MALAYSIAN TOUR AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM

A JOURNEY FOR LEISURE AND KNOWLEDGE

BACKGROUND OF THE PROGRAMME

Malaysian Tour & English Program is a 30-day program that will be combining touring places of interest around Malaysia while also focusing on language courses for the Saudi students. Partnered with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia which is also one of the best universities in Malaysia, this program aims to offer the participants an intensive IEP preparation for IELTS while having a good time exploring the beauty of Malaysia through leisure activities planned. These excursions will also integrate language learning activities to equip them with the desired practices to hone their language skills.

PROGRAMMES AND SCHEDULES

 

IELTS PREPARATORY COURSE

This course provides participants with language skills and training for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination organised by the British Council, Cambridge ESOL and IDP IELTS Australia. The programme’s primary focus is on the four components of academic skills – listening, reading, speaking, and writing. It focuses on the skills and techniques required for the IELTS examination. Participants can familiarise themselves with the test formats and test-taking strategies. Besides, they will practice different language task types through various activities, lectures, role-plays, games, presentations, and assignments.

 

INTEGRATED LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Providing learners with an authentic learning environment could be a daunting task but it is not impossible. Adopting an integrated approach to language learning will help learners to become successful communicators by allowing them to practise in a situation which is very much similar to the one they might come across in the real world. This program aims to create a situation as authentic as possible through a series of excursions which will combine leisure activities with language learning practices. To achieve these objectives, various fun and interesting activities are tailored to create a more engaging and motivating experience for them.

FULL-DAY EXCURSIONS WITH INTEGRATED LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

LANGKAWI ISLAND TOUR - Let’s Vlog

A vlog refers to a video log where people talk about a particular subject based on their experience and it is mostly used in social media. During the Langkawi Island tour, participants will get the opportunity to go to its beautiful islands and record their moments there. In this activity, participants are required to share their experiences during the island tour in a short video. They will need to fulfil their task for each place where they will have a chance to speak with other tourists or locals there and post the video on their social media. At the end of the tour, participants will be able to describe their feelings, experience and know some interesting history of the places.

 

LANGKAWI CITY TOUR - On your marks, get set, and vlog away!

Langkawi is an archipelago made up of 99 islands on Malaysia’s west coast. The interior of the main island is a mix of picturesque paddy fields and jungle-clad hills surrounded by turquoise sea. Aside from that, it also brims with historical and cultural attractions.  This activity will expose participants to the scenic Langkawi and vlog their experience on digital platforms. They will be required to update about their activities throughout the tour. This can be done by recording visuals and adding their personal description of each place they visit. The objective of this activity is for participants to gain experience in vlogging their activities on a digital platform using appropriate descriptive words to their peers which indirectly will help expand their engagement with the digital community. By the end of this session, participants will get to review each others’ creative vlogs.

PENANG ISLAND TOUR - Mai Cek Mai! (Come & Join Us!)

Mai Cek Mai is a famous expression that is often used by the local people to warmly ask others to explore what is in store in Penang. Being famously known for its preserved history, this is the very place where the modern skyscrapers and mega shopping malls seamlessly infused beyond the old historical town. For this activity, participants will get an immersive introduction to Penang and visit some of the top spots and tourist destinations in Penang while enjoying delicious Penang food and discovering the hidden history of Penang. They will go on a quest of food bingo game which requires them to take advantage of the food hunting while tracing their roots based on the three main races. At the end of this session, participants will know some of the famous local cuisines as well as the history behind them like Nasi Kandar. During the session, participants will practice listening to and speaking in the target language.

CROSS OVER PENANG BRIDGE TO PALM PLANTATION - Venturing into Nature

Malaysia is the world’s largest producer and exporter of palm oil. Palm plantation in Penang is considered one of the smallest areas for palm plantation. However, many visitors come here to watch the process of palm oil harvesting to be processed. For this activity, participants will get an immersive introduction to Penang palm plantation while being exposed to how palm is being harvested and processed into palm oil. They will go on a quest of exploring and view the whole process of palm plantation to oil. At the end of this session, participants will be exposed to the palm process. During the session, participants will practice listening to and speaking in the target language.

 

ZOO NEGARA – Zoo-Mazing

The National Zoo is located on 110 acres of land and it is a haven for wondrous 5137 animals of 476 different species. It is a must-visit for animal lovers. As participants stroll through the National Zoo’s 16 zones, they can find myriad opportunities for unforgettable encounters with its inhabitants. The amazing creatures they will find here make their homes in open enclosures, designed to resemble their natural habitats. In this excursion, participants will get up close with animals of all stripes, and walk on the wild side. The experience of befriending the orangutan, marvelling at the majestic lions and zebras and getting up close to the adorable sloths will be more complete with integrated language activities that can enrich the participants’ vocabulary bank. They will recall words that they already know, learn new words and use these words when describing these wonderful and incredible animals, verbally on videos and in short texts. Watching lessons on TikTok, learning and applying new vocabularies, doing recording when describing the animal of choice and the whole experience visiting the National Zoo enhance their language skills especially listening and speaking.

HALF-DAY EXCURSIONS WITH INTEGRATED LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

LANGKAWI

CABLE CAR TOUR - Ascend and Scavenge!

This half-day excursion will let participants experience the Langkawi Cable Car located at the foothill of the Mat Chincang mountain range and hunt for items assigned to them. In groups, they will be given a scavenger hunt list and find the items. They will then take a selfie with the items and post it on a digital board. Whichever team can finish the list first, or whichever team can get the most items, will be the winning team. The goal of this activity is to give participants the opportunity to actively explore, collaborate in small groups, and practice problem-solving skills. At the end of this session, participants will be given opportunities to engage in their learning through exploration and personal reflection.

NATURE WALK - Slow Motion to the Ocean

Nothing quite soothes the mind, body and soul like the fresh ocean breeze. One of the greatest pleasures of spending time in Langkawi is its beaches, beautiful weather and amazing views. There are so many spectacular coastlines to explore and such experiences can be exhilarating, fun and inspirational. In this activity, participants will go outdoors and traverse beautiful coastal walks. Doing a nature walk is not only about enjoying the amazing views. It’s also an opportunity for participants to become engaged in an enriching language learning experience. It’s difficult to describe the miraculous beauty of nature. However, having the appropriate words can really help to get point across. Taking advantage of the breathtaking sceneries, participants will show off their talents in taking pictures and they will also be exposed to the right words to describe their picturesque shots. Between sparkling, stunning and wondrous, there’s a way to describe every gorgeous scene from nature.

 

PENANG

ADVENTURE PARK - Riding on a Roller-coaster of Emotion!

One of the main issues in speaking is expressing emotions. Students sometimes have difficulties identifying and labelling their emotions. Immersed in the challenging activities at the adventure park, the students will be encouraged to express their range of emotions such as describing their feelings and identifying factors that make them feel so. The facilitators will elicit responses from the participants by asking them to fill the correct response in the blank.

 

e.g The girl screamed so loud. She must be …………

      angry/upset/scared/annoyed

 

     What makes you think she is angry/upset/scared/annoyed

     Because she was closing his eyes in fear

PENANG HILL - Closer to Nature (Penang Hill)

The Habitat Penang Hill offers one of the most authentic, diverse, and educational Malaysian rainforest experiences you may get while reconnecting closer with nature. Widely known as Bukit Bendera by the local people, the participants will be immersed in its stunning beauty and here they are encouraged to create and promote awareness to protect nature. They will have to take pictures and choose a theme to launch a campaign. They will also have to promote them on Instagram. The campaign that garnered the most likes will be awarded a badge. A list of vocabularies related to the themes will also be provided to the group.

BATIK PAINTING LESSON - Colour Me Rainbow

Malaysian Batik is a textile art that has been woven into the country’s rich cultural tapestry. Batik Painting is widely identified as a unique art form of Malaysia in the art world. It’s probably the most famous craft in the country! While the motifs in Malaysian Batik tend to consist of flowers, plants and geometrical shapes, there’s no saying that you must stay in the box. Batik is a great way to express your creativity with a hint of tradition in the mix. For this activity, participants will get an immersive introduction to the ancient art of batik in a hands-on workshop, where they will be able to design and paint with fabric dyes. They will be exposed to asking questions and listening to instructions to create their own personal batik masterpiece. At the end of this session, participants will know the basis of batik painting. During the session, participants will practice listening to and speaking in the target language.

OUTDOOR GAMES – Red Hot Chilli Steppers

Learning a language does not have to be so boring. The idea of ‘learning’ no longer means rote memorization. There’s an old Chinese proverb that says: “Tell me, and I’ll forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I’ll understand” and games are a fun and beneficial way of being even more involved in the language learning experience. As participants delight in playing a game, they can enjoy themselves while unconsciously acquiring an array of language skills! In this session, participants will have fun while playing 5 interesting outdoor language games. Scavenger Hunt, A Running Dictation Game, Vocabulary Race, Heads Up! and Scattergories will get students talking, listening, reading and writing in a language they are still learning. The same words will keep on appearing in all 5 games, thus, learners will better remember the words they learn, enrich their vocabulary and build their confidence in using the language.

 

GENTING

GENTING PARK - Reporting Live from…!

This half-day excursion exposes participants to engage in a mock live reporting. In groups, they will come up with a simple script and record a reporting skit about any parts of the theme park.  The objectives of this activity are to practice writing and speaking skills in a fun and creative way. By the end of this session, participants will watch their reporting skit uploaded on a digital board.

 

KUALA LUMPUR 

CHINATOWN - Hidden Treasures

Chinatown has a lot of hidden treasures for participants to learn about the different cultures that we have in Malaysia. Participants will have to walk around Chinatown where they need to find the products and buildings from the provided clue. They will have to speak to the locals while completing the task. At the end of the hunt, they will be able to speak about some of the local products such as food and crafts and get to know some of the mesmerizing buildings around Chinatown.

PUTRAJAYA - Say Anything!

Expressing views require practices based on real-life experience. In this activity, participants will be given a topic related to their tour in Putrajaya and they need to express their views in a group on the great architecture around the places such as Putra Mosque, Seri Wawasan Bridge, Millenium Monument and many more. Handouts are provided to let them have more ideas on the story behind them. The activity will also allow participants to practice using phrases and languages to talk about their opinions in a much more practical way by the end of the activity.

MODULES AND TOTAL CONTACT HOURS

 

IELTS PREPARATORY COURSE (FORMAL CLASS)

LISTENING 6 hours

SPEAKING 6 hours

READING 15 hours

WRITING 15 hours

42 hours 

 

EXCURSIONS WITH INTEGRATED LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

5 FULL-DAY EXCURSIONS WITH INTEGRATED LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

9 HALF-DAY EXCURSIONS WITH INTEGRATED LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

45 hours

 

TESTS AND REVIEWS

TRIAL IELTS TESTS

REVIEWS ON TRIAL IELTS TEST RESULTS

ONLINE PLACEMENT TEST

13 hours

COMMITTEE

Coordinator:

Mr Lokman Hafiz bin Asary – lokman.hafiz@utm.my 

Assistant Coordinator:

Dr Kang Myoung Sook – mskang@utm.my

Members:

1. Dr Zaliza binti Mohd Nasir – m-zaliza@utm.my 

2. Cik Nur Hazwani binti Mohd Muhridza – nurhazwani@utm.my 

3. Pn Linda a/p Prapagara – lindavprapagara@utm.my 

4. En Ghazali bin Bunari – m-zali@utm.my 

5. En Muhammad Zaid bin Muhammad Shafie – m.zaid@utm.my 

6. Puan Johana binti Jobil – johana@utm.my 

7. Pn. Hafilah binti Zainal Abidin – m-hafila@utm.my  

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