The English Writing and Communication Centre (EWCC) successfully wrapped up its 21-Day Podcast Challenge, an initiative designed to enhance students’ listening skills, vocabulary, and communication confidence. From Feb 12 to March 5, participants engaged in structured podcast listening and interactive discussions. A total of 15 participants completed the challenge and developed a long-term habit of using podcasts for both academic and personal enrichment. The 21-Day Challenge showcased students’ remarkable progress in listening comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, and communication skills, while also fostering self-reflection, critical thinking, and autonomous learning abilities.
Over 21 days, participants delved into diverse psychological topics on podcasts and expanded interdisciplinary academic languages. Through carefully selected podcast episodes, students explored psychological concepts related to emotional resilience, self-trust, and personal motivation, making direct connections to their own experiences, which further encouraged students to reflect on their mental wellbeing and personal growth. Through three weekly forums, students not only engaged with psychological and intellectual perspectives but also applied insights to their daily lives. Additionally, exposure to different podcasts enriched their vocabulary, equipping them with language relevant to both academic and real-life contexts. One participant remarked, “I never thought I could learn so much just by listening to a podcast.”
The challenge helps participants develop effective listening strategies and build communication confidence, empowering students to become autonomous learners. Students practiced active listening strategies that improved their comprehension and retention of spoken English, such as the Cornell Note-Taking method, to enhance their ability to extract and organize key information. Beyond this, students became autonomous English speakers by participating in group discussions where they expressed their thoughts and reflections. Initially hesitant, many participants gained confidence as the sessions progressed, which demonstrated greater passion to communicate in English. The structured yet informal setting allowed them to practice articulating ideas and exchanging perspectives with peers. Many students expressed that this activity helps them reinforce their listening takeaways and speaking skills.
Their success highlights the effectiveness of integrating digital learning resources as a foundation for interactive discussions. As an extension of this initiative, we created the first-ever Writing Centre podcast, inspired by insights shared in our weekly forums. We encourage you to explore the EWCC Podtopia Podcast Channel—not only for relaxation but also to gain valuable insights from our students. You may find that you share similar concerns with our participants and draw inspiration from their experiences shared in three forums. Here is the link: https://m.youtube.com/@writingcentreuniversityofm903/podcasts
The writing centre EWCC is always here to support students in improving their English skills. Along with the 21 day challenge, we offer academic workshops, tutorial series, consultation sessions, library drop-in services, interactive chat rooms and i-Learner English for Universities Marathon Competition etc. These resources give UM students valuable opportunities to practice and grow in a friendly and supportive environment. Looking ahead, we encourage students to keep exploring new ways to strengthen their language skills and make learning a lifelong habit!
[Session 1]
[Session 2]
[Session 3 & Ceremony]