachers on writing.
e) A number of undergraduate research dissertations on different aspects of writing methodology, assessment and process research have been supervised by MWP staff.
f) A Systematic Interview of Outputs of the Programme to participants of the first three Open Institute workshop participants has been carried out and will be presented during the September 2005 Writing Process Conference.
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