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Students and professors from the School of Languages, Literacies, and Translation (SoLLaT) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), totaling around 30 participants, took part in an English edutainment event at Walailak University (WU) today. Organized by the School of Languages and General Education (SOLGEN), the event, titled “Play and Learn PlernEnglish – English is All Fun,” aimed to promote dynamic and engaging English learning outside the classroom through informal and interactive activities.  The event focused on enhancing communicative English by blending academic learning with games, which creates an enjoyable and less formal atmosphere for participants.  

Associate Professor Dr. Surin Maisrikrod, Vice President of WU and Dean of SOLGEN said this is a very important collaboration between WU and USM at the level of students and staff. “For students, we want USM students and Walailak University students to have activities together. This is pretty much the start. We will again organize something like this between students from the two universities. Hopefully, we will be able to promote student exchange whether it's short term or long term” he said.  

He added that apart from practicing English, the goal is to immerse students in the language as much as possible. Beyond encouraging WU students to speak English, these activities also offer opportunities to explore cultural differences, which fosters a deeper understanding between the two communities.

 

 

Approximately 50 first- and second-year students from WU participated in the event, which took place on the ground floor of the ST Building. Recognizing that 85% of WU’s freshmen have English proficiency levels of A1 or A2 and 15% are at B1 or higher, the university has actively addressed this challenge by offering up to 270 hours of foundational English instruction over the first two years of study—making it the highest number of teaching hours among Thai institutions.  

Using techniques such as comprehensible input and storytelling, the English courses emphasize communicative skills. Classes are conducted by native and near-native lecturers in small Smart Classrooms with no more than 25 students, fostering a highly interactive environment where students can practice speaking English regularly. Additionally, the university has the Chatterbox Café, a casual place where students can engage in English conversations with peers or professors.  

Mr. Azril Bin Ali, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs at USM’s SoLLaT, expressed his enthusiasm for the program. He highlighted that the visit enables students to experience learning beyond the environment within the university, allowing them to broaden their horizons and immerse themselves in different cultures. He also conveyed his eagerness to explore further collaborations on future activities, whether conducted online or on-site.

Earlier in the day, SOLGEN hosted an official welcoming ceremony at the Honor Hall and Chorpradu Chamber. Delegates were given an overview of Walailak University and engaged in talks on internationalization efforts, student and staff exchanges, and research collaboration. They also paid a courtesy visit to WU President Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, who shared insights into the university’s history, mission as a comprehensive research institution, and future aspirations.  

Last year, executives from SOLGEN visited SoLLaT in Malaysia and discussed a variety of project initiatives. This visit to WU marks a significant milestone in the collaboration between the two universities, which aims to advance teaching, learning, and research. Currently, one WU student is also participating in a Cooperative Education program, also known as an internship, at USM.



 

 



News by Settaboot Onphakdee, Division of Corporate Communication