Treasure Hunt promotes English learning

Teams hard at work solving puzzles

Students ran throughout the campus in a flurry of activity, all in an effort to understand English better.

For 140 students in the Intensive English Programme (IEN) who participated in Taylor’s Language Centre’s (TLC) treasure hunt, it was a day of putting their knowledge of the English language to the test.

TLC lecturer Chin Yen Looi organized the hunt, held on 8 February, which showcased an admirable 13 pit-stops and 5 barrier challenges – amounting to four hours of non-stop action.

“We decided on a treasure hunt because it can promote purposeful use of the English language in an authentic setting,” Chin said.

Besides the English language, the hunt tested the students in communication and leadership skills, as well as teamwork and cohesiveness.

According to Dr. Ratna Malar, Head of TLC, the students’ efforts were commendable and demonstrated their ability to think critically throughout the race, solving the puzzles and clues before them.

Li Zong Yi, a student from China, felt the hunt united students and helped them to understand the language better.

“It improved my methods of learning English, helped me find better ways to do so and increased my interest and motivation to learn English,” he said.

After four hours of thinking, running and more thinking, three teams emerged as winners and received cash prizes, dictionaries and course books. Taylor’s notepads were also given as consolation prizes.

“The Treasure Hunt has indeed provided a platform for our IEN students to showcase their English proficiency in an authentic environment,” said Dr. Malar.

(By Michelle Chun)