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Conversation Program

Speaking Space

English Speaking Practice

Speaking
Space

Speaking Space is a supportive English speaking-practice program where students build confidence through real conversation, peer encouragement, and guided small-group activities. It gives learners a safe, friendly place to speak, listen, ask questions, and grow together.

Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Starting Date
Days Monday to Wednesday
Time 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Room Classroom 2
This week’s topics All weekly topics Register Now
Program Purpose

Practice English in a safe, student-centered community

This program is designed as a low-pressure learning space where students can make friends, share ideas, and improve spoken English through meaningful interaction. The focus is not on perfect answers. The focus is on participation, confidence, listening carefully, and helping one another speak more naturally.

In Weeks 8–12, Mondays and Wednesdays are for individual presentations, while Tuesdays are for group discussions. Week 8 Tuesday is a group debate. Guided questions, reasons, examples, and reflection help students speak thoughtfully and learn from one another.

Student-centered practice

Students speak more, ask questions, choose ideas, and practise language through topics connected to their own lives.

Peer-based learning

Learners support one another through pair work, small groups, feedback, and shared responsibility for communication.

Confidence through conversation

The program helps students reduce fear, build fluency, and use English for real communication step by step.

Five-Week Plan

Speaking topics for Weeks 8–12

Prepare an individual presentation for Monday and Wednesday. On Tuesday, share ideas in a group discussion, with a debate in Week 8. Use the five questions or steps on each card to guide your preparation.

Week 8

Week 8 · Monday

Individual presentation

1. Who is the person you admire most?

  1. What's his/her name?
  2. How do you know this person?
  3. What does this person do?
  4. What qualities do you admire in this person?
  5. What have you learned from this person?
Language help
Grammar
  • Present simple to describe a person
  • Giving reasons with because

Example: I admire this teacher because she is patient and generous.

Vocabulary

admire, quality, patient, wise, generous, inspire

Week 8 · Tuesday

Group debate

2. Should monks and nuns be allowed to drive cars?

  1. Choose sides: Form two groups. Flip a coin to assign for and against.
  2. Prepare — 15 minutes: Everyone contributes ideas. Choose three strong arguments with reasons and examples.
  3. Take turns: Alternate arguments between groups, using a different speaker each time. Allow up to two minutes per turn.
  4. Respond respectfully: Take turns answering the other group's points. Listen without interrupting and challenge ideas, not people.
  5. Conclude: Each group has two minutes to summarize. Then share one convincing point from the other side.
Week 8 · Wednesday

Individual presentation

3. If you could visit any country in the world, where would you go?

  1. Which country would you choose, and what first interested you in it?
  2. What would you most like to see or do there?
  3. What would you hope to learn from the people or culture there?
  4. What might be difficult about visiting, and how would you prepare?
  5. What idea or lesson could you bring back to your own community?
Language help
Grammar
  • If I could …, I would …
  • Might for possible difficulties

Example: If I could visit Japan, I would learn about its culture.

Vocabulary

country, culture, visit, prepare, experience, community

Week 9

Week 9 · Monday

Individual presentation

4. What is your favorite poem?

  1. What is the title of your favorite poem, and who wrote it, if you know?
  2. When did you first read or hear it, and what language is it in?
  3. What is the poem about, in your own words?
  4. Which line or image do you like most, and why?
  5. How does the poem connect with your own life or the way you see the world?
Language help
Grammar
  • Present simple to explain a meaning
  • Past simple to describe a first encounter

Example: The poem is about kindness, and its final line reminds me to care for others.

Vocabulary

poem, poet, line, image, meaning, message

Week 9 · Tuesday

Group discussion

5. What is the best place to live/settle down in Myanmar?

  1. Which place would you choose, and why?
  2. What matters most when choosing a place to live, such as study opportunities, a supportive community, or useful services?
  3. What would you enjoy about everyday life in this place?
  4. What difficulty or disadvantage should someone consider before moving there?
  5. Would this place be best for everyone, or only for some people? Explain.
Language help
Grammar
  • Superlatives: the best place
  • Comparisons with better than

Example: This place may be better for students because it has more study opportunities.

Vocabulary

settle, opportunity, community, service, advantage, disadvantage

Week 9 · Wednesday

Individual presentation

6. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

  1. Which superpower would you choose, and why?
  2. What is the first thing you would do with it?
  3. Who else could benefit from your power, and how?
  4. What problem might your power cause, even if you meant well?
  5. What limit would you set for yourself so that you used it wisely?
Language help
Grammar
  • If I had …, I would …
  • Could and might for possible effects

Example: If I could fly, I would carry supplies to places that are difficult to reach.

Vocabulary

superpower, benefit, ability, effect, limit, wisely

Week 10

Week 10 · Monday

Individual presentation

7. What is the craziest thing you've ever done?

  1. What unusual or surprising thing have you done that you feel comfortable sharing?
  2. Why did you decide to do it?
  3. What happened, and how was it different from what you expected?
  4. How did you and the people around you feel about it?
  5. What did you learn, and would you do it again?

“Craziest” can mean unusual, surprising, or unexpected. A small everyday story is enough.

Language help
Grammar
  • Present perfect for life experiences
  • Past simple to tell the story

Example: I have tried something unusual: I once gave a talk without any notes.

Vocabulary

unusual, surprising, expect, experience, reaction, lesson

Week 10 · Tuesday

Group discussion

8. Why do people travel?

  1. What are some different reasons people travel?
  2. How is travelling for study different from travelling for a holiday?
  3. What can travel teach people that they might not learn at home?
  4. What difficulties can travel bring for visitors and local communities?
  5. Can people learn about other places without travelling? How?
Language help
Grammar
  • Travel to … for a purpose
  • Can and might for benefits and difficulties

Example: People travel to study, but they can also learn about other cultures at home.

Vocabulary

purpose, journey, visitor, culture, discover, challenge

Week 10 · Wednesday

Individual presentation

9. What is the best place to visit in Myanmar?

  1. Which place would you recommend, and what makes it special?
  2. What should a first-time visitor see or do there?
  3. What could visitors learn about its culture, history, or natural surroundings?
  4. What should visitors know to prepare well and behave respectfully?
  5. Who would enjoy this place most, and who might prefer somewhere else?
Language help
Grammar
  • Would recommend … because …
  • Should for visitor advice

Example: I would recommend this place because visitors can learn about its history.

Vocabulary

recommend, visitor, heritage, surroundings, respectful, prepare

Week 11

Week 11 · Monday

Individual presentation

10. What is one thing you regret buying?

  1. What did you buy, or ask someone to buy for you?
  2. Why did you want it at the time?
  3. How was it different from what you expected?
  4. What could you do with it now to make it useful?
  5. What would you consider more carefully before choosing something next time?
Language help
Grammar
  • Past simple: bought, wanted, expected
  • Would for a different choice next time

Example: I bought a bag that was too small, so next time I would check its size.

Vocabulary

regret, purchase, expectation, useful, choice, consider

Week 11 · Tuesday

Group discussion

11. What is the best festival in Myanmar?

  1. Which festival would you choose, and why?
  2. What do people usually do during this festival?
  3. What meaning or value makes it important beyond simply being enjoyable?
  4. What might make the festival difficult for some people?
  5. How could people celebrate it in a way that is meaningful and considerate of others?
Language help
Grammar
  • Present simple to describe traditions
  • Could for thoughtful suggestions

Example: People could celebrate together while keeping the surroundings clean.

Vocabulary

festival, tradition, celebrate, meaning, community, considerate

Week 11 · Wednesday

Individual presentation

12. What is your favorite month?

  1. Which month do you like most, and why?
  2. What is usually happening in your life at that time of year?
  3. How does this month affect your mood or daily routine?
  4. What is one thing you do not enjoy about it?
  5. Would you still choose this month if it had no holidays or special events? Why or why not?
Language help
Grammar
  • In + a month
  • Even though to acknowledge a difficulty

Example: I like this month even though the weather sometimes changes my plans.

Vocabulary

month, season, routine, mood, occasion, prefer

Week 12

Week 12 · Monday

Individual presentation

13. If you could study in any university in the world, which university would you choose?

  1. Which university would you choose, and what attracts you to it?
  2. What would you like to study there, and why?
  3. How do you think studying there would differ from studying at your current university?
  4. What challenge might you face there, and how could you handle it?
  5. How could you use what you learn to support your monastery or wider community?
Language help
Grammar
  • If I could …, I would …
  • Would like to + verb

Example: I would like to study education so I could support learners in my community.

Vocabulary

university, subject, opportunity, challenge, knowledge, contribute

Week 12 · Tuesday

Group discussion

14. How do you feel about the upcoming final exams?

  1. How do you feel when you think about the final exams, and why?
  2. Which subject do you feel most prepared for, and what has helped you?
  3. Which subject needs more attention, and what makes it challenging?
  4. How can you prepare while also getting enough rest?
  5. What could you and your classmates do to support one another?
Language help
Grammar
  • Feel + adjective + because …
  • Need to … and can … for preparation

Example: I feel hopeful because I have revised, but I need to practise writing more.

Vocabulary

exam, prepared, revision, confident, challenging, support

Week 12 · Wednesday

Individual presentation

15. What are your plans for the Thadingyut holidays?

  1. What do you plan or hope to do during the holidays?
  2. Why are these activities important to you?
  3. How would you like to balance rest, study, and monastic practice?
  4. Is there someone you would like to spend time with or support, and how?
  5. If your plans change, what else could make the holidays meaningful?
Language help
Grammar
  • Plan to … and hope to …
  • If + present, will + verb for a changed plan

Example: I plan to rest and study; if my plans change, I will spend more time reading.

Vocabulary

holiday, plan, practice, balance, meaningful, flexible

Schedule and Inquiries

Join a welcoming space for English conversation

Starting Date
Program Days Monday to Wednesday
Program Time 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Location Classroom 2

Register before joining. Use the registration button or call the program team to confirm your student information. This helps the team arrange seating, materials, presentations, discussions, and the debate.

Register Now Call 09 777 770 248 speakingspace@ugp.edu.mm
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