Unismuh Makassar MPBI Student Strengthens Language Literacy at Islamwittaya Foundation School Thailand

UNISMUH.AC.ID, SATUN, Thailand — Lady Maysuri Ma’rufi, a student of the Master of English Language Education Study Program, Postgraduate Program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar (Unismuh Makassar), conducted teaching practice through the International Internship Program at Islamwittaya Foundation School, Satun Province, Thailand, in 2026. During the program, she taught English and Malay to elementary school (SD), junior high school (SMP), and senior high school (SMA) students with the aim of enhancing students' foreign language proficiency through interactive learning approaches.

Throughout the program, Lady was responsible for teaching 21 classes each week across three educational levels. This task provided her with diverse teaching experiences while also being part of Unismuh Makassar's effort to strengthen international educational collaboration with partner schools in Thailand.

In the initial phase of the activity, Lady conducted observations to understand the characteristics of the students, the learning culture, and the educational needs at the school. The observations revealed that students had a high interest in learning foreign languages but still faced limitations in using English and Malay.

“Most students have a high interest in learning foreign languages, but they still face various obstacles in using both English and Malay,” said Lady Maysuri Ma’rufi.

According to Lady, many students are not accustomed to using both languages in their daily lives. This condition resulted in their relatively limited ability to understand instructions, recall vocabulary, and communicate simply.

She explained that the biggest challenge during teaching was not only the language barrier but also the students' limited vocabulary. In fact, on several occasions, students still struggled to understand simple instructions given in English.

“On several occasions, students appeared to struggle with understanding simple instructions delivered in English. Even for common vocabulary used in class activities, some students still needed additional explanations,” she stated.

Facing these conditions, Lady implemented a Student-Centered Learning approach by utilizing various creative strategies. She used body language, facial expressions, gestures, pictures, real objects around the classroom, and direct demonstrations to help students understand the learning material.

Additionally, she also utilized the Google Translate application as a communication support tool when language barriers arose. According to her, the use of technology helped clarify the message she wanted to convey, allowing the learning process to be more effective.

“Body language, pictures, direct demonstrations, and technology like Google Translate became important tools to help students understand the learning material,” Lady explained.

Lady also designed various interactive activities such as educational games, pronunciation practice, vocabulary quizzes, simple conversation practice, group discussions, and Q&A sessions. This approach was taken to create an enjoyable learning atmosphere while reducing students' fear of using a foreign language.

Over time, positive developments began to emerge. Lady revealed that students who previously could only answer with one or two words started daring to construct simple sentences in English. Some students who were initially passive also began actively asking questions and participating in class activities.

She assessed that the increase in students' confidence was one of the indicators of learning success. Although language proficiency development occurred gradually, the change in students' attitudes showed that communicative learning methods could enhance their engagement in the learning process.

The Head of the Master of English Language Education Study Program, Postgraduate Program at Unismuh Makassar, Dr. Radiah Hamid, M.Pd., appreciated the achievements demonstrated by Lady Maysuri Ma’rufi during her participation in the International Internship Program in Thailand. According to her, teaching experience in an international educational environment is an important means for students to develop pedagogical competence, cross-cultural communication skills, and readiness to face global educational challenges.

“International programs like this provide an opportunity for students to implement theories learned in college into challenging real-world situations. Adaptability, creativity in teaching, and the success in building communication with students from different cultural backgrounds are highly needed competencies for future educators,” said Radiah.

She added that the student's success in creating interactive learning amidst language limitations demonstrates the quality of graduates who not only master academic aspects but also possess cultural sensitivity and good interpersonal skills. According to her, this achievement aligns with the study program's vision to produce globally competitive English language educators.

“This success shows that our students are capable of becoming academic ambassadors who bring values of professionalism, adaptability, and learning innovation at an international level. Experiences like this are crucial for shaping educators who are ready to face the dynamics of global education,” Radiah stated.

Radiah hopes that similar programs can continue to be expanded in the future. She believes that student involvement in international activities not only benefits program participants but also strengthens educational cooperation networks between Indonesia and Thailand.

“We will continue to encourage students to participate in international programs as part of strengthening global competencies. Besides increasing the individual capacity of students, these activities also enhance the institution's reputation and cross-country educational cooperation relationships,” she said.

Lady also affirmed that her teaching experience in Thailand provided valuable lessons for her as a prospective professional educator. She understood that the success of language learning is not only determined by mastery of the material but also by the teacher's ability to build communication, understand student needs, and adapt teaching strategies to classroom conditions.

The success of this program was also supported by good cooperation between the school, mentor teachers, and the entire school community. This support allowed the entire series of activities to run smoothly and provided meaningful learning experiences for both students and program participants.

Through the International Internship Program, Lady hopes to make a tangible contribution to improving students' language skills while introducing more interactive and communicative learning approaches. The program also serves as a manifestation of Unismuh Makassar's commitment to producing educators capable of contributing globally and strengthening educational cooperation between Indonesia and Thailand.

The teaching experience in Thailand proves that language is not always a barrier in the learning process. With creativity, patience, and a willingness to continue learning together, every difference can become a bridge connecting teachers and students in achieving better educational goals, while also opening up opportunities for broader international educational collaboration in the future.