LLAPSI+ (MT/2016/AMIF/4.01)

Supporting students and their families with a migrant background:

In-school educational support for students  

• Through the LLAPSI+ project the MLU continues to cater for the specific educational needs of students with a migrant background. The Migrant Learners’ Unit has a team of teachers working in schools around Malta and Gozo, offering tailor-made language teaching and support according to the students’ needs. 
• During their first year in Malta, learners who cannot as yet communicate in basic English and Maltese are referred for Induction which prepares them for accessing the mainstream education. During this year, the emphasis is on language learning, namely Maltese and English and this is carried through a variety of teaching methods and includes also other subjects like Mathematics, Science, Art and Music.
• English-speaking students who already attend mainstream classes get extra support in basic Maltese by specialized teachers.

After school activities to foster friendships between students

• An initiative of the LLAPSI+ project is the The Making Friends Bringing Friends Club which was held in different localities around Malta and Gozo. Its main aim is to provide the space needed for students with a migrant background to create and maintain friendships which will enhance their experience in schools and the community. 
• The clubs run for 10 sessions of two hours each starting immediately after the normal school hours. During the sessions the participants are engaged in tailor-made activities including art, crafts, music, exposure to local and traditional customs, food and culture, as well as playing, singing and dancing.
• Participants experience a taste of traditional food from different countries during the sessions.
• During the closing session, the learners demonstrate their achievements and share their experiences in front of parents/guardians and all those invited. They are presented with a certificate of participation.
• This activity within the LLAPSI+ project is organized in partnership with the Foundation for Educational Services (FES).

Additional Summer Intensive Course in Language Learning

This course is intended for learners between the age of 5 and 16. The eight-session summer language course is meant to support newcomer learners in Maltese and/or in English.  Sessions last 90 minutes each and are held twice/three times weekly for three/four consecutive weeks.

Additional Support to maintain the holistic well-being of students and their families in school and in the community

• The Migrant Learners’ Unit fully endorses the idea that true education can only take place once the holistic well-being of the student is maintained.
• Through LLAPSI+, the Migrant Learners’ Unit offers further support for students and their families in education, as well as other areas that aid in the proper functioning into Maltese society. 
• A team of Community Liaison Workers offer a variety of services to reach the students and their families in a wide range of needs or issues that they encounter. 
• In addition, the Community Liaison Team is made up of a group of TCNs who can communicate in various languages. The Team supports the service-users by bridging the language barriers and communicating using native languages. The Community Liaison Team also act as Liaison between the home, the school and the Migrant Learners’ Unit.  
• Further online support in language better enhances the student’s and adult’s educational needs outside the regular school hours.

Ensuring a professional service by the Migrant Learners’ Unit

• Through LLAPSI+, the Migrant Learner’s Unit is operating from brand new offices in Hamrun.
• This ensures a top quality and efficient service to its service-users.

Educational Resources provided through the LLAPSI+ Project

Through the LLAPSI + Project, the MLU procured and distributed a number of educational resources to be used in induction classes and schools in Malta and Gozo.