A book-streaming service designed to make reading and learning languages fun has recently added a book on Maltese as a foreign language (MFL) by well-known Maltese language writer Charles Daniel Saliba.
One of the books included in Level A1 of Charles Daniel Saliba’s Maltese/English book series ‘Maltese for Foreigners’Level 1 of Saliba’s Maltese/English book series ‘Maltese for Foreigners’ recently became available on the online platform Octavo as part of a digitisation project the author has embarked upon together with BDL Publishing. The cloud-based digital library features smart recommendations personalised for the reader, access to hundreds of titles and loads of customisable features.
Level A1 (Beginners-Elementary) includes three books: My First 750 Words in Maltese, Maltese Grammar Essentials in Context 1 and Speaking Maltese 1. These books are ideal for beginners and are suitable for use by individuals, groups or in a school setting.
Dr Saliba commented: “The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled educators to face new realities, including teaching online. Being an educator myself, teaching Maltese as a foreign language daily at MQF levels 1 and 2 at a sixth form, I myself experienced the need for these online books to facilitate communication between the teacher and student. So I worked on this innovative project so educators and learners could have the necessary online tools to teach and learn MFL.
“Technology gives you a lot of advantages, including the incorporation of audio with each text, auto-correction for most exercises, photos and clipart in full colour. It’s also simple for the teacher to share screen content. Moreover, it will be a blessing for Maltese emigrants living abroad, mainly in Australia, the US and Canada, because such oBooks save them postage money.”
BDL managing director Audrey Cassar added: “It’s been a pleasure working with Charles who has been extremely proactive to adapt to the needs brought about by the pandemic and with our invaluable team he reworked all his books to make them accessible in digital format. Charles immediately understood the advantages of going digital and supported Octavo – a home-grown platform – that supports the Maltese language.”
To access this online digital library, register for free via the link below.