Voices – National Geographic
Maltalingua’s Junior syllabus is based on the Voices book series from National Geographic Learning, which is a collection of non-fiction books that focus on a range of topics, including science, history, social issues, nature and environment, and culture and society.
The series aims to provide engaging and informative content that can help learners develop their reading and critical thinking skills while also inspiring a love of learning and an appreciation for the world around them. Each book in the Voices series features a collection of articles, essays, and other texts from various sources, including the National Geographic magazine.
The texts are selected to provide a range of perspectives on the topic and to challenge students to reflect on the issues involved. In addition to the texts, the Voices series includes a range of supporting materials, such as discussion questions, vocabulary lists, infographics, and writing prompts. These materials are designed to help students express their own ideas and opinions on a given topic, learn how to use evidence from texts to support their arguments, encourage students to analyse and evaluate information from different sources and develop their critical thinking skills.
Maltalingua offers a syllabus on the levels below.
- Elementary – A1-A2
- Pre-Intermediate A2-B1
- Intermediate Plus – B1+
- Upper-Intermediate – B2
- Advanced – C1
Each lesson is graded for the right level and covers all language skills, such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing, as well as language systems needed to improve language proficiency, such as phonology, vocabulary, and grammar.
Self-Study Platform – Continue Learning at Home
The Voices series for young learners also includes online resources, such as videos, interactive activities and exercises, and additional reading and listening materials which can be accessed through a dedicated website or on the National Geographic APP. These resources are designed to complement the books and provide the learners with further practice outside the classroom. The exercises can be automatically corrected on the app or graded by the teacher. The teacher can also set up assessments with specific deadlines and grade work done at home. Communication between teachers and students is also available on the platform or app as well.
Task-Based Learning Lessons
The Voices book lessons are complemented by a series of tailor-made lessons created by Maltalingua. Maltalingua’s individual lessons focus on systems and skills followed by task-based learning projects designed to accommodate teens aged 13-17 studying in an open group. The lesson content often focuses on studying, travelling, culture, and the local area - the Islands of Malta. Throughout the course, learners are encouraged to think about their immediate surroundings to make the lesson content as real and applicable as possible during this immersive experience. There is a very strong emphasis on communication (i.e. speaking and listening) and project creation to further explore and practice the Voices book series.
Assessment & Progress
Students are classed according to their online Placement Test results, which include reading & comprehension, vocabulary, and writing. A speaking assessment is also conducted by a teacher on their first day, to further confirm their level of English.
Every Monday, students receive Weekly Targets with a summary of what they will learn during the week. Every day, teachers will encourage their students to reflect on the lesson and mark their own progress on the Weekly Targets and Progress Sheet. On Fridays, the teacher will also give their feedback on the week and write an Individual Progress and Study plan for each student.
A Progress Test is available on Fridays for students to check their development and progress based on the topics studied that week. The test is created based on the syllabus and used by the teachers to create the student’s Individual Progress and Study Plans.
