Unismuh English Education Master's Student Delivers Meaningful Learning in Thailand

UNISMUH.AC.ID, Trang Province, Thailand - The Light of Faith Family Bonding event was held at Khao Pek Choi Park, Trang Province, Thailand by Saengtham Wittaya Foundation School on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. This activity involved Nurul Azizah, a postgraduate student of English Language Education from Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar, who served as the main facilitator in a program aimed at strengthening English collaboration and communication within the school dormitory environment.

The program was attended by all dormitory residents, comprising elementary to high school students, as well as teachers, dormitory supervisors, and school managers. This activity was designed to strengthen familial bonds while building a collaborative culture through an interactive learning approach.

The Light of Faith Family Bonding activity emphasized experience-based learning that combined educational activities with character building. Various games were designed to encourage cooperation, effective communication, and problem-solving skills in an enjoyable atmosphere.

Diverse activities such as ball relay, whisper challenge games, and hidden sentence searches became the primary learning media. Each activity was packaged to train social interaction while introducing the use of English in real-world contexts.

Nurul Azizah explained that this approach provided an opportunity for students to learn firsthand. “The main goal of this activity is to build students' courage to communicate in English through enjoyable, direct experiences,” she stated.

She also added that the learning process becomes more effective when students are actively involved in informal situations. “When they play, they are actually learning to communicate, cooperate, and understand life values,” Nurul Azizah said.

The Head of the Master's Program in English Language Education, Dr. Radiah Hamid, assessed that this activity made a significant contribution to language learning development. She affirmed that cross-country experience serves as a strategic means for students to implement theory into real-world practice.

“Programs like this provide a real space for students to integrate English language learning theories with meaningful social practices,” said Dr. Radiah Hamid, M.Pd. She considered that an activity-based approach can strengthen students' pedagogical competence at an international level.

Dr. Radiah also highlighted the activity's impact on students' self-confidence in speaking English. “We observed how students became more confident using English when they were in enjoyable and informal situations,” she said.

Furthermore, she emphasized that international collaboration is an important part of strengthening educational quality. According to her, direct experience abroad adds value to the professional development of prospective educators.

The Saengtham Wittaya Foundation School expressed appreciation for the implementation of the program. They assessed that the activity successfully created a more harmonious and communicative dormitory atmosphere.

One of the accompanying teachers also mentioned that students showed increased participation during the activity. He assessed that the game-based learning method made students more active and open in their interactions.

After the main series of activities, participants performed the Dhuhr prayer in congregation at Madinatussalam Mosque, followed by a communal lunch and a fellowship session at Robinson Lifestyle Trang. These moments strengthened social bonds among participants in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Through this activity, Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar reaffirmed its commitment to supporting cross-country educational enhancement. The Light of Faith Family Bonding program is expected to become a collaborative learning model that can continue to be developed to improve students' language and character competencies at an international level.