One for the album: Students posing for a photo with their teachers after the drama competition.
IN primary school, Tan Shi Yee avoided the spotlight due to her introversion.
That changed recently when the 14-year-old signed up for several activities during English Month at Catholic High School in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Taking on the role of a doctor in a play for a drama competition, for which she was also a playwright, she took to the stage with her team members.
Also a participant in the “Lucha Libro” impromptu storytelling competition, Shi Yee seized the opportunity to boost her confidence.
“I’m proud to have pushed myself to do all this. I never dared to compete in any competitions in primary school,” she told StarEdu.
Shi Yee was among more than 600 students involved in the English Month activities organised by the school’s English Language Society throughout April.
Aimed at promoting the use of the English language among students, the activities included writing, public speaking, Lucha Libro, spelling bee, Scrabble and drama competitions.
A believer in gaining exposure to improve her command of English, Woo Zi Qing joined the public speaking competition, where she delivered a prepared speech on “Is AI worth it?” and an impromptu speech titled “Should students be given a mental test before admitting them to schools?”
“I wanted to relive my primary school days when I actively participated in speaking and storytelling competitions. It was an honour to learn from the other candidates,” said the 17-year-old.
Ng Enya and her friend and teammate Chew Xu Re, both 15, took part in the Interclass Debate Competition (IEDC).
Named the second-best overall speaker, Enya said she learnt new tips to sharpen her debating skills.
Xu Re noted that joining the debate team not only improved his English but also honed his critical thinking skills and boosted his confidence in delivering speeches.
Belle Joseph, who watches English dramas to improve her vocabulary and listening skills, was a narrator in a play for the drama competition and a participant in the Lucha Libro competition.
The 14-year-old said her class acted out a story about an astronaut who time-travelled to the future, while the topic for Lucha Libro was “destiny and fate”.
“It was really fun and exciting to be on stage and narrate the entire drama plot.
“Lucha Libro was particularly challenging because it required participants to create and tell a story using only three keywords in 15 minutes,” she said.
Shannon Loong Jean En, who took part in the writing competition, said it challenged her to think outside the box.
The 15-year-old competed in two categories, submitting an essay titled “What detrimental effects does technology have on us, humans? Has technology mitigated humans’ ability to think critically?” for the essay writing category, and a piece titled “The ultimate answer to life and the universe is... 42” for the flash fiction category.
To improve her English, Shannon cited daily communication in the language as the most effective method.
She also recommended using tools like a thesaurus to enhance vocabulary.
IEDC champion Lew Yun Ying said through debating, she learnt to craft solid rebuttals and deliver her speeches more effectively.
“I teamed up with new friends and learnt debating skills from my seniors and peers,” said the 16-year-old.
Yun Ying also took part in the essay writing and flash fiction categories of the writing competition.
She said the competition pushed her beyond her imagination and limitations, especially since she was unfamiliar with the topics.
She added that she gained valuable experience as part of the English Month organising committee.
In her free time, Yun Ying enjoys reading novels and listening to English songs.
“The cool thing about language is that you learn it subconsciously and grow to love it over time,” she said.
Hao Yan, 17, a student in Selangor, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. For updates on the BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.
