Out of the Classroom and Into Chinatown: How We Teach Public Speaking in the Real World

There's a moment that happens in almost every public speaking class — students nail the technique in the classroom, they make eye contact, they use gestures, they project confidence — and then they step outside and it all goes out the window. Real life is louder, messier, and a lot less predictable than a classroom. So we decided: why not just... go there?

Recently, our Intermediate and Upper Intermediate Public Speaking students had class in Chinatown and Central Market right here in KL — and honestly, it might have been one of my favourite sessions yet.

The Mission

We sent students out in pairs with one simple challenge: a scavenger hunt. They had one hour to explore, observe, and interact — checking things off a list of real-world communication moments. Things like:

● Spot someone using exaggerated body language ?

● Make eye contact and smile at a stranger

● Find someone negotiating (hint: the market is full of this)

● Notice how a vendor "performs" to get your attention

● Catch a moment of genuine connection between two people

These weren't random tasks — every single one was tied directly to skills we'd been working on in class. Suddenly, public speaking wasn't an abstract concept. It was happening everywhere, all around them.

What Happened Next

Watching students come alive in that environment was just the best thing. Some were nervous at first — making eye contact with a stranger sounds simple until you actually have to do it! But within minutes, they were laughing, pointing things out to each other, debating whether what they saw counted, and genuinely engaging with the world around them in English.

After the hunt, we came together for lunch and shared our experiences. The conversation was incredible. Students were animated, opinionated, and speaking with a confidence I don't always see when they're standing in front of a whiteboard. One student couldn't stop talking about a vendor she'd watched bargaining — the gestures, the pauses, the eye contact. "He was a better public speaker than me!" she laughed. I told her: not for long.

Why We Do This

At Awesome Academy, we genuinely believe that the classroom is just the beginning. Language lives outside — in markets, in conversations, in the beautiful chaos of a city like Kuala Lumpur. That's why we regularly take our students on trips around KL and even beyond the city, to places where they can practice and apply what they're learning in real, unscripted moments.

It's one thing to learn about communication. It's another thing entirely to go out and actually do it — with real people, real reactions, and yes, real nerves.

These trips remind our students (and honestly, remind me too) of why we're all here. Not just to pass a test or tick a box, but to actually connect — with ideas, with people, and with the world around us.

And if you happen to be wandering through Chinatown and you see a group of students with clipboards looking very determined — that's us. Come say hi. Our students could use the eye contact practice. ?

At Awesome Academy, learning doesn't stop at the classroom door. Follow our journey on Instagram: @awesomeelc