JPA Treasure Hunt Activities

Title     : ‘Fun with English’ Treasure Hunt Programme.

Time    : 8.00 am – 12.00 pm.

Date    : 28 February 2012.

Venue  : SMK Bandar Seri Alam, Masai, Johor.

English Language is a subject taught nearly in all levels of educational institutions in this country. This fact alone reflects that the ability to communicate in English is of utmost importance as viewed by every community in the country. The role of teaching English lies on the shoulder of every English teacher.

An English Language teacher can only boast to have carried out a successful classroom lesson only if the students have achieved a number of intended measurable learning outcomes as stipulated in the teacher’s lesson plan. Such is a challenge that all teachers have to face as teaching takes more than just entering a classroom and lecturing the students. However, teachers should not feel disheartened as they are in fact holding a key to unlock the challenge. The key is none other than creativity. Yes. Every teacher can make a breakthrough in their teaching career if she can be a bit more creative in the classroom.

            Recently, a group of facilitators from Politeknik Ibrahim Sultan (PIS) carried out a Treasure Hunt Programme at SMK Bandar Seri Alam (SMKBSA). All the activities were aimed to encourage the school students to use English language as it was the medium language of all activities. The programme drew one hundred participants who are students of the school. They were facilitated by twenty five PIS students. These students were trained to conduct the treasure hunt as one of their graded Co-curriculum assessments. They were accompanied by PIS Head of Language Unit, Puan Parahsakthi A/P Chidambaram, En. Yeow Chee Kheong (English Co-Curriculum Advisor), En. Mohd Rafiq Bin Mujilan (English Co-Curriculum Advisor) and Cik Siti Faezah Binti Ahmad Sazali (English lecturer).

During the programme the participants were made to find the locations of four stations in order to perform the tasks given. Guessing pictures and creating lyrics were among the tasks that the participants had to perform. These activities were beneficial and had also drawn positive feedback from the participants, SMKBSA teachers, PIS lecturers and also the facilitators. According to Puan Nalini, the school teacher praised the activities as they were fun and helpful for her students to learn English. Puan Parahsakthi of PIS shared the same sentiment by saying that she hoped that activities like this should be carried out often in the future. A form four participant, Farah Nor Sharina was excited while interviewed as she was apparently having fun joining the treasure hunt activities. She also said that she would be glad to participate in the treasure hunt if it were going to be carried out in the future. Besides, one facilitator also expressed his thought in an interview. Muhd. Ammar Johari told the interviewer if he could choose to become either a facilitator or a participant, he would rather be a facilitator as he found enjoyment assisting and guiding the participants throughout all the activities.

Participants of treasure hunt are posing in front of a camera

Muhammad Ammar is briefing the participants before the treasure hunt kickstarts

Some participants are having fun together