Fun learning for English communication: A community engagement program in an Islamic Boarding School

Degaf, Agwin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8551-0867 and Rofiq, Zainur ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4723-1175 (2026) Fun learning for English communication: A community engagement program in an Islamic Boarding School. Journal of Social Outreach, 5 (1). pp. 22-49. ISSN 2829-5668

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Abstract

English communication remains a persistent challenge for students in Islamic boarding schools, where language learning is often shaped by strong disciplinary structures but still limited by speaking anxiety, low confidence, and insufficient opportunities for meaningful interaction. Within the broader discussion of English language teaching in pesantren, this issue is important because communicative difficulties are frequently addressed through formal instruction and language regulation, while the role of enjoyable, interaction-based learning remains less systematically explored. This article aims to examine how a fun learning workshop can foster students’ engagement, speaking confidence, and willingness to use English more actively in a boarding school environment. This community engagement program was conducted at a junior secondary Islamic boarding school in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, involving approximately 100 ninth-grade students and several language coordinators. The article is based on qualitative data gathered through classroom observation, semi-structured interviews with student participants, and informal feedback from language coordinators involved in the program, which were analyzed descriptively and interpreted thematically. In addition, simple evaluation data indicated measurable improvements in students’ engagement and confidence, as active participation in speaking activities increased from 48% to 76%, while students’ self-reported speaking confidence improved from an average score of 2.6 (52%) to 3.9 (78%) on a 5-point scale, and willingness to use English increased from 50% to 80%. The findings show that fun learning activities encouraged more active participation, reduced students’ hesitation to speak, and helped them experience English as a practical means of communication rather than merely a formal subject. The workshop also generated practical ideas for sustaining English use through peer interaction and dormitory-based language supervision. These findings suggest that communicative English programs in Islamic boarding schools can be strengthened by integrating interactive and context-responsive activities into regular language practice, while future studies may examine the longer-term impact of such interventions across different pesantren settings.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Keywords:	fun learning, English communication, Islamic boarding school, speaking confidence, community engagement
Subjects:	13 EDUCATION > 1301 Education Systems > 130109 Pesantren (Islamic boarding school)
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities > Department of English Language and Letters
Depositing User:	Dr. Agwin Degaf
Date Deposited:	12 May 2026 08:24

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