Teaching English in a Multilingual Classroom: Addressing Challenges Through Teacher Education and Development

Abstract

As many societies evolve into multicultural entities consideration needs to be given to the challenges and opportunities associated with teaching English within a multilingual context. By means of a study conducted at a primary school in Malta, this article discusses the beliefs and experiences of a group of teachers adapting to a new classroom reality. It shows how they endeavoured to surmount a number of difficulties with minimal support from outside the school. This article underscores the role that effective teacher education and development can play in assisting such practitioners.