SERDANG, January 8, 2026 – The TESL Theater Day 2026: Valiant Verses program was an academic initiative organized by third-year students from the Bachelor of Education (Teaching English as a Second Language) (TESL) program, which was successfully held at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).
This program is organized under the leadership of Puan Khayma Balakrishnan in collaboration with the UPM TESL Club, the Malaysian National Academy, and the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Cultural and Arts Center, UPM, as part of the course assessment for LHE3254: Theater in Teaching English as a Second Language.
The aim of organizing this program is to expose students to the use of theatrical elements as a pedagogical approach in the teaching and learning of English. Additionally, it also plays a role in honing students' creativity, communication skills, and building self-confidence thru group drama performances.
A total of six groups performed, namely Pixel Playhaus Production (Like Mother, Like Son), House of Hudumen (Still Here), Room 108 Studios (First Sin), Harmonia Production (3 Dumb Smugglers), Gray Scaena (Warong Wan Rogayah), and Cosmic Arc Production (One Too Many). Each performance features a different storyline, characters, and message, spanning serious, emotional, and comedic genres, successfully capturing the audience's attention throughout the program.
According to Dr. Siti Nadhirah Abdul Rahman, Course Instructor for LHE3254, stated that programs like this provide meaningful learning experiences for students. Thru theater performances, students not only learn the theory of English language teaching but can also authentically apply elements of creativity, language expression, and communication. "This program also helps boost self-confidence and soft skills, which are very important in the teaching profession," he said.
The entire performance showcased the high commitment of the students involved, not only as actors but also in aspects of script preparation, stage management, character portrayal, and teamwork. Indirectly, this program also contributes to the development of leadership, cooperation, and interpersonal communication skills among participants.
Outside the hall, a mini course assignment exhibition for LHE3254 was also held to showcase students' creative work throughout the learning process. Additionally, the flower sales activity by the UPM TESL Club was also carried out to liven up the atmosphere and support the program's organization.
Overall, TESL Theater Day 2026 was successfully held and achieved its objectives. This program not only introduced theater arts as a teaching medium but also successfully enhanced students' talents, creativity, and understanding of using theatrical elements in English language instruction, in line with the objectives of the LHE3254 course.