Articles written by

Loredana Muscat

Volume 11-Issue 1: June 2017

Phonological Awareness and Visual Perceptual Processing Skills of Maltese Children with Down Syndrome. How is Reading Intervention Affected?

The association between Phonological Awareness (PA) and reading in Down Syndrome (DS) has been questioned throughout the years. Studies have shown that PA does develop. However, several impairments have been identified. Conversely, Visual Perceptual Processing Skills (VPPS) in children with DS has been recognised as being a strength. Children with DS have been described as being visual learners and in consequence children with DS have been exposed primarily to visual methods of reading instruction. This study investigates the development of PA and VPPS in ten Maltese-speaking students with DS, with the aim of identifying the development of these skills in the Maltese language. Ten students with DS were compared to reading age matched typically developing (TD) students. Results showed that there was no overall significant difference between the results of TD students and students with DS in PA. In contrast, the group of students with DS obtained very low scores in VPPS tasks. The results suggest that the visual method of reading instruction should not be used as the only method of reading training with students with DS. Students with DS should be exposed to both a phonological method and a visual method of tuition to develop their reading abilities.
35 min read
Volume 19-Issue 2: December 2025

Bilingual Literacy for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities: An Intersectional Position

Equitable literacy for learners with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) who are bilingual is often hindered by monolingual frameworks. This paper presents bilingual literacy as a right and a practical means to participation, rather than an optional addition. Using the Maltese context alongside international research, the paper compiles evidence on effective literacy practices for bilingual learners with ID. It reframes them through an intersectional perspective that acknowledges how disability, language, culture, and schooling systems should jointly create opportunities. The author translates this perspective into design principles for classroom practice and system leadership, highlighting common contextual difficulties, limited protected planning time, unclear language-of-instruction policies, and inconsistent preparation for bilingual, disability-responsive teaching. The author proposes solutions grounded in intersectional competence. In conclusion, a research agenda is proposed to test and expand intersectionally positioned biliteracy approaches.