English Language Teaching In Indonesia; The Implementation Of Merdeka Curriculum In Senior High Schools

Abstract

With the implementation of the Merdeka (Freedom) curriculum simultaneously at all levels of schools in Indonesia in 2022, it requires teachers to be able to adapt to the new paradigm contained in the Merdeka curriculum which emphasizes not on the core competencies that must be achieved by students but on learning objectives which are the reference for student learning success. In fact, the implementation of this new curriculum has not been fully understood by teachers in which it has an impact on the implementation of learning in the classroom, including in English Language Teaching (ELT). This study aims to determine the implementation of ELT in the Merdeka curriculum. The subjects of this study were teachers and students spread across eight schools in four cities in the province of Central Java, Indonesia. Research data were collected through student questionnaires, teaching and learning observations, and interviews with teachers which were then analyzed qualitatively. The results of the study show that teaching and learning process of English starting from planning, implementation, and assessment refers to the Merdeka Curriculum although weaknesses are still found such as the teaching modules and learning strategies used. This research is expected to be a basis for further research that measures the extent to which Merdeka curriculum is applied in ELT.