Q & A | Introduction to the 2013 Curriculum

Summary

The 2013 English curriculum for junior and senior high schools aims to develop students' communication skills, character, and cultural awareness. It integrates four core components: spiritual attitude, social attitude, knowledge, and skills. The curriculum emphasizes character development through indirect teaching methods and incorporates project-based and task-based learning. It prepares students for real-world communication by combining functional and academic English, focusing on speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Teachers face challenges like limited resources and large class sizes, but the curriculum aligns with international standards, targeting an intermediate B1 level for high school graduates.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 2013 English Curriculum aims to develop communication skills, character, and cultural awareness for both junior and senior high school students.
• 😀 It integrates four core components: spiritual attitude, social attitude, knowledge, and skills.
• 😀 Spiritual attitude encourages students to internalize religious values, while social attitude focuses on behaviors like honesty, discipline, and teamwork.
• 😀 The curriculum stresses the importance of applying English in practical contexts such as speaking, writing, listening, and reading.
• 😀 In junior high school, the curriculum focuses on functional language for daily communication, while senior high school shifts to academic and global communication.
• 😀 The curriculum combines the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) through integrated, meaningful activities like dialogues and writing assignments.
• 😀 Project-based learning, task-based learning, and collaborative activities are recommended teaching methods for this curriculum.
• 😀 Culture plays a significant role, with students learning about both local and global cultures to develop intercultural competence.
• 😀 Assessment is varied and includes both formative assessments (like peer feedback) and summative assessments (like exams and final projects).
• 😀 Teachers face challenges in implementing the curriculum, such as lack of resources, large class sizes, and varying student proficiency levels.
• 😀 The curriculum aligns with international standards, following the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) targeting a B1 level for high school graduates.

Q & A

What are the main objectives of the 2013 English curriculum for junior and senior high school?

The 2013 curriculum aims to develop students' communication skills, character, and cultural awareness. It integrates four core components: spiritual attitude, social attitude, knowledge, and skills. These components focus on internalizing religious values, promoting honesty, discipline, teamwork, understanding language rules, and applying English in speaking, writing, listening, and reading.

How does the 2013 curriculum emphasize character development?

Character development in the 2013 curriculum is integrated through indirect teaching methods like role modeling, school culture, and classroom routines. Instead of only teaching grammar, teachers promote values through activities such as group discussions, where students practice respectful communication and tolerance while debating differing opinions.

What are the key differences between the junior high and senior high English curriculum under the 2013 framework?

In junior high, the curriculum focuses on functional language for daily communication, such as describing objects and giving directions. In senior high, the curriculum shifts towards academic and global communication, including analyzing texts, writing essays, and debating. For example, grade 7 students learn basic introductions, while grade 10 students analyze famous speeches like Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream.'

How does the curriculum integrate the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing)?

The curriculum integrates the four language skills by combining them in meaningful activities. For instance, a lesson on describing people may include listening to a conversation about someone's appearance, speaking through dialogues, reading a biography, and writing a paragraph about a famous person.

What teaching methods are recommended for implementing the 2013 curriculum?

The 2013 curriculum recommends student-centered learning, collaborative activities, and context-based tasks. Methods include project-based learning (e.g., creating a presentation about a city), task-based learning (e.g., role-playing ordering food in a restaurant), and critical thinking exercises like group debates on specific issues.

What role does culture play in the curriculum?

Culture plays a vital role in the 2013 curriculum as learning English is not only about language but also understanding global and local cultures. Students learn about Indonesian and Western traditions, fostering intercultural competencies. For example, comparing Indonesian weddings with Western weddings in English lessons helps students learn culturally relevant vocabulary.

How is assessment conducted in the 2013 English curriculum?

Assessment in the 2013 curriculum is based on both formative and summative methods. Formative assessments include observation, self-assessment, and peer feedback, while summative assessments may involve exams, final projects, or presentations. For example, a student's participation in group discussions may be graded, not just their test scores.

How does the curriculum prepare students for real-world communication?

The curriculum prepares students for real-world communication by including functional English for daily conversations and academic English for future education and careers. Activities like role-plays, debates, and simulations help students practice practical English, such as ordering food in a restaurant or writing a formal email for a job application.

What challenges may teachers face when implementing the curriculum?

Teachers may face challenges such as a lack of resources (e.g., textbooks or technology), large class sizes, limited time for individual feedback, and varying levels of students' English proficiency. Teachers can address these issues by using group activities that engage both strong and struggling students.

How does the curriculum align with international English standards?

The 2013 curriculum aligns with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), targeting a B1 level (intermediate) for high school graduates. At this level, students should be able to hold conversations, write short opinion essays, and understand the main ideas in news articles.