The STAR meets MGS is a collaborative initiative by the English language panels of MGS and STAR, aimed at fostering English-speaking confidence among students by encouraging them to converse beyond their usual classroom environments. The programme was also designed to reduce the anxiety often associated with interacting with the opposite gender, while promoting communication in a relaxed, social setting.
A total of 40 girls from Methodist Girls' School (MGS) and 30 boys from Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman (STAR) participated in this two-hour speaking programme, which featured a series of engaging and interactive speaking activities.
Activity 1: Ice-Breaker – Signature Hunt
The session began with a lively ice-breaking activity. Students were given a table of 25 questions and asked to walk around the hall, approach their peers, and engage in short conversations based on the questions. After each exchange, they signed each other’s sheets and moved on to meet someone new. Each student had to speak to at least two people per question within the allocated 20 minutes. This activity successfully warmed up the students and eased any initial awkwardness, setting the tone for a lively session ahead.
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| Adapted this from an English language module by JPN Kedah |
Activity 2: Memory Chain
Students were then grouped into teams of eight for a game called Memory Chain. The first student would say, “I’m going on a trip and I’m packing a toothbrush,” and the next would add an item while repeating the previous ones. The challenge was to keep the chain going without forgetting any item. If a student hesitated or made a mistake, they were eliminated, and the chain restarted. The last student standing was declared the winner. This game not only encouraged spontaneous speaking but also honed students' memory and quick-thinking abilities.
Activity 3: Picture Prompt Storytelling
Next, students were divided into smaller mixed groups of four (two boys and two girls). Each group received a strange or funny picture and had to discuss and construct a story based on the characters, what happened before, and what might happen next. This task, which took around 15–20 minutes, helped build fluency and collaboration skills, while strengthening their ability to speak imaginatively and confidently.
Activity 4: Four-Element Storytelling
In this creative task, students picked four random elements from four separate baskets; a character, a place, an object, and a situation. With only these quirky prompts, they were challenged to craft and orally present a story. Adapted from a creative writing activity, this task was designed to promote spontaneous storytelling, creative thinking, and coherent speaking within a short time frame.
Activity 5: Speaking Stations
The final activity was a dynamic Speaking Station game. Fifteen speaking prompts which was adapted from the SPM textbook’s and developed into bubble maps. They were placed around the hall. Students rotated from station to station every five minutes, practising their responses aloud. In just 15 minutes, students had the chance to familiarise themselves with common SPM topics in a fun and engaging way.
With all five activities successfully completed, the workshop came to a close. Both MGS and STAR students expressed great enthusiasm and appreciation for the opportunity. Many even requested a follow-up session — something we are currently considering. The workshop proved to be a rewarding platform for meaningful interaction, collaborative learning, and confident English speaking.
