CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

In this chapter, present the research background, research problems,

research objectives, research significance, research scope and definition of key

terms.

1.1 Research Background

English as a foreign language becomes a subject that must be taught from

Junior High School until Senior High School students. It was done by the

government to give basic education of English to the students. Thus, English as a

foreign language was included in the curriculum (Ministry of Education and

Culture, 2013).
According to Dakir (2004), Curriculum is an educational program including

various learning materials and learning experiences that have been programmed,

planned, and designed systematically according to the norms as guidance for the

teachers and learners to reach the educational purpose.

Curriculum can be meant as the best arrangement of education in order to

make the best education output, but in fact there is always a change or

development of the Curriculum. This at least is shown by what has happened in

Indonesia. According to Peranggayani (2013) the change or the developments of

Curriculum in Indonesia almost never stop until now. The school curricula have

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been revised and changed for eleven times. In every changes of Curriculum, there

always be an educational purpose that wants to be achieved by the government

(Wirianto, 2014). Like the recent Curriculum that has been developed by the

government that is called Curriculum 2013.

The implementation of the new Curriculum is mandated by Surat Edaran

Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Nasional Republik Indonesia

nomor156928/MPK.A/KR/2013 tanggal 08 November 2013 tentang Implementasi

Kurikulum 2013 which instructs that all governors and regents have to implement

Curriculum 2013 gradually in the education level of elementary, junior and senior

high school starting from the year 2014. So every school should be ready to

implement the new Curriculum.

Curriculum 2013 aimed to make the process teaching and learning in more

effective and efficient way which stimulated students to think creative and

innovative and prepare them to face the changes of science and technology in this

globalization era. Based on article from Ministry of Education and Culture RI,

there are three fundamental changes in Curriculum 2013: (1) The learning process

is centered on the student (student centered active learning) with the contextual

nature of learning and learners find out; (2) The approach in the learning process

using a scientific approach; (3) Using assessment based process and output, and

using authentic assessment. Based on that statement, the Ministry of Education

and Culture of Indonesian republic expects this curriculum fixes the system of

education in Indonesia in order to be better and create positive alumnus which

capable in every aspect of science and technology as well as in education, besides

concern on the nature and children development, ways of learning, and

community and knowledge.

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In addition, the regulation of Ministry of Education and Culture Number

81A Year 2013 on the implementation of Curriculum 2013 as the general learning

guidelines, states that learning strategy is necessary to support the development of

the whole competencies formulated in this Curriculum. This means that the

Curriculum should be able to accommodate all content materials which should be

taught to the students by using a good strategy to teach the students in order that

they could acquire all the knowledge.

Based on the new Curriculum the instructional process carried out in the

classroom should be based on scientific approach. Scientific approach is a

learning approach which attempts to encourage the students to be able to do

observing, questioning, exploring, associating, and communicating in the process

of acquiring knowledge, skills and attitudes maximally (Ministry of Education

and Culture Number 81A Year 2013). Scientific approach is claimed to be more

effective in increasing students’ learning outcome than the traditional one. This

approach is also considered relevant with idea that learning is a scientific process

in the classroom. Therefore, scientific approach in Curriculum 2013 must be

adopted in all subjects including English.

In relation to the implementation of scientific approach, an English teacher

has important roles as she/he will determine the success of the implementation.

She/he should have knowledge and deep understanding regarding the scientific

approach and the procedure of its implementation. This contained a creativity of

the teacher to make the teaching process in fun, challenging, inspiring and

motivating way to engage the learners in the learning process. Hence, teachers

should do a lot of efforts to match the students’ need such as developing material

or adopting good technique in teaching.

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Unfortunately, there are some problems encountered by teachers during the

implementation of the new curriculum such as teachers' lack of readiness and

understanding of the Curriculum 2013. From those problems which found by the

teachers, the implementation of curriculum 2013 provokes huge questions in

educational field. Some parties still doubt about the appropriateness of the

implementation of curriculum 2013 in Indonesia. Finally in the beginning of

2015, curriculum 2013 is being stopped by the Indonesian government. Now, only

for the schools which are already used this curriculum during three semesters are

allowed to use this curriculum as try out and for those schools using this

curriculum for one semester are stopped and back to the curriculum 2006 (KTSP),

(Ministry of Education and Culture, Number 179342/MPK/KR/2014).

SMA Negeri 2 Singaraja is one of the schools in Buleleng regency that has

already implemented Curriculum 2013 in their teaching and learning process.

Starting from the year 2014, this school has applied this Curriculum for the grade

X and XI in all subjects including the English subject. According to the

preliminary interview conducted to one English teacher of grade X, it was found

that SMA Negeri 2 Singaraja was still trying to implement Curriculum 2013

according the principles and the goals established in this Curriculum maximally.

The teacher said that there were lots of obstacles so that the school considered it

hard for them to realize the Curriculum principles in the learning process,

especially with regard to the scientific approach required by Curriculum 2013.

Based on further interview with the English teacher of grade X and XI class,

surprisingly, the English teachers claimed that the scientific approach was mostly

appropriate for carrying out the process of science teaching such as math, biology,

chemistry, etc, not language teaching since the emphasis is given greater on facts
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and phenomena. This reflect signal that the English teachers in the school are

straggling with how to really translate the principles of scientific approach in their

English lessons.
Regarding to the rational above, this study was designed for the purpose of

presenting an evaluation on the implementation of scientific approach in the

process of teaching English based on Curriculum 2013. The researcher

intentionally investigated about how the scientific approach was practice in the

English instruction carried out by the teachers particularly at grade X and XI in

SMA Negeri 2 Singaraja. As the researcher obtained the description of the

scientific approach implemented during the learning experiences, Evaluation

based on the implementation standards stipulated in Curriculum 2013 could be

done. This study is expected to be able to give an initial picture on the

implementation of Curriculum 2013, especially in scientific approach, in the

English.

1.2 Research Problems

Referring to the background above, the problems in this study are

formulated as follows:
1.2.1 How is the implementation of scientific approach in the English

instruction based on Curriculum 2013 in SMA Negeri 2 Singaraja?

1.2.2 What are the problems encountered during the implementation of

scientific approach in the English instruction based on Curriculum

2013 in SMA Negeri 2 Singaraja?

1.3 Research Objectives

Considering the problems formulated above, the objective of this research

were determined as follows:

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1.3.1 To evaluate the implementation of scientific approach in the

English instruction based on Curriculum 2013 in SMA Negeri 2

Singaraja.
1.3.2 To find out the problems encountered during the implementation of

scientific approach in the English instruction based on Curriculum

2013 in SMA Negeri 2 Singaraja.

1.4 Research Significance

The result of this study is expected to contribute in some aspects to

English teachers, schools, and government.

1.4.1 To English
The result of the study can used as a reference for the English

teachers implanting scientific approach in their English instruction

to revise and refine the weaknesses found on the implementation of

scientific approach in order to be more relevant with the standard

on how scientific approach has to be implemented in teaching

English based on Curriculum 2013.

1.4.2 For The School

This study is highly expected to bring some input for SMA

Negeri 2 Singaraja as a source of reflection to the implementation,

particularly on the application of scientific approach in the English

teaching and learning process. By this study, the school can make

review on the strengths and weaknesses of the Curriculum

implementation in their school to further attempt some necessary

improvement.
1.4.2 For The Government
This study is expected to be able to give some empirical

data to the local government of Buleleng regency especially that

can be used as considerations in enhancing and maintaining the

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quality of Curriculum 2013 impementation in Singaraja in

particular.
1.5 Research Scope
This study is limited in that it only aims at evaluating the implementation of

scientific approach in the English instruction in SMA N 2 Singaraja in the

academic year 2014/2015 particulary at grade X and XI, the problems encounter

and the solutions approached. The evaluation in the study is restricted in terms of

discrepancy evaluation model that is comparing what is required by the

Curriculum 2013 and what is implemented in the classroom. This study is also

limited in terms of the numbers of observations that could be carried out by the

researcher due to limitation in time, find and resources.

1.6 Definitions of Key Terms
To avoid possible misunderstanding, following are given the definition of

some key terms used in this study.

1.6.1 Conceptual Definitions
1.6.1.1 Curriculum 2013
According to Ministry of Education and Culture (2013),

Curriculum 2013 is a Curriculum which focuses on three dimensions,

they are knowledge, skill, and attitude which become the most important

part of education and have to be taught and developed equally

1.6.1.2 Scientific Approach

According to Permendikbud No.65 on the process standard in the

Curriculum 2013, scientific approach is learning process which is adopts the

scientist’s way to building the knowledge through such learning stage as

observing, questioning, exploring, associating, and communicating.

1.6.2 Operational Definitions

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1.6.2.1 Curriculum 2013

In this study, the Curriculum 2013 is the Curriculum which is used in

directing evaluation of the implementation of scientific approach in

English instruction in SMA N 2 Singaraja particularly at grade X and XI.

1.6.2.2 Scientific Approach

The scientific approach in this study was the approach that the

English teachers in SMA Negeri 2 Singaraja used during teaching

English based on Curriculum 2013 particularly at grade XI and XI. So

that, the scientific approach in this study referred to how the English

teachers implemented the steps of this approach in teaching English

based on Curriculum 2013 for the grade X and XI.