“SPEAK WITH CONFIDENCE” – SoLLaT USM TRAINS STUDENTS IN ENGLISH TO BUILD CONFIDENCE FOR SPM
The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Languages, Literacies and Translation (SoLLaT) recently conducted a Community Engagement Programme called “Speak with Confidence: SPM English Booster” to empower secondary school students with essential public speaking skills, enriched vocabulary, and digital-learning tools for their upcoming SPM examination.
The workshop, held earlier in July, was led by Renuga Devi a/p Ramiah, an experienced teacher from SMK Simpang Ampat, together with eight SoLLaT academic staff.
The full-day interactive workshop provided 29 students from five local secondary schools with structured guidance and practical exposure to enhance their English language proficiency and oral communication skills.
The students were tasked with a number of hands-on activities such as practical role-play, mock interviews as well as a demonstration of a specialised language application to build oral communication skills that would be beneficial not just for the upcoming SPM oral speaking test but also in their career-building.
The workshop and activities were held to identify the students’ competence in the English language, in terms of pronunciation, vocabulary selection, and generic skills.
It fostered creativity and collaboration among students while highlighting the importance of effective communication in a dynamic and supportive environment.
Advisor of the project, Associate Professor Dr. Malini Ganapathy, gave a speech during the closing ceremony. She encouraged the students to grasp the opportunity on speaking English in any possible situation because confidence is built through practice.
“As you continue preparing for your SPM examination, I encourage you to practise speaking English whenever you have the opportunity. Speak with your teachers, your friends, and your family members.
“Read widely, listen actively, and most importantly, believe in your own ability. Success in English is not about being perfect; it is about having the willingness to communicate with confidence,” she stated.
The ‘Speak with Confidence: SPM English Booster Programme’ stood out as an engaging and impactful event, inspiring a deeper appreciation for language learning.
It provided the students opportunities in fostering creativity and collaboration among them, while highlighting the importance of effective communication in a dynamic and supportive environment.