INTRODUCTION

The Standards-based Primary School Curriculum (KSSR in Bahasa Malaysia)

implemented in stages starting in 2011 to replace the ntegrated Primary School
Curriculum (K!SR in Bahasa Malaysia)" The implementation o# KSSR brings about
certain changes to the curriculum content and practices in the primary school system" The
remodelling o# curriculum content through the introduction o# ne$ sub%ects& emphases on
sound pedagogical approaches and holistic assessment methods are among the initiati'es
outlined in KSSR" The core basic module contains ( sub%ect $hich are !ahasa )alaysia&
*nglish& Chinese or Tamil (only #or +ernacular Schools)& )athematics& slamic *ducation
(#or )uslim pupils) or )oral *ducation (#or non-muslim pupils) and Physical *ducation"
The KSSR re,uires teachers to apply classroom strategies $hich promote creati'e
and critical thin-ing and inno'ation among pupils" Teachers need to carry out teaching
and learning acti'ities $hich are student-centered& pro'ide opportunities #or pupils to
e.plore and test their hypotheses and ideas& sol'e problem and most importantly pro'ide
a #un learning en'ironment" Classroom practices such as in,uiry-based& problem-based
and pro%ect-based are some recommended strategies $hich promote critical and creati'e
thin-ing and inno'ation among pupils" Teachers need to be sensiti'e to students/ learning
needs and be able to identi#y learning styles $hich suits them best"
The KSSR proposes the implementation o# schools-based assessments to guage students/
potentials and the e##ecti'eness o# the teaching and learning process in the classroom"
This #ormati'e assessment $ill in#orm teachers on suitable remedial or enhancement
treatments #or pupils" t $ill also help teachers identi#y and plan salient and e##ecti'e
classroom strategies"
The ne$ Primary School Standard Curriculum (Kuri-ulum Standard Se-olah
Rendah) or KSSR $ill empo$er students as $ell as the teachers and enrich them $ith the
capabilities to increase their thin-ing and gi'e them more room and #reedom to e.ercise
their creati'ity"
t $ould cater to all students and gi'e them a chance to e.plore their abilities&
especially those $ith special needs"0or those that could not cope $ith the curriculum then
they $ill be gi'en separate teaching classes $ith di##erent methods& that can encourage
them to be independent"
Children $ho are talented and gi#ted& the curriculum allo$ #or them to be #ast-
trac-ed& and lessen the period o# time #or school 1 to #i'e years instead o# si. in primary&
and #our years instead o# #i'e in secondary school"The KSSR $ill also be re'ie$ed each
year& to ma-e room #or impro'ements and to #all in line $ith the ob%ecti'es in the
2ational *ducation !lueprint"
KSSR $as #irst established in 2011 #or 3ear 4ne pupils& $hich sa$ some sub%ects
combined& and ne$ ones created $ith themes on nationhood and patriotism"
The learning and content standards that are outlined in KSSR $ere speci#ically
aimed to$ards ensuring pupils ac,uire basic literacy s-ills by the end o# 3ear Three& and
$as also in line $ith the second 2ational Key Result 5reas (2KR5) #or the ministry 1to
ensure all primary school pupils ha'e basic literacy s-ills a#ter three years o# #ormal
schooling"
KSSR $ill be implemented #ully in 201( $here 3ear Si. students $ill no longer
be e'aluated based on their 6%ian Penilaian Se-olah Rendah (6PSR) results& but #rom
their o'erall per#ormance and classroom participation"
n #our years time& schoolchildren $ill ha'e the option o# choosing a range o#
international languages to learn #rom& as the ministry is loo-ing to implement a ne$
syllabus under KSSR"The ne$ curriculum see-s to introduce ne$ sub%ects such as
languages including ban& Kada7an& Spanish and 5rabic by 2018 in all schools
nation$ide"Teachers are becoming increasingly con'inced that that ta-ing part in regular
physical acti'ity can ha'e a signi#icant impact on children/s beha'iour"
The 9uali#ications and Curriculum 5uthority/s P* and School Sport (P*SS)
in'estigation concluded that physical acti'ity has a moti'ational impact on children&
increasing their sel#-esteem and general $ellbeing" t also #ound that P* and sport helps
children to de'elop essential social s-ills such as concentration& sel#-discipline&
cooperation and an a$areness o# the need to thin- o# things and people other than
themsel'es"
The -noc--on e##ects on $or- in other curriculum areas and on attitude in general
ma-es P* a particularly appropriate tool #or helping children $ith beha'ioural
di##iculties" The earlier children are introduced to the learning and de'elopmental
processes inherent in good ,uality physical acti'ity& the sooner they can bene#it"
The 9C5 identi#ies the #ollo$ing $ays in $hich schools can use high ,uality
physical acti'ity to impact positi'ely upon beha'iour"
1" Provide activities at break times and lunchtimes
n many schools& the playground is the setting #or a lot o# unacceptable& challenging
beha'iour& so o##ering pupils a range o# #ormal and semi-#ormal acti'ities at brea- times
and lunchtimes can ha'e a signi#icant impact"
# pupils ha'e something positi'e to do in the playground& they channel their energy into
physical acti'ity rather than getting in'ol'ed in arguments and #ights" They #orm ne$
#riendships& learn to cooperate and become more tolerant o# one another"
0ind out $hat acti'ities children in your school $ould li-e to be o##ered in the
playground and then respond to their re,uests" # they #eel empo$ered& they are more
li-ely to participate in and en%oy the acti'ities" Choose acti'ities that encourage pupils
#rom di##erent year groups to mi. and $or- together& such as team-building games or
dancing: a'oid aggressi'e team games that might increase tension"
To sustain interest& o##er a limited choice o# acti'ities at any one time" This $or-s on the
same principle as children/s menus in restaurants ; the choices are attracti'e but limited"
Pupils -no$ $hat they are doing& are able to get on $ith the acti'ity and #eel they can
succeed"
2" Reorganise space at break times and lunchtimes
Pupils/ beha'iour impro'es $hen they #eel they ha'e a sa#e space in $hich to play #reely"
Setting up 7ones #or 'arious types o# acti'ity encourages pupils to be more purpose#ul
and acti'e"
5llocate and mar- out areas o# indoor and outdoor space& #or e.ample the playground&
all-$eather pitch& #ields and hall& and pro'ide speci#ic acti'ities in each area" )a-e sure
there is super'ision" Tell pupils $hat they can choose #rom and encourage them to stic-
to one tas- at a time"
<" Make sure there is enough equipment available
# pupils spend less time ,ueuing #or e,uipment and $aiting #or a turn& there $ill be less
#rustration and boredom" =ith #e$er arguments about ho$ long someone/s turn has ta-en
or $hose turn is ne.t& relationships bet$een pupils impro'e"
Put an e##icient& #air system #or distributing e,uipment in place" Consider training pupils
to manage the distribution and collection o# playground e,uipment"
>" ncourage adults to support positive pla!
# pupils see adults beha'ing in a positi'e& acti'e $ay& they are more li-ely to do the
same" Recei'ing praise and positi'e #eedbac- #rom an adult can increase a pupil/s sel#-
esteem and& in turn& impro'e their beha'iour" !y ta-ing a more hands-on approach in the
playground& midday super'isors are more li-ely to anticipate and stop incidents o#
unacceptable beha'iour"
*nsure that adults ta-e a positi'e interest in $hat pupils are doing" They could organise
acti'ities& coach pupils& %oin in or simply pro'ide general #eedbac-" Train classroom
assistants and midday super'isors to act as play leaders and manage acti'ities"
?" "ive pupils roles and responsibilities
Putting older and younger pupils together changes the atmosphere o# the playground and
ma-es it #eel much more inclusi'e and supporti'e" The younger pupils loo- up to their
older role models and $ant to $in their respect by beha'ing $ell" =ith more super'ision
and organisation in the playground& there tends to be less bullying and other negati'e
beha'iour"
@i'e older pupils roles as play leaders or mentors at brea- and lunchtimes" They could
ta-e responsibility #or organising e,uipment& leading acti'ities& teaching younger pupils
games and supporting their play"
(" Use team#building and cooperative activities
Pupils learn ho$ to cooperate& $or- together to achie'e a goal and get on $ith one
another" !eing put in a position o# responsibility #or& or reliance on& others in a team o#ten
brings out the best in them" This can ha'e an impact on their beha'iour #ar beyond the
acti'ity itsel#"
Pro'ide pupils $ith tas-s and challenges that promote cooperation& problem-sol'ing and
team$or- during P* lessons or in clubs a#ter school" 4utdoor and ad'enturous acti'ities
and parachute-style games can be particularly e##ecti'e"
8" Introduce activit! breaks in lessons
Short acti'ity brea-s in the middle o# lessons other than P* can impro'e beha'iour" This
$or-s best $hen the acti'ity is structured and organised and& $here possible& is related to
the lesson (#or e.ample& an acti'e numeracy challenge in a mathematics lesson)"
)any pupils lose concentration $hen they ha'e been sitting do$n #or a long time" They
tend to become #idgety and #ind $ays o# attracting attention by annoying or distracting
others" 5 short #i'e- to 1?-minute e.ercise brea- to do something acti'e and e.citing gets
the o.ygen #lo$ing to the brain" They come bac- to their tas- in a better #rame o# mind
and ready to beha'e better"
CONC$U%ION
KSSR is an idea comes #rom the A*ducation )aster Plan"A Bo$e'er& it is ta-es some
times because the )inistry o# *ducation and teachers are at the beginning" 2ational
PeopleCs concept o# change& also needs a lot o# years" Det us loo- to$ards a good
curriculum outcomes" The KSSR is a ne$ program that people loo- #or$ard to& as it
aspires to gi'e students a #un learning en'ironment and get rid o# the practice o#
cramming to learn& through the in%ection o# creati'ity and inno'ati'e thin-ing in the
curriculum" !ut the response #rom the teachers seems to con'ey that there are gaps
bet$een the ideal and the reality& and that the goal o# educational trans#ormation is not
easily reached"
&I&$IO"R'P()
1" )a-ing our children $orld-class ; @eneral ; 2e$ Straits Times
httpEFF$$$"nst"com"myFnationFgeneralFma-ing-our-children-$orld-class-
1"<0G<<GHi.772IIo0%aPS
2" httpEFF$$$"nst"com"myFnationFgeneralFnational-curriculum-to-meet-international-
standards-1"1>2>>8
<" httpEFFeducation"bernama"comFinde."phpJsidKne$sLcontentMidK(1?818
>" httpEFFthestar"com"myFeducationFstory"aspJ
#ileKF2010F12F1GFeducationF?NNG?<?MsecKeducation
?" httpEFF$$$"moe"go'"myFJidK1(NMaidKG<0
(" )ala-olunthu& S" M Boon& S"K" (2010)" Teacher perspecti'es o# school based
assessment in a secondary school in Kuala Dumpur"
8" Procedia Social and !eha'ioral Sciences& G& 1180 118(")cKay& P" (200()"
5ssessing young language learners"
Cambridge& 6KE Cambridge 6ni'ersity Press"
)etropolitan *ast Oisad'antaged Schools" Program (1GNG)