MATSEC SEC Maltese as a Foreign Language study plan
MATSEC SEC Maltese as a Foreign Language · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Spoken production and interaction (oral) & Language use: grammar, vocabulary and orthography
Pronounce the Maltese alphabet and the distinctive graphemes (għ, ħ, ie, x, z, ż) accurately enough that a listener can transcribe dictated single words.
Produce 30 short spoken self-introductions (name, origin, work, daily routine) of 60-90 seconds each, recording and reviewing two per session.
Conjugate the present and perfect of regular verbs in all persons and drill them aloud until formation is automatic.
Apply the definite article rules (il-, l-, iċ-, id-, in-, ir-, is-, it-, ix-, iż-, l- before vowels) correctly in 20 written sentences.
Build a personal lexicon of 150 high-frequency nouns and verbs with the article and plural marked.
Your checkpoint
A 5-minute self-recorded audio monologue in Maltese with a written transcript, plus a 150-entry vocabulary sheet with articles and plurals.
Spoken production and interaction (oral) & Language use: grammar, vocabulary and orthography
Sustain a 10-minute spoken interaction with a tutor or language partner covering shopping, directions and appointments, using repair phrases when stuck.
Form and use the imperfect and future (imperfett and futur) in 40 spoken sentences describing past habits and future plans.
Attach object and indirect pronouns (ni-, -ni, -u, -ha, -hom) to verbs correctly in 25 spoken and written examples.
Ask and answer 20 question types aloud, including tag questions and question words (min, x', fejn, meta, kif, għaliex, kemm).
Self-correct pronunciation errors identified in week 1 recordings, logging each corrected item.
Your checkpoint
A 10-minute recorded dialogue with a partner or tutor plus a one-page error log listing at least 15 self-corrected pronunciation or grammar slips.
Listening comprehension & Language use: grammar, vocabulary and orthography
Identify the main idea and two supporting details from 10 short authentic Maltese audio clips (news, announcements, announcements at a station) of 1-2 minutes.
Transcribe dictated sentences containing minimal pairs (qal/gal, ħarġa/ħarġa variants, ie/i) with at least 80% accuracy.
Use the comparative and superlative (iktar, l-iktar, -aħħar forms where relevant) correctly in 20 spoken and written comparisons.
Distinguish and use the numerals and telling the time aloud in 20 listening-and-repeating drills.
Your checkpoint
A listening log of 10 clips with a written summary of each (2-3 sentences) and a dictation score sheet showing at least 80% accuracy.
Listening comprehension & Reading comprehension
Answer 15 comprehension questions on two 300-word Maltese reading passages, distinguishing main idea from detail.
Scan three short authentic texts (notice, timetable, menu) for specific information within a set time limit.
Take notes while listening to a 3-minute Maltese monologue and reconstruct its content orally in 90 seconds.
Infer the meaning of 20 unfamiliar words from context and verify them in a dictionary.
Your checkpoint
A timed mock listening-and-reading section (one listening task and two reading tasks) completed under exam conditions with a scored answer sheet.
Reading comprehension & Written production (guided and free writing)
Write a 120-150 word guided text (formal letter or email) using an appropriate opening, closing and register.
Write a 150-200 word free composition (narrative or opinion) with clear paragraphing and linking words (imbagħad, għalhekk, madankollu, filwaqt li).
Read two 400-word Maltese articles and summarise each in 60 words without copying sentences.
Apply punctuation and capitalisation conventions in Maltese to 30 sentences, including the use of the hyphen and apostrophe.
Your checkpoint
One guided letter (120-150 words) and one free composition (150-200 words), both revised after tutor feedback, plus two 60-word summaries.
Written production (guided and free writing) & Reading comprehension
Draft and redraft a 200-word opinion text in 45 minutes, then reduce errors by at least half in the second draft.
Analyse two model Maltese texts for structure, connectors and register, and list the features to reuse.
Complete three timed reading passages of increasing length (250, 350, 450 words) with at least 75% comprehension accuracy.
Expand the personal lexicon to 350 entries, organised by exam themes (family, work, health, travel, environment).
Your checkpoint
A timed 45-minute writing sample (200 words) with first and second drafts side by side, plus a scored set of three timed reading passages.
Spoken production and interaction (oral) & Written production (guided and free writing)
Deliver a 3-minute prepared oral presentation on a familiar topic and answer five follow-up questions without switching to English.
Role-play four exam-style interactions (making a complaint, asking for information, arranging a meeting, describing a past event) of 5 minutes each.
Write a 180-word text under exam timing and self-assess it against a checklist of grammar, vocabulary and coherence criteria.
Record and review all oral work, noting three recurring errors to eliminate.
Your checkpoint
A 3-minute recorded presentation with question-and-answer follow-up, plus four recorded role-plays and a written self-assessment sheet.
Listening comprehension & Reading comprehension & Spoken production and interaction (oral) & Written production (guided and free writing) & Language use: grammar, vocabulary and orthography
Complete two full timed mock exams covering all five domains under exam conditions and score them.
Review every error from the mocks and re-drill the 20 most frequent error types until they are produced correctly three times in a row.
Run a final 15-minute oral simulation with a tutor, covering presentation and interaction, and act on the feedback immediately.
Consolidate the 350-entry lexicon and re-test 100 items, targeting at least 90% recall.
Your checkpoint
Two scored full mock exams with an error-analysis sheet and a final recorded oral simulation with tutor feedback notes.
Milestones
Week 2: Can sustain a 10-minute spoken interaction in Maltese and correctly form present, perfect, imperfect and future tenses in 8 out of 10 prompted sentences.
Week 4: Scores at least 60% on a timed combined listening-and-reading mock and can summarise a 3-minute audio monologue accurately.
Week 6: Produces a 200-word composition in 45 minutes with a second draft showing at least 50% fewer errors, and scores at least 75% on timed reading passages.
Week 8: Scores at least 70% overall across two full mock exams, with no single domain below 60%, and completes the oral simulation without resorting to English.