You’ve booked your course, you’re in Malta, the weather is good, and the harbour views from your classroom keep pulling your attention. Now what? The school gives you the lessons, but what you do outside them decides how fast you actually improve.
Here are the things that genuinely make a difference.
Speak More Than You Think You Need To
This sounds obvious, and yet most students don’t do it. In a typical classroom, the people who improve fastest are the ones who talk the most, even when they’re nervous, even when they make mistakes.
The average student speaks for maybe 10 to 15 minutes in a two-hour lesson. That isn’t enough. Push yourself to join every class discussion, offer answers even when you’re not sure, and ask the teacher to correct you once you’ve finished speaking. Teachers at good schools like Maltalingua are used to this, and they want you to push.
Outside class, the habit matters even more. The aim is to get through a full day in English as often as you can. That’s harder than it sounds when you’re tired and your flatmate speaks your language.
Be Strategic About Who You Spend Time With
This is where a lot of students quietly lose weeks of progress.
When you arrive in Malta, you’ll naturally drift towards students who share your language. It’s comfortable. It’s also the single biggest thing slowing your improvement. The moment you notice everyone in your apartment speaks Turkish or Japanese or Spanish at home, you need to make a deliberate choice to break that pattern.
The practical fix: go out of your way to find people who don’t share your language. Sit at different tables. Join activities. Say yes to invitations from people you wouldn’t normally spend time with. Yes, it’s uncomfortable. It’s also how you improve.
Some schools, Maltalingua included, deliberately mix nationalities in classes to head off this exact problem. Use that design. Don’t undo it.
Use English for Real Tasks, Not Just Practice
The fastest learners treat English as a tool, not a subject.
Rather than sitting down with a grammar book in the evening, use English for things you actually need to do: ordering food, asking for directions, booking appointments, reading the news, watching a video about something you care about. That puts the language in context, which is how your brain actually holds onto it.
A few things that work well:
- Shopping at the local market instead of the tourist supermarket
- Calling a taxi or restaurant instead of using an app
- Reading Maltese news websites in English
- Following YouTube channels about your hobby in English
The catch: it has to be something you care about. Passive listening while you do something else doesn’t really count.
Build a Weekly English Routine
Progress comes from consistency, not from the occasional intense study session.
Think about what your average week in Malta looks like and build English into it on purpose:
Monday: Lesson + 30 minutes reviewing vocabulary from the day
Tuesday: Lesson + watch one episode of a show in English (no subtitles)
Wednesday: Lesson + go somewhere new and ask for something in English
Thursday: Lesson + 20 minutes reading (news, a novel, anything)
Friday: Lesson + write a short paragraph about your week in English
Weekend: Socialise in English as much as you can
This isn’t about studying hard. It’s about keeping English present in your life even when you’re not in class.
Explore Malta in English
Malta is an incredible classroom, so use it.
Visit the Blue Lagoon and chat with the boat crew. Go to a local football match and talk to the people around you. Walk through Valletta and read the historical plaques. Ask shop owners about their products. The island rewards curiosity, and it rewards anyone willing to stumble through a conversation.
Students who treat Malta as a place, not just a backdrop to their course, improve faster. They’re forced to communicate, they meet vocabulary in real situations, and they build confidence.
Use the Library
Malta has a public library system and most schools have their own resources, so make use of both. Books graded for English learners (the Penguin Readers series, for example) are written with controlled vocabulary, so you can genuinely read them, and finishing a whole book in English is a milestone worth having.
If you’re at intermediate level or above, ask your teacher for a reading list. Libraries in St. Julian’s have English-language sections, and many are free to use.
Manage the Temptation to Speak Your Language
Let’s be honest: when you’re tired, frustrated, or just want to say something quickly, you’ll reach for your native language. Everyone does. The question is whether you catch yourself and switch back, or whether you let it become the default.
A few things that help:
- Change your phone and laptop to English
- Follow English-language social media accounts
- Keep translation apps out of easy reach
- Agree with classmates to speak only English in the building
None of these are perfect. Together, though, they create an environment where English is the default rather than the exception.
What Good Schools Do Differently
At Maltalingua, classes are capped at 12 students with an average of 8 to 10. That means every lesson is actually usable: you get speaking time, you get feedback, you get corrected. In schools with 15 to 20 students per class, a big chunk of every lesson disappears into logistics.
Small classes aren’t a luxury. They’re a structural advantage that adds up over weeks.
The Honest Truth
Most students who don’t improve as fast as they hoped tend to have the same four problems:
- They spend too much time with people who share their language
- They switch to their native language when things get difficult
- They don’t use English for real purposes outside class
- They study grammar instead of communicating
Fix those four things and your progress will pick up noticeably within a month.
Ready to start? Get a personalised quotation for your Malta English course and make the most of your time on the island.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I get the most out of my English course in Malta?
Speak English outside class as much as inside it, with your host family, classmates and locals. Immersion is what turns lessons into fluency.
Should I take Standard or Intensive to progress fastest?
Intensive (30 lessons a week) speeds up your progress, but consistency and real-world practice matter just as much as lesson hours.
How do I keep improving after my course ends?
Keep using English every day through podcasts, series and reading, and stay in touch with the friends you made. The habits you build in Malta are what last.
Do activities outside class actually help my English?
Yes. Social activities and excursions are real conversation practice in disguise, and one of the most effective parts of studying abroad.