About

The ELS English Language Ambassador Award Essay Writing Competition by ELS Language Centres

The ELS English Language Ambassador Award Essay Writing Competition is a yearly CSR programme dedicated to supplementing the Malaysian Government’s efforts in ‘Driving English Language Excellence’ in our national schools.

The competition resources, which are delivered purely online, are conceptualised and developed by ELS Language Centres, Malaysia and its strategic partners: University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) Australia, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Sunago Education Sdn Bhd, and Just English Sdn Bhd.

The programme is supported by the Ministry of Education (MOE) (Download the Ministry of Education Letter of Consent) and is open to all students who are currently enrolled in Form 4 and Form 5 in Malaysian government schools. In addition, MOE will award co-curricular marks based on the participation and achievement of the participants.

Competition Objectives:

    • Improve students’ writing skills and critical thinking abilities in preparation for their SPM English Writing Section.
    • Discover and showcase students’ hidden talents in writing.
    • Help students build a portfolio of achievements for future university applications and job interviews.
    • Facilitate learning and collaboration among students from different schools in Malaysia.
    • Provide an immersive online learning environment wherein students can measure and track their learning progress.
    • Provide an opportunity for the Grand Champion to gain first-hand experience of an excellent education environment through a study tour at a prestigious university abroad.

How to Register:

Teachers must register their students for the programme. Steps for teachers are as follows:

      1. Click on School Registration (for teachers).
      2. Sign in with your DELIMa account.
      3. Register your school and students at https://elsaward.els.edu.my/school-sign-up.
      4. Once you have completed the registration, your students will receive an invitation email to join the ELS English Language Ambassador Award 2024.

Steps for students are as follows:

      1. Check your DELIMa email inbox for the invitation to join the ELS English Language Ambassador Award 2024 and click Join Competition (for students). 
      2. Sign in with your DELIMa account to access the online writing course.
      3. Complete all 15 lessons with a general average grade of at least 70% prescribed in the online writing programme.
      4. Write your essay and submit your entry before the submission deadline.

Note: You will only receive the invitation email if your teacher has nominated your name for the ELS English Language Ambassador Award 2024.

The Online Writing Programme

The online writing programme consists of 15 lessons and self-assessment checks. It is designed to enhance students’ writing skills by teaching them to express their thoughts and ideas cohesively and coherently.

Completion of the writing programme will enable students to:

    1. Better understand how good essays are written and how to go about writing them for academic or future professional purposes.
    2. Qualify for the ELS English Language Ambassador Award Essay Writing Competition and have a chance to win exciting prizes.

Requirements

    • A computer and stable internet access (not less than 1Mbps).
    • A valid and working email address (DELIMa account) to register and receive updates about the competition.
    • Google Chrome browser to access the online lessons.

Registration Period

    • 15th May 2024 – 30th June 2024 (now extended till 30th August 2024)

Essay Competition

    • Students must complete all 15 online lessons with a general average grade of at least 70% to qualify for the essay writing competition.
    • All essays must be written in British English, with a word count of 500 to 700 words. Essays that fall below or exceed the required number of words will be automatically disqualified.
    • Only the 10 best essays will be shortlisted. The Top 10 Finalists will be invited for an interview session with the Judging Panel to select the Grand Champion.

Submission of Entries:

Essays must be submitted BEFORE 3:00 pm (Malaysian time, +8:00 GMT time zone) on 30th August 2024 (now extended till 23rd September 2024, 3:00 pm). Any submission after the deadline will be immediately disqualified.

To know more about the competition and the essay writing programme, download the Course and Competition Information Packet.