Merlin Publishers has just published four new sets of flashcards in Maltese in a series of six packs, complementing the first two sets L-Alfabett and Annimali, Insetti u Għasafar. The new packs are entitled Ikel, Ħwejjeġ u Ġugarelli, Ibni s-Sentenzi and Aqtagħli Kurżità.

We all know how tricky it can be to introduce the Maltese language to the very young, especially when – for whatever reason – they are more exposed to English on a daily basis. One of the most hands-on ways is usually flashcards, or leħħiet in Maltese, for a multitude of reasons, but especially because they are so versatile, interactive, hands-on and can easily be turned into game-like activities.

Merlin Publishers has published four new sets of flashcards in Maltese. Photo: Daniela Gouder

Always sensitive to the needs of the end user and the gaps in the local market, Merlin constantly endeavours to make available resources of the highest quality for the learning of Maltese, be it in a classroom setting or in a one-to-one situation at home.

Two of the packs – Ikel and Ħwejjeġ u Ġugarelli ­– consist of thematic keywords that aim to increase children’s Maltese vocabulary.

Each flashcard contains, on the front: a single word, and a large colour photo of the object the word describes. All images are high-quality colour photos, carefully selected by experts in the field to aid identification.

On the back of each flashcard, there is a series of graded questions aimed at parents or teachers, intended to stimulate conversation based on the photo shown on the front.

Oracy is a skill that is being promoted from the very early years, as this will be a crucial skill in later school years and forms part of assessments and exams.

These questions serve to provoke imagination and discussion, whether in a full class or in a one-to-one session with the child. This question section has been hailed as one of the most exciting features of Merlin’s flashcards.

The other two sets of flashcards, conceived and compiled by Sherise Zammit, are Ibni s-Sentenzi and Aqtagħli Kurżità.

Ibni s-Sentenzi includes three categories of flashcards – nouns, adjectives and verbs in the present tense. This set is intended to help children build sentences in Maltese in a structured and visual way – reinforcing along the way basic concepts such as that a sentence starts with a capital letter and finishes with a full stop, and includes the article, a noun, an adjective and a verb.

Aqtagħli Kurżità encourages children to think of diverse situations that are not necessarily part of their day-to-day realities. The idea is to create conversations in order to stimulate their imagination and encourage the formulating of personal opinions. Through these discussions, children become more confident in their oracy skills in Maltese.

The Merlin flashcards – in line with Merlin’s trademark commitment to quality and safety – come with the highest safety CE certifications and the cards all have rounded corners to prevent injury.

These four new sets of flashcards have been co-financed by the National Literacy Agency. The sets are available from all bookshops or directly online from www.merlinpublishers.com.