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1. Introduction

SOS Malta is partnering in a consortium on the Project named “Reinventing Mainstream Classrooms” (RE.MA.C) under ERASMUS+ funding programme KA.2/Higher Education.

The three topics addressed by this topic are:

• Creating new, innovative, or joint curricula or courses
• Digital content, technologies, and practices
• Teaching and learning of foreign languages

With this project, we want to address the challenges and difficulties that (language) teachers face in mainstream classrooms when trying to address the diverse needs and interests of students.

Indeed, it is striking that while student diversity is increasing across Europe, educational equity is no longer ensured by providing the same teaching and classroom structure to all young people (World Bank Report on the European Union, 2018). RE.MA.C. aims to meet the teaching and learning needs as well as the cognitive and social demands of a rather challenging educational context, namely the multilingual and multicultural classroom, and to create equal opportunities for all through an innovative online methodology.

All three priorities of this project are:

1. Inclusion and diversity in all areas of education, training, youth, and sports,
2. Tackling learning disabilities, early school leaving and low basic skills,
3. promoting innovative learning and teaching methods.

2. Scope of Work/Assignment

The Project Officer/Research Assistant position will be under the technical supervision of a consultant and will work in close coordination with the project leader, Frederick University (Cyprus), and in collaboration with the other project partners.

The tasks to be carried out by the Project Officer/Research Assistant will include, but will not be limited to:

• Carrying out a literature review of the latest theoretical approaches to Maltese language learning as a second language
• Translation and adaptation of a number of questionnaires to the Maltese context for dissemination to mainstream schoolteachers and analysis of results
• Reporting of research results (in English)
• Development of 240 Maltese language learning tasks for students aged 8- to 12-years with a view to gamification (the gamification application is to be developed by another partner organisation)
• Development of 80 intercultural tasks in Maltese for 8- to 12-year-old students
• Development of training materials for workshops (under the supervision of a consultant)
• Carrying out logistical preparations for the workshops
• Assisting in the implementation of the language learning tasks (including creation of pre and post-tests)
• Participating in online and in-person meetings (some meetings will be abroad)
• Overall project management including project reporting and financial record keeping.

3. Qualifications

Interested candidates should have:

• A Master’s (Level 7) qualification (minimum) in an area related to second-language acquisition
• Excellent command of Maltese and English (spoken, read, and written)
• Experience with design of language learning tasks
• Experience with designing and executing qualitative research, particularly in education settings (e.g., designing qualitative data collection tools; securing ethics committee review; sampling in qualitative research; carrying out interviews, focus groups, observations; qualitative data analysis; reporting etc.)
• Project management experience would be an asset.

As noted above, this position offers the opportunity to work with experts in the fields of language, education and broader disciplines, as well as opportunities for funded, short-term, travel to represent SOS Malta’s contribution to this Project.

The responsible, committed and invested person filling this role will gain opportunities to network on an international scale and add value to one’s CV.

4. Duration of Assignment

The duration of the contract is on a definite basis and is expected to be 22 months from the date of signing.

5. Remuneration

The post is for a part-time employment at 20-hours per week. The salary package is of EUR 13,000 gross annual salary.

6. Application

Interested applicants should submit their CV along with a cover letter that includes information about their relevant experience and accomplishments that are relevant to this position and project via email.