| e Southern Mediterranean, just 93 Kilometres South of | | | | new language skills; from buying a sandwich to taking |
| Sicily and 288 Kilometres North of Tunisia, is the little | | | | a bus, to going to the cinema, English is used |
| island of Malta, where cultures have been meeting for | | | | everywhere, so students can take the day’s |
| thousands of years, and communication is part of the | | | | lessons out into the real world, and gain confidence in |
| very bedrock of the island’s character. | | | | the use of spoken English while enjoying time with |
| Acceding to the British Empire in 1800, and gaining its | | | | friends, and visiting a new country. The use of |
| independence in 1963, Malta’s ties with the | | | | ‘host-families’; where students stay with |
| English language are very strong, with most children | | | | a local Maltese family during their course, provides |
| grow up speaking both English and Maltese. As one of | | | | another setting for communication in English, and |
| the two official languages of Malta (together with | | | | further challenges the students to use what they have |
| Maltese), English is used within the judiciary, medicine, | | | | learned. |
| and culture of Malta to such an extent that it has fast | | | | Students from a wide variety of countries visit Malta |
| become one of Europe’s premier language | | | | to learn English; once upon a time, the island took |
| destinations, as students have flocked to combine | | | | students mainly from Europe, however, these days, |
| education with the beautiful natural sights the island has | | | | the Far East and South America are fast becoming a |
| to offer. | | | | major new source of visitors, and many other new |
| The education system in Malta is first class, and | | | | countries are also sending students Malta’s |
| languages are part of fabric of the nation’s | | | | way. With the island joining the European Union in 2004, |
| identity. It’s this academic quality, combined with | | | | Malta has signalled its desire to increase upon its |
| the island’s culture of hard-work, which has | | | | commercial ties with Europe, and has invested heavily |
| meant that the language schools which have | | | | in IT infrastructure, as well as regeneration of its towns |
| developed in Malta give a service which has gained | | | | and heritage sites. Increasingly, Malta also plays host to |
| the island scholastic recognition throughout Europe and | | | | pan-European, and global political and commercial |
| the world as a whole. Independent schools such as | | | | meetings where once again, Malta’s location, |
| Elanguest Ltd have been able to boast some of the | | | | and reputation as a communications hub have made it |
| world’s highest Cambridge First Certificate | | | | the perfect choice for businesses and political |
| pass marks for EFL teaching, and are just one of | | | | leaderships. Without the use of English (the lingua |
| Malta’s independent schools catering for the | | | | franca of business and politics) as an official language, |
| world’s growing demand for English language | | | | this would not have been possible, and it’s this |
| training. | | | | skill at adaptation and incorporation of new talents |
| Due to the widespread use of English in Malta, | | | | which has kept Malta thriving for thousands of years, |
| students quickly find the opportunity to practise their | | | | and will ensure its survival and growth in future. |