Implementing Scientific Approach to Teach English at Senior High School in Indonesia

M Zaim

doi:10.5539/ass.v13n2p33

Abstract

Scientific approach is a teaching strategy using scientific steps in teaching subject matter at senior high school in Indonesia. Scientific approach has the characteristics of “doing science” that allows teachers to improve the process of learning by breaking the process down into steps which contain detailed instruction for conducting student learning. Although the scientific approach offers significant breakthrough in improving the quality of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) at Senior High School in Indonesia, there were still some obstacles faced by English teachers. This study aimed at investigating the implementation of scientific approach to teach English at Senior High School in Indonesia and problems of teaching and learning in implementing scientific approach. The data were collected through observation of teaching learning process and interview with the teachers and the students in two senior high schools in Padang, Indonesia. The findings showed that, among the five steps of scientific approach, the teachers were not able to implement the observing and questioning steps optimally yet. Meanwhile, in experimenting and associating the teachers have applied them well, and in communicating the teachers have applied them optimally.

Highlights

Curriculum change occurs in response to changes that take place in society (Oliva & Gordon, 2013)
The implementation of scientific approach in teaching English for senior high school students is related to the process of the teaching four language skills in four kinds of genres/texts learned at grade ten senior high school
The teaching learning process followed the steps of teaching using scientific approach as stated in Kemdikbud (2013), they are observing, questioning, experimenting, associating, and communicating

Summary

Introduction

Curriculum change occurs in response to changes that take place in society (Oliva & Gordon, 2013). The 2004 curriculum has not been sensitive and responsive to social change at local, national, and global level; the content of the curriculum is still too dense as indicated by the number of lesson materials and subject, the difficulties beyond the level of development of the child age; and competencies do not describe holistically the domains of attitudes, skills, and knowledge; and some of the competencies required in accordance with the development need, such as character education, active learning methodology, the balance of soft skills and hard skills, has not been accommodated in the curriculum (Kemdikbud, 2013).

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion