English School and Course in Malta

The English course is a fundamental part of every inMalta study holiday, but the school, lesson location and academic organisation vary depending on the programme chosen. For Summer Camp inMalta and Summer Club inMalta, we have chosen Malta University Language School, located directly within the campus where students stay. For Experience inMalta, the course is provided by the European School of English, with lessons taking place directly at the Salini Resort. Programmes with host family accommodation include lessons at the European School of English in St. Julian’s, with students travelling to school from their host family. Three different options, with one element in common: the course is not considered separately from the rest of the study holiday, but as part of the international experience that students enjoy in Malta.

Summer Camp and Summer Club: Malta University Language School

Students who choose Summer Camp inMalta or Summer Club inMalta attend their course at Malta University Language School, the only English language school for international students also accredited by the University of Malta. The school is located within Campus inMalta, the modern student campus adjacent to the historic University of Malta campus, where students also stay. It consists of 14 modern, air-conditioned classrooms equipped with interactive multimedia whiteboards. The classrooms are located on the sixth floor of Block O and can be reached from the accommodation in less than a minute. This is one of the main advantages of the Summer Camp and Summer Club programmes: students do not need to use buses or other forms of transport to get to school. Accommodation, school and the other main services used every day are all located within the same campus. In the morning, students simply leave their residence and walk to their classrooms.

The Summer Camp and Summer Club English course

The course includes 20 English lessons per week, four lessons per day from Monday to Friday. Each lesson lasts 45 minutes, for a total of 15 hours per week and 30 hours over a two-week stay. Lessons normally take place in the morning, from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm, with a 30-minute break. Teachers are native English speakers, certified and qualified to teach. Lessons are designed to develop the different language skills and encourage the practical use of English, as part of an experience in which the language continues to be used outside the classroom. Depending on age, language level, the mix of students present and organisational requirements, lessons may be arranged in international classes or closed groups. In both Summer Camp and Summer Club, some learning activities may also take place outdoors: the programme includes themed afternoons dedicated to sports, personal skills and soft skills development.

Studying English on a real international campus

The location of Malta University Language School makes it possible to closely integrate school life with life on campus. Once lessons are over, students do not need to travel back to their accommodation. They can immediately return to their residence and begin the afternoon programme, take part in activities or use the campus facilities according to their programme. During the summer, the campus welcomes students of different nationalities, so the course can also become an opportunity to meet students from other countries. The aim is for English not to be limited to the hours spent in the classroom. For this reason, some activities and excursions are also organised together with international students, creating further opportunities to use English in less formal situations.

Experience inMalta: European School of English

Students who choose Experience inMalta attend the European School of English, one of Malta’s leading English language schools and a member of FELTOM, the Maltese federation of English language schools, which also monitors standards relating to the quality of teaching and services. For Experience inMalta, the school dedicated to junior students is located directly on the ground floor of the Salini Resort, the same property where students stay. The school consists of 20 modern, air-conditioned classrooms equipped with interactive multimedia whiteboards. Part of the resort has been specifically organised to accommodate the school, allowing students to reach their lessons without using buses or other forms of transport. Here too, one of the main advantages is therefore the absence of daily travel between school and accommodation.

The Experience inMalta English course

The European School of English course includes 20 lessons per week, four lessons per day from Monday to Friday. Students therefore attend a total of 15 hours of lessons each week. Lessons are taught by native English-speaking teachers and may take place either in the morning or in the afternoon depending on the students’ age, English level and the school’s logistical requirements. Classes are international. The European School of English works with students and organisations from different countries, and the mix of nationalities may vary from week to week throughout the summer. This is particularly important for Experience inMalta: in the classroom, students have the opportunity to study alongside peers who do not necessarily speak their language, so English naturally becomes their common means of communication

The placement test

Before the course begins, students take a placement test, regardless of the package chosen. The test allows the school to assess each student’s English level and place them in the most appropriate class. Classes are therefore not formed solely according to age or the group with which the student arrived in Malta: language level is a fundamental factor in class placement. This also means that students who arrive together may be placed in different classes if they have different levels of English. The aim is to ensure that every student attends lessons appropriate to their initial abilities and can actively participate in class.

The four language skills

The course focuses on the main skills required to use a language: speaking, listening, reading and writing. The aim is therefore not to focus exclusively on grammar. Particular importance is given to comprehension and communication because, during a study holiday, students have the opportunity to immediately put into practice what they learn. Lessons provide the structured part of the learning process, while activities, excursions and everyday life with other students provide opportunities to continue using English throughout the rest of the day.

The final certificate

At the end of their stay, students receive a certificate relating to the course they attended, subject to the school’s attendance requirements. In programmes with courses at the European School of English, students must attend at least 80% of their lessons to receive the certificate, which includes information about the course attended, the number of lesson hours and the level achieved. Malta University Language School also issues students with a certificate of attendance at the end of the course. The English course is therefore a structured educational experience within the study holiday, rather than simply an additional activity included in the programme.

English course with host family accommodation

For students aged 14 to 17 who choose host family accommodation, the organisation is different from Summer Camp, Summer Club and Experience inMalta. The school and accommodation are not located within the same complex. Students stay with a host family and travel to school to attend their lessons. Host families are normally selected in areas that allow students to reach the school on foot; if the distance is too great, students are responsible for organising their own transport. inMalta offers host family stays combined with English courses at different schools.

Homestay with European School of English

The course is organised at the European School of English location closest to the assigned host family: European School of English Central in St. Julian’s or, depending on logistical requirements, European School of English Salini at the Salini Resort. For students staying with host families, the English course also includes 20 lessons per week, four lessons per day from Monday to Friday. Lessons may take place in the morning or afternoon depending on age, language level and the school’s organisation. The academic programme is therefore essentially similar to the one followed by Experience inMalta students; the main difference is the way the stay itself is experienced, as students travel between their host family and school each day. To take part in activities and excursions, students will have designated meeting points where they meet Group Leaders and other students before participating together in the extracurricular programme.

Different schools, different programmes

The choice of school therefore depends on the study holiday programme. Summer Camp inMalta and Summer Club inMalta use Malta University Language School within Campus inMalta. Experience inMalta uses the European School of English within the Salini Resort. Homestay programmes may instead include different English language schools, with students travelling to school from their host family each day, with a preference for the European School of English. On the campus and at the resort, school and accommodation are located in the same place, eliminating daily travel. With host family accommodation, students have a more independent experience and need to organise their travel between home, school and activities. In all programmes, however, lessons represent only one part of the language-learning experience. The real value of a study holiday in Malta comes from the opportunity to continue using English after leaving the classroom, during activities, excursions and, above all, when interacting with students from other countries.

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