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Laura Calleja is features editor at MaltaToday and has completed her master's degree at the Oxford Brookes University in Digital Publishing in the UK DUAL-LANGUAGE books are bilingual books that present the same story or narrative in two different languages. They are regularly used to help individuals learn a second language – how- ever, there is another use which is not regularly discussed within the academic community: the use of dual language books as a tool to disseminate information, especially in a country like Mal- ta, where our relationship with language is so complicated. For this reason, I chose this topic as the basis of my mas- ter's thesis. The relationship between Maltese and English is complicated in Malta – and while the two coexist within the community, the situation becomes even more compli- cated when you consider the increase of the foreign popula- tion since Malta joined the Eu- ropean Union in 2004. To this effect, for my master's thesis, I created two sample chapters from a proposed du- al-language interactive eBook on domestic violence entitled Violence No More: A Teaching Guide on Domestic Violence in Malta. The proposed eBook itself contains eight chapters, with the primary side being in English and the secondary side being in Maltese. It is aimed at stakeholders in the field, such as law enforcement, educa- tors, the media, etc. The rea- son I chose the subject matter is because of the alarming rate of domestic violence and femi- cide in Malta – while there are other guides for stakeholders, because of the unique inclusion of interactive elements – the artefact I have created is unlike anything that currently exists to my knowledge. The point of creating the sam- ple chapters is to show the vital role dual language books/ma- terial can have in disseminat- ing information and reaching different markets. It also hopes to show the limited resourc- es in the area – and attempts to fill the gap. The proposed sample chapters are joined by a report looking into how the artefact was made and research into the benefits and criticisms of translation. As I've stated previously, the subject of language in Mal- ta is a device topic. Despite English being commonly spo- ken by Maltese, there is still deep-rooted objection to Eng- lish being spoken at an official level. Malta is, in fact, not the only country to have received backlash from the public; while stakeholders agree that transla- tion of educational material is necessary for multicultural so- cieties, there has been backlash over the years, with many ques- tioning whether it is required. In the UK, there was an up- roar about the amount of mon- ey spent on translation servic- es, leading to a policy review and recommendations that local authorities consider care- fully whether translation is re- quired and that there should be a greater focus on English for Speakers of Other Languages provision. However, research shows that gatekeeping infor- mation does not benefit socie- ty; if anything, it only leads to mistrust and misinformation, which breeds resentment. * * * The last subject I would like to discuss is the benefit of in- teractive elements within eBooks and how they can in- crease accessibility. Interactive elements transform eBooks into more than just the digital version of physical books. They usually offer dynamic, engag- ing and immersive experienc- es. In my work, I used various interactive elements, including audio dictation. Using AI, both the English and Maltese ver- sions have audio dictation for the entirety of the work. While some might argue that audiobooks fill in the gaps for this market – I disagree; for starters, research shows that many individuals benefit from using audio and visual stimu- lants simultaneously. One of the most significant advantages of reading and listening simul- taneously is its substantial boost to reading comprehension. When you follow along with an audiobook or spoken con- tent while reading the written text, you simultaneously engage multiple parts of your brain. It is also beneficial for those living with learning disabilities such as dyslexia – listening to a text while following along can help bridge the gap between decoding words and assigning meaning. The second reason audio- books don't fill this gap is that one still has to buy the audio- book separately, forcing the potential reader to pay two fees – we should strive to make books as accessible as possible to anyone who wishes to read them. Having the audio dicta- tion within the eBook, through interactive elements, removes the burden for the reader to purchase both the audiobook and the eBook and makes the process far more accessible. I would like to thank the TESS Scholarships and the Malta government for funding my master's at Oxford Brookes University in the UK and making it possible for me to conduct this research. maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 JANUARY 2024 8 OPINION Dual-language books as a tool to disseminate information Laura Calleja Despite English being commonly spoken by Maltese, there is still deep- rooted objection to English being spoken at an official level.