KS — SPM English Paper 3 · 30-Day Speaking Curriculum
Paper: SPM English 1119/3 (Speaking) · Forms: 4 & 5
Owner: Bekah · Drafted: 18 June 2026
Scope: Paper 3 speaking only · Parts 1–3 · four lessons per day
Extends: the shipped 3-day prototype (ks-day1-3-spm-prototype.html, README in docs/)
A full month of daily speaking practice that keeps the proven prototype loop — the same four-slot day, the same three characters, the same exam-aligned formats — and runs it across 30 topics with a deliberate skill progression. One session a day; a Form 4–5 student always has something to do and a streak to keep.
The daily format
Every day has the same four lessons, mirroring the real 1119/3 structure. This is the format students learned in the pilot — we hold it constant so the format becomes familiar and only the topic and skill change.
| Slot | Lesson | Character | SPM mapping |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-up interview (5 Qs) | Pip | Part 1 · Interview (3–4 min) |
| 2 | 1-minute long turn (20s prep + 60s talk + follow-up) | Tia | Part 2 · Individual Long Turn (~2 min) |
| 3 | Pair discussion with mind map + decision | Roly | Part 3 · Pair Discussion (4–5 min) |
| 4 | Vocab/grammar bite — or, on checkpoint days, a Mock mini-exam | Tia or Roly / all three | Phrase banks; full Parts 1–3 sim + rubric snapshot |
Parts 1–3 only. Part 4 (the pair consensus turn) is intentionally out of scope here — see Notes.
Syllabus alignment
Checked against the official 1119/3 format and the KSSM/CEFR Form 5 syllabus, plus past-paper and prep-source topic lists.
- Format confirmed. Part 1 = personal Q&A interview (~3 min, no prep); Part 2 = individual long turn from a prompt card with three bullet points on a familiar theme (20s prep, 1 min) plus a brief question on the partner's topic; Part 3 = collaborative mind-map (central question + ~6 sub-ideas, 20s prep, ~3 min discussion, then 1 min to decide as a pair which point is most significant). Assessment is CEFR-aligned, targeting B1 High by end of Form 5, marked on grammar & vocabulary, discourse management, and pronunciation/intonation.
- Topics map to the four KSSM Form 5 themes: People & Culture · Health & Environment · Science & Technology · Consumerism & Financial Awareness. All 60 topics fall inside these themes, and the set is balanced so each theme recurs across the month.
- Part 2 uses familiar, personal themes — consistent with real prompts (e.g. a recent holiday, a school celebration, a favourite relative, a dream career, a sport). Each topic should ship with three bullet points (the prototype already does this).
- Part 3 topics are framed as "ways / reasons / factors," which fits the mind-map "discuss sub-ideas → choose the most significant" task. Real past examples in this exact shape: why teenagers love shopping online, ways to protect the environment, internet safety tips, why reading matters, smart shopping tips. Yes/no debate framings ("Should phones be allowed…?") were reframed to match this format — a debate question doesn't suit the pick-the-best-option structure.
Mock checkpoints
A Mock mini-exam replaces the slot-4 bite every sixth day — Days 6, 12, 18, 24, 30. On a mock day, slots 1–3 run as normal lessons; slot 4 is a back-to-back Parts 1–3 simulation with all three characters and a rubric snapshot, so students feel the whole paper end-to-end and see where they stand. Day 30 is the full dress-rehearsal mock.
The 30-day arc
Five six-day phases, each capped by a mock. The daily format never changes; what shifts is topic difficulty and the language skill in slot 4.
- Days 1–6 — Foundations. Familiar, personal topics. Goal: get talking without freezing. Core fluency glue — linking words, opinion frames, reasons.
- Days 7–12 — Opinions. Express and defend a view. Agreeing, disagreeing, examples, comparisons.
- Days 13–18 — Story & detail. Narrate, describe, add colour. Past tense, feelings, suggestions, relative clauses.
- Days 19–24 — Issues & society. Abstract, exam-style discussion topics. Cause/effect, contrast, conceding, summarising.
- Days 25–30 — Exam craft & pressure. Harder/less predictable topics, partner technique, justification, polish — into the final mock.
Day-by-day
Phase 1 — Foundations
Day 1 · Skill: linking words - 1 · Pip — Part 1 (5 Qs): You & your school - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A hobby you enjoy" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How to make the most of the school holidays" - 4 · Vocab bite: 5 linking words — and, but, because, so, also
Day 2 · Skill: opinion frames - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Family & home - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A person you admire" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "Ways students can use phones responsibly in school" - 4 · Vocab bite: 5 opinion frames — I think, in my opinion, I'd say, personally, for me
Day 3 · Skill: clear delivery - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Free time & hobbies - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "Your dream job" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How can students stay healthy?" - 4 · Vocab bite: Sentence stress & pausing — landing the key word, not rushing
Day 4 · Skill: frequency - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Holidays & travel - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A memorable holiday or trip" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "Ways to reduce plastic waste at school" - 4 · Vocab bite: Frequency — usually, often, sometimes, rarely, hardly ever
Day 5 · Skill: giving reasons - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Favourite subjects - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "Your favourite subject in school" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "The best way to welcome new students" - 4 · Vocab bite: Reasons — because, since, that's why, the reason is
Day 6 · Checkpoint - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Friends - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A skill you'd like to learn" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How to encourage teens to read more" - 4 · 🏁 Mock mini-exam #1: full Parts 1–3 with Pip, Tia & Roly + rubric snapshot (fluency, vocabulary, ideas)
Phase 2 — Opinions
Day 7 · Skill: agree / disagree - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Food & eating - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A book or film that left an impression" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How can students stay safe online?" - 4 · Vocab bite: Agreeing & disagreeing — I agree, that's true, but, on the other hand, not really
Day 8 · Skill: sequencing - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Festivals & celebrations - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "Your favourite festival or celebration" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "Ways to reduce exam stress" - 4 · Vocab bite: Sequencing a story — first, then, after that, in the end
Day 9 · Skill: examples - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Daily routine - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A teacher who influenced you" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "Best ways to save pocket money" - 4 · Vocab bite: Giving examples — for example, such as, like, for instance
Day 10 · Skill: comparatives - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Your hometown - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A place you'd love to visit" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How can schools be more eco-friendly?" - 4 · Vocab bite: Comparatives — more…than, better than, the most, less…than
Day 11 · Skill: past-tense narration - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Childhood - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A childhood memory" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How students can manage homework better" - 4 · Vocab bite: Past-tense narration — regular & irregular verbs to tell a story
Day 12 · Checkpoint - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Technology & phones - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A gadget you rely on" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "Ways to promote unity among students" - 4 · 🏁 Mock mini-exam #2: full Parts 1–3 + rubric snapshot (focus: organising your answer)
Phase 3 — Story & detail
Day 13 · Skill: preference - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Sports & exercise - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "An achievement you're proud of" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How to encourage students to exercise" - 4 · Vocab bite: Expressing preference — I'd rather, I prefer, my favourite, I'd choose
Day 14 · Skill: feelings - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Books, films & music - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A challenge you overcame" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "The best class trip destination" - 4 · Vocab bite: Describing feelings — I feel, it makes me, I was so…, honestly
Day 15 · Skill: suggestions - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Future plans - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A friend who matters to you" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "Ways to reduce food waste in the canteen" - 4 · Vocab bite: Making suggestions — we could, why don't we, how about, let's
Day 16 · Skill: adding detail - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Helping at home - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "Your favourite food" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How can students help during a flood?" - 4 · Vocab bite: Adding detail — relative clauses lite (which, where, who)
Day 17 · Skill: hedging - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Your school day - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "Something you'd change about your school" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "The benefits of part-time work for students" - 4 · Vocab bite: Hedging politely — maybe, perhaps, I'm not totally sure, it depends
Day 18 · Checkpoint - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Goals & ambitions - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A goal for the next five years" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How to make school more enjoyable" - 4 · 🏁 Mock mini-exam #3: full Parts 1–3 + rubric snapshot (focus: speaking for the full minute)
Phase 4 — Issues & society
Day 19 · Skill: emphasis - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Weekends - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A family tradition" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "Best ways to learn English outside class" - 4 · Vocab bite: Emphasis — really, definitely, absolutely, especially
Day 20 · Skill: cause & effect - 1 · Pip — Part 1: People you look up to - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "The best advice you've ever received" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How to deal with peer pressure" - 4 · Vocab bite: Cause & effect — leads to, results in, that's why, as a result
Day 21 · Skill: conceding - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Health & habits - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A time you helped someone" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "Ways to support students' wellbeing" - 4 · Vocab bite: Conceding a point — that's a good point, I see what you mean, but…
Day 22 · Skill: bridges, not fillers - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Relaxing & downtime - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "Your favourite way to relax" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "Ways to encourage healthy eating at school" - 4 · Vocab bite: Filler-to-bridge swaps — "errr" → "let me think", "well", "the thing is"
Day 23 · Skill: contrast - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Places in your town - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A local place worth visiting" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How can technology improve learning?" - 4 · Vocab bite: Contrast connectors — however, although, even though, whereas
Day 24 · Checkpoint - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Role models - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "Someone who inspires you" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "Ways to give back to the community" - 4 · 🏁 Mock mini-exam #4: full Parts 1–3 + rubric snapshot (focus: handling a topic you didn't prepare)
Phase 5 — Exam craft & pressure
Day 25 · Skill: summarising - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Special occasions - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A memorable celebration" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How to balance studies and hobbies" - 4 · Vocab bite: Summarising — so, in short, all in all, to sum up
Day 26 · Skill: partner technique - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Games & activities - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A sport or activity you enjoy" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "The most important quality in a good leader" - 4 · Vocab bite: Inviting your partner in — what do you think?, do you agree?, how about you?
Day 27 · Skill: justifying - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Decisions & choices - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A decision you're proud of" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How teenagers can use social media wisely" - 4 · Vocab bite: Justifying a choice — the main reason, what makes it best, compared to
Day 28 · Skill: describing people - 1 · Pip — Part 1: People you'd like to meet - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "The person you'd most like to meet" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How should money raised for the class be spent?" - 4 · Vocab bite: Describing people — personality adjectives (caring, hardworking, humble, determined)
Day 29 · Skill: routine & flow - 1 · Pip — Part 1: A normal day - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "A typical day in your life" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "Smart shopping tips for teenagers" - 4 · Vocab bite: Talking about routine — present simple + time markers, kept flowing
Day 30 · Final - 1 · Pip — Part 1: Looking back & ahead - 2 · Tia — Part 2: "Your proudest moment" - 3 · Roly — Part 3: "How can we help the elderly in our community?" - 4 · 🏁 Mock final: full dress-rehearsal Parts 1–3 + complete rubric readout and a "you're exam-ready" summary of growth across the month
Topic & skill index
Part 2 long-turn topics (30, all personal/describe): hobby · person you admire · dream job · memorable holiday · favourite subject · skill to learn · book or film · favourite festival · influential teacher · place to visit · childhood memory · gadget you rely on · achievement · challenge overcome · friend who matters · favourite food · change your school · five-year goal · family tradition · best advice · time you helped · way to relax · local place · someone who inspires you · memorable celebration · sport/activity · decision you're proud of · person to meet · typical day · proudest moment.
Part 3 discussion topics (30, all "ways/reasons/factors → pick the most significant"): school holidays · using phones responsibly · staying healthy · plastic waste · welcoming new students · reading more · online safety · exam stress · saving money · eco-friendly schools · managing homework · student unity · exercise · class trip · canteen food waste · helping in a flood · benefits of part-time work · enjoyable school · learning English · peer pressure · student wellbeing · healthy eating at school · technology in learning · giving back · studies vs hobbies · leadership · using social media wisely · spending class funds · smart shopping · helping the elderly.
Slot-4 skills (25 bites + 5 mocks): linking words · opinion frames · clear delivery · frequency · reasons · agree/disagree · sequencing · examples · comparatives · past-tense narration · preference · feelings · suggestions · adding detail · hedging · emphasis · cause & effect · conceding · bridges-not-fillers · contrast · summarising · partner technique · justifying · describing people · routine & flow.
Notes & open items
- Days 1–3 topics are preserved from the shipped prototype (hobby / admire / dream job for Part 2; holidays / phones / health for Part 3). Two small changes: the prototype made Day 3's slot 4 a mock — in the 30-day version mocks move to a clean six-day cadence (6/12/18/24/30) and Day 3's slot 4 becomes a clarity bite (easy to revert); and Day 2's Part 3 "phones in school" is reframed to "ways students can use phones responsibly" to fit the mind-map format (same topic, exam-accurate framing).
- Topics were audited against the 1119/3 syllabus on 18 Jun 2026. Five Part 3 topics originally written as yes/no debates were reframed to "ways/reasons" to match the mind-map task, and one environment topic was swapped to "smart shopping" to better cover the Consumerism & Financial Awareness theme. See Syllabus alignment above.
- Part 4 is deliberately out of scope per this build's spec. Research (Adif, Dania) confirmed the real Paper 3 has four parts and flagged Part 4 (the pair converging on one answer) as the prototype's main gap. When we add it, it slots in as a 5th lesson or folds into the mock days — worth a decision before content authoring.
- Topics are drawn from common SPM Part 2/3 themes and kept teen-relevant and Malaysian in context. The research finding that templates beat topics (students memorise answer scaffolds because the live topic differs) still applies — consider pairing each Part 2/3 topic with a reusable answer frame rather than betting on exact-topic recall.
- Voice & framing follow the product rules: proper English in-product, positive framing, no countdown-to-SPM anxiety (progress is framed as sessions done, not days left).
- Authoring throughput: 30 days × 4 lessons ≈ 120 lesson instances. Per the scope doc, this is AI-generated content with a human QA loop, not hand-authored — this curriculum is the spine that content generation fills in.