Speaking
Practice

An interesting activity I really enjoyed in primary school was a weekly English game that our teacher organised on Friday afternoons. It was not a formal lesson, so the class felt more relaxed and everyone looked forward to it.

We usually did the activity in small groups of four or five. The teacher prepared picture cards, simple questions and word puzzles, and we used to take turns answering them. Sometimes we worked in pairs, and sometimes the whole class competed in two large teams. We probably did this activity two or three times a month.

One game I remember clearly was a guessing game. One student had to describe an animal without saying its name, while the others tried to guess it. At first, my group was quite slow because we were shy and used very simple words. After a few rounds, we became more confident and started giving better clues. My team finally won by one point, and everyone laughed because the last word was much easier than we expected.

I liked the activity because it made learning feel active instead of stressful. It also helped me speak more naturally with classmates. Even though the language was basic, the experience was memorable and made me enjoy English more.

The first day at school that I can remember clearly was my first day of primary school. I was about six years old, and the school was in the same district as my home, only about ten minutes away by motorbike.

My first impression was that everything looked huge. The school entrance was crowded with children and parents, and I felt a little overwhelmed by the noise. My mother walked me to the classroom, where the teacher greeted us and showed us where to sit. I remember looking around and not recognising anyone.

For the first half hour, I hardly spoke. Then the teacher introduced a simple classroom routine and asked us to draw a picture of our family. The girl sitting next to me forgot her red pencil, so I lent her mine. We started talking about our drawings and then played together during the break. That small conversation helped me settle in very quickly. By lunchtime, I was much less nervous and had already made a friend.

I still remember that day because it was my first experience of a completely new environment. The mixture of fear, curiosity and excitement makes it stand out in my memory even now.

A time I taught someone something was when I showed my younger brother how to cook fried rice. It happened during a school holiday when our parents were both busy and he wanted to become more independent in the kitchen.

He could make instant noodles, but he had never cooked a proper meal by himself. I chose fried rice because it is a simple dish and the ingredients are easy to find. Before we started, I showed him how to prepare ingredients, including rice, eggs, vegetables and a little seasoning.

I explained everything step by step. First, I asked him to heat the pan and cook the egg. Then he added the vegetables and rice. At one point, he used too much oil, so I told him how to correct it without starting again. I made him follow the recipe himself rather than doing the difficult parts for him. By the second attempt, he had started to get the hang of it and produced a much better plate of fried rice.

I felt useful and quite proud of him because he learned quickly. It also reminded me that teaching is easier when you stay patient and let the learner actually practise instead of only listening.

A practical skill I learned was basic first aid. I learned it about two years ago when my university organised a short safety workshop for students.

I joined because I realised I did not know what to do in a simple emergency situation. Before the workshop, I knew a few general ideas, such as calling for help, but I was not confident about how to respond calmly if someone fainted or had a minor injury.

The workshop lasted one afternoon and included hands-on practice. The instructor first explained how to check whether a person was responsive and how to keep the area safe. Then we practised putting someone in the recovery position and learned how to deal with small cuts and burns. We worked in pairs, so each person had to perform the steps rather than just watch. At first, I kept forgetting the correct order, but after repeating the process several times, it became much clearer.

I felt much more confident after the workshop because the skill seemed useful in everyday life. I hope I never face a serious emergency, but learning basic first aid has made me feel better prepared and more responsible.

A school I went to in childhood was a public primary school near my old home. I studied there for five years, and most of my early school memories are connected with that place.

The school was not modern, but it had a friendly atmosphere. There were three classroom blocks, a large school yard and several old trees around the grounds. My classroom was on the second floor, and from the window we could see the playground. The buildings were simple, but they were always clean and busy.

Most of the teachers were strict but fair. My class teacher in Grade 4 was especially memorable because she expected us to work hard, but she also listened when students had problems. She used to spend a few minutes at the end of Friday lessons talking about study habits and friendship. Once, when I was nervous before a maths test, she stayed after class and explained two questions again. That small act made me feel much calmer.

When I look back on that school, I remember a strong sense of belonging. It was not a perfect place, but it gave me good teachers, close friends and many simple childhood memories.