Articles written by

Vanessa Saliba

Volume 17-Issue 2: December 2023

Resources and services needed by educators to work with autistic students in mainstream primary schools: the Maltese perspective

Maltese governments have invested considerably in education and inclusion in society. In this article, the resources and services needed by the senior management team (SMT), teachers, and learning support educators (LSEs) when working with autistic students in mainstream primary schools in Malta are discussed. This is done in light of research showing that resources and services in inclusive schools can ease the challenges of IE and make it a positive experience. Data was collected through qualitative questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. All primary school educators in one college [i] were invited to participate. 172 educators accepted the invitation and filled out a questionnaire. Of the 172 participants, 19 agreed to participate in a semi-structured interview. The findings show that in the Maltese education system several services already exist for autistic students. However, such services have certain deficiencies that must be addressed. Moreover, the findings show that certain resources and other services are lacking.
41 min read
Volume 19-Issue 1: June 2025

Training Needed for Educators to Work with Autistic Students in Mainstream Primary Schools: the Maltese Perspective

Due to the high proportion of learners with disabilities attending mainstream schools in Malta, Maltese educators encounter various challenges when working with autistic students in inclusive schools. In this article, the training needed by the senior management team (SMT), teachers and learning support educators (LSEs) when working with autistic students in mainstream primary schools in Malta is discussed in light of research showing that training for educators can ease the challenges of working with autistic students in mainstream schools, thus making it a positive experience. Data were collected through qualitative questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. All primary school educators in one college were invited to participate. A total of 172 educators accepted the invitation and filled out a questionnaire. Nineteen of the 172 participants agreed to participate in a semi-structured interview. The findings show that Maltese educators lack training in working with autistic students, resulting in a number of challenges for them. The findings include several suggestions put forward by the participants about what training they need.