ETA Emiko Wu employed a variety of interactive activities during her first few English classes with students. Along with her co-teacher, Ibu Maya, the 11th-grade students practiced using descriptive text to talk about well-known places. Class began with a game of “Hot Seat,” where one student had to guess a city based on clues provided by their classmates. For Paris, “Mbappé” was the go-to hint!

After learning the main components of descriptive text and reviewing useful vocabulary, students applied their skills through various games. They described famous landmarks for their classmates to draw and guess, leading to plenty of laughter. They also competed to deliver the most convincing vacation pitch. Emiko was impressed with the many creative ways that students described their dream vacation spots. Among all classes, Switzerland, with its breathtaking mountains, was voted the winner.

At the end of the unit, Emiko gave each student a postcard featuring a popular American landmark, both to encourage more descriptive text practice and as a token of her appreciation for the warm welcome they had given her. Emiko has also participated in many school activities, from judging an English speech competition to going on early morning jogs with the 12th graders. Her favorite was watching students perform traditional songs during the Santri Festival, a weeklong event focused on Islamic boarding school education, as it led to many conversations about the importance of religion, education, and culture in her host community. Emiko is excited to continue developing deeper connections with her school!

Emiko Wu is currently teaching at MAN Insan Cendekia, Kendari, West Sulawesi.