Abstract

This study investigates how national language policies and the European Schools Language Policy support the inclusion of multiple languages in early and primary education in Malta. It focuses on Maltese policy documents such as the Language Policy for the Early Years, the Junior Years Policy, and the National Literacy Strategy and compares them with the European Schools Language Policy. Using a comparative content analysis framework, the research evaluates how these policies conceptualise multilingualism, support linguistic diversity, and accommodate students’ full language repertoires. Findings reveal that while Maltese policies promote bilingualism in Maltese and English, they often adopt a monoglossic orientation that marginalises students’ first language/s (L1). In contrast, the European Schools Language Policy operationalises plurilingualism through L1 maintenance, additional language pathways, and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), positioning linguistic diversity as both a right and a pedagogical resource. The analysis highlights clear divergences in policy measurability, implementation mechanisms, and children’s participation, alongside the persistence of a colonial legacy, specifically the historical British influence on English dominance in education. The study concludes that Malta’s education system would benefit from moving beyond declarative bilingualism towards an inclusive, rights-based plurilingual policy framework aligned with EU and UNESCO multilingual agendas, embedding structured pathways for L1 maintenance, teacher education, and learner voice