UMPSA LANGUAGE INSTRUCTORS LIGHT UP UTM’S FLC 2025 WITH ENGAGING WORKSHOP
JOHOR BAHRU, 15 May 2025 – Two language instructors, Jamilah Bebe Mohamad and Amir Haikal Imran Ahmad Ashaari, from Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) made an impression at the Festival of Languages and Cultures (FLC) 2025, hosted by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) from 14 to 15 May. Through creative and hands-on workshops, they showed how language learning can be exciting, practical and full of meaning.
The two-day festival held at Raja Zarith Sofiah Library (Perpustakaan Raja Zarith Sofiah) celebrated the 15th anniversary of UTM’s Language Academy. It brought together students, teachers and participants from across Malaysia and countries including Japan, Vietnam, Philippines and Yemen. The event was officially launched by Her Highness Che’ Puan Mahkota Khaleeda Johor, Pro-Chancellor of UTM who spoke warmly about the importance of preserving Malaysia’s culture and languages. Her presence highlighted UTM’s commitment to promoting unity through education.
Instructors Jamilah Bebe and Amir Haikal led an engaging workshop titled “Worry-Free Travel: Essential Malay and German.” Their session taught participants useful phrases, cultural etiquette and real-life travel tips.
UMPSA ran a Malay-language workshop in a creative, and airport-themed classroom. Students and international learners received mock personalised passports and boarding passes, and practised travel-related phrases during simulated check-ins and boarding procedures. For many students who had never flown before, it was a fun and eye-opening experience.
The session was based on proven language-learning methods such as Krashen’s Second Language Acquisition Theory and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model, which emphasize hands-on and low-stress learning experiences.
For the German session, the workshop covered simple German words and phrases commonly used during travel, included fun language games to make learning more enjoyable, and shared key dos and don’ts to help participants better understand cultural expectations in Germany. In a fun moment, one student even wore traditional German attire, adding colour and charm to the session.
This workshop was not just about remembering words, it was about giving students the confidence to connect with others in real-life situations. The session supported the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education by making learning inclusive and practical, especially for young people.
Feedback was positive, participants loved the real-life examples and the joyful energy of the sessions. Overall, the workshop was more than just a language class. It was a space for students to imagine and experience language in action.
“Language is more than words; it is a connection. The speakers (Jamilah Bebe and Amir Haikal) showed us that.” said one international participant.
Although the festival has ended, the spirit of learning and sharing continues to inspire everyone who took part. UMPSA’s creative and participant-friendly approach reminded everyone that language learning is not just about teaching, it is about experiencing and sharing. We are proud to support platforms like FLC and congratulate both instructors for representing the university with excellence. Looking ahead, the Centre for Modern Languages (CML) aims to bring similar intercultural learning opportunities to its own campus through upcoming initiatives such as the Language and Cultural Carnival (LCC).
Prepared by: Leong Hui Theng, Amir Haikal Imran Ahmad Ashaari, Jamilah Bebe Mohamad