UMPSA Academics bring English and AI Learning to secondary school students in CSR Outreach at SMATAF

PEKAN, 16 July 2025 – The Centre for Modern Languages (CML), Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), made a significant impact on the English language learning experience of secondary school students through a dynamic and technology-integrated Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme held at Sekolah Menengah Agama Tun Abdul Razak (SMATAF).

The programme was led by five passionate educators: Dr. Abdullah Adnan Mohamed, Dr. Muhammad Musab Azmat Ali, Associate Professor Dr. Noor Raha Mohd Radzuan, Dr. Ezihaslinda Ngah and Aisyah Khaleeda Rosli whose collective expertise in English language education and innovative pedagogical methods brought a fresh perspective to language learning. 

The event catered to lower secondary students, primarily from Form 1 to Form 3, and was designed to foster engagement, confidence, and exposure to 21st-century English learning tools.

Divided into two sessions, the CSR initiative began with Slot 1 titled ‘Learning English Subtly and Exposure to AI in English Learning’. 

This session aimed to create a relaxed, non-threatening environment where students could experience English as a communicative tool rather than a rigid subject. 

Activities included interactive demonstrations of how Artificial Intelligence (AI)tools like ChatGPT and Napkin AI can be used to generate writing prompts, summaries, and vocabulary lists. 

The session also explored ways students can self-learn language concepts that they find hard, especially grammatical aspects. 

“this enlighten students that proper usage of the AI technology can be self-beneficiary in their language development, especially English” added Dr Mohammad Musab. 

“We wanted to help students realise that English doesn’t have to be intimidating. 

Through AI tools, they can write creatively, generate ideas, and even practise conversation. 

AI is no longer just futuristic—it’s here, and it can help them learn,” shared Dr. Abdullah Adnan Mohamed, one of the facilitators.

Following a short break, the team continued with Slot 2 focusing on Grammar and Gamification. 

This session is specially designed specifically to Form 1 students, introducing grammar concepts through games such as Vocabulary Games, Sentence Scramble and News Report Reenactments. 

The use of gamified grammar activities allowed students to absorb structural knowledge in an engaging and memorable way.

The highlight of the session was the News Reenactment Challenge, where students worked in groups to prepare and perform their own ‘live’ news segments based on curated news blurbs. 

This activity not only reinforced vocabulary and fluency but also fostered teamwork and presentation skills.

“Grammar is often perceived as boring or difficult, especially for younger learners. By turning it into a game, we encouraged them to compete, collaborate, and correct one another—all in English,” said Associate Professor Dr Noor Raha Mohd Radzuan, who facilitated several of the interactive activities.

Feedback from SMATAF teachers and students was overwhelmingly positive. 

Many students expressed newfound interest in using English outside the classroom, while teachers noted improvements in students’ confidence during the speaking tasks.

The CSR programme forms part of UMPSA’s ongoing commitment to community empowerment, educational inclusion, and innovation in language teaching. 

It reflects a broader institutional vision to support Malaysia’s national education goals through academic outreach and purposeful engagement with underserved communities.

Aligned with UMPSA's many other CSR initiatives, we hope this program with a group of enthusiastic young learners will leave a lasting impression on their journey toward English language mastery. 

It is our sincere hope that we will one day welcome them as UMPSA undergraduates. 

As the students waved goodbye, many were already asking, “When will you come back?”.

By: Associate Professor Dr Noor Raha Mohd Radzuan, Dr Abdullah Adnan Mohamed, Dr Ezihaslinda Ngah, Dr Muhammad Musab Amat Ali and Aisyah Khaleeda Rosli, Centre for Modern Languages (CML)