Malta’s first Maltese-language autism toolkit lands in teachers’ hands – classrooms set to change

**First Maltese-language autism toolkit lands in teachers’ hands – and classrooms may never be the same**

Valletta – For years, Maltese educators who wanted to support autistic students had to wade through English manuals peppered with references to British SENCOs or American IEP forms. That changed this week when the National Literacy Agency and the Autism Spectrum Support Group Malta launched “Gwida Prattika għall-Edukaturi dwarf l-Awtiżmu” – the island’s first home-grown, bilingual toolkit written for our brick-and-white-stone classrooms, our 30-pupil state schools, our feast-day firework nerves and our tight-knit village communities.

The 80-page guide, printed on recycled paper at the Santa Venera presses, was unveiled on Tuesday at the Mediterranean Conference Centre to a roomful of teachers, LSAs and parents who greeted every Maltese chapter heading with spontaneous applause. “Finally, a document that says ‘ċans’ instead of ‘break time’,” chuckled Maria Camilleri, a Year 3 teacher from Żejtun whose class includes three non-verbal autistic boys. “When I read the section on ‘ħin ta’ kwiet’ strategies, I recognised the exact corridor bell that sets my students off every 11 a.m.”

Localised detail is exactly what the authors – a team of five Maltese psychologists, two speech-language pathologists and one Gozitan parent advocate – set out to achieve. Instead of generic stock photos, the pages feature Maltese tiled floors, parish-hall karate lessons and the familiar yellow-and-blue uniforms of our primary schools. Case studies carry names like ‘Ġak’ and ‘Shania’ and describe challenges unique to the islands: processing the sudden brass-band crescendo during village festa week, or coping with the smell of ħobż biż-żejt when sensory aversion hits at 9 a.m. snack time.

Dr. Angele Abela, lead author and senior educational psychologist, told Hot Malta that cultural resonance matters. “We interviewed 120 local teachers and 70 parents. Over 80 % said existing resources felt ‘foreign’. One boy from Rabat kept asking why the English book showed a ‘red double-decker’ when he’d never seen one. Representation isn’t cosmetic – it determines whether a child engages or switches off.”

The timing is critical. Education Ministry data released in March shows a 42 % rise in autism diagnoses in Maltese schools since 2018, yet only 14 % of teachers report feeling “confident” in adapting their lessons. With inclusive-education laws now enforcing classroom participation rather than withdrawal, educators are scrambling for practical tips they can apply tomorrow morning.

Enter the guide’s star feature: 25 “instant-use” cards that fit inside a pocket folder. Each card tackles a common Maltese scenario – from lining up in the sweltering asphalt yard to handling the change of routine when the school closes for Sette Giugno. One card suggests replacing the verbal countdown “five-more-minutes” with a visual sand-timer painted in the colours of the Maltese flag, a tweak that reduced meltdowns by 60 % during pilot testing at St. Benedict’s College in Kirkop.

Community reaction has been swift. Within 24 hours of the launch, 2,000 free copies were snapped up, crashing the Literacy Agency’s booking portal. Facebook group “Malta Autism Parents” exploded with posts tagging Education Minister Dr. Clifton Grima, urging him to fund a copy for every LSA in the state system. Grima responded with a video filmed outside Ġan Franġisk Abela Upper School, promising “budgetary backing” and hinting that a digital, screen-reader-friendly version will roll out before the new scholastic year.

Not everyone is celebrating. Gozitan activist Rita Pace warned that rural schools still lack sensory rooms and questioned whether a booklet can compensate for staff shortages. “A guide is welcome, but if one LSA is shared between 40 kids, even the best Maltese tip card won’t魔术 away overload,” Pace said.

Still, most educators remain upbeat. At the launch, Gozitan primary teacher Clayton Refalo brandished his copy like a trophy. “This isn’t just translated – it’s transplanted,” he beamed. “It grew from our soil, our bells, our buses. For the first time, inclusion feels written in our own tongue.”

As fireworks crackled over the Grand Harbour in festive anticipation, attendees left clutching copies embossed with the Knights’ eight-pointed cross – a quiet reminder that Malta’s next crusade is for classrooms where every neurodivergent child can thrive, rosary beads or stim toys in hand.