Speaker
Description
What happens when EFL students run their own presentation event - complete with MCs, a media team, and peer speakers? In this session, you will hear how a simple classroom initiative called MiniTalks: Your Voice Matters transformed nervous students into confident communicators by giving them both the microphone and the responsibility.
Designed as a mock presentation workshop to prepare students for final assessments, MiniTalks goes far beyond speaking practice. Students not only present their own ideas but also take on real roles - hosting the event, managing slides, handling timekeeping, and offering peer feedback. The result? A dynamic, low-pressure platform where students feel seen, supported, and genuinely empowered.
This student-led format simulates the experience of organizing and participating in a professional event, helping learners build soft skills such as teamwork, leadership, time management, and public speaking - all within the safety of the classroom. The result was a noticeable boost in learner engagement, peer connection, and emotional safety. Informal reflections and feedback showed a noticeable increase in student confidence, engagement, and willingness to take risks in English.
Participants will walk away with practical ideas for adapting this model to their own contexts - especially in large or low-confidence EFL classrooms. Aligned with SDG 4.7, this project promotes inclusive and empowering learning environments where students grow in both language and life. If you’re looking to boost learner voice, agency, and motivation, this session is for you.
Biography
Ha Le-Thi (M.A. in TESOL, Victoria University, Melbourne). Teaching Business English major at Lac Hong University, she is involved in preparing materials, designing syllabuses, modifying lessons, and adding to the curriculum. Having been a Speaking Examiner at Cambridge Assessment English for eight years, she enjoys sharing practical and demonstration teaching-based strategies with other educators to make the lessons more engaging and interactive with her research interests being in EdTech and learner autonomy.
