On Friday, April 28, 2023, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Khon Kaen University’s Human Resources Section organized a skill development workshop to improve English language proficiency for its supporting staff, including trainee students. The event took place at Green Hotel & Resort in Khon Kaen and was led by experienced language teachers Ms. Vanessa Moll and Mr. Lloyd Naylor from the English Corner of the Faculty.
The workshop started with warm opening remarks from Assistant Professor Dr. Marasri Sorthip, Vice Dean for Administration, assigned by the Dean, Associate Professor Dr. Orathai Piayura. Later, it was divided into morning and afternoon sessions featuring various interactive activities. The morning session began with an “Introduction” icebreaker activity where participants introduced themselves to one another, followed by the “Find Someone Who…” activity which encouraged mingling between colleagues and practicing questioning in English. The final morning exercise, “Warm Up,” focused on practicing phone conversations through listening exercises and matching meanings to phrasal verbs.
The afternoon session commenced with “Mouth Yoga,” a fun and energizing exercise designed to awaken participants after their break. This activity aimed to help them become more conscious of mouth movements during speech. Finally, the session concluded with a competitive team-based game where participants whispered English sentences down the line, and the last person wrote them on a board.
“It’s a perfect project for us, the supporting staff. We can apply this in practice in providing services to international teachers and students.”, said Mrs. Sakulrat, a participant from the Graduate Studies Section.
This engaging event provided an excellent opportunity for the supporting staff of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences to enhance their English language skills and foster camaraderie among colleagues. The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences plans to organize similar workshops periodically to ensure that their staff remains adept at communicating in English.
Written by Ms. Chudapa Klangsaeng
Internation Affairs
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
