Although studies on the development of higher order thinking skills (HOTS) as part of Bloom’s revised taxonomy have grown significantly among adult learners, little is known about its use for teaching English to young learners. In the Indonesian context, HOTS is mandated by the scientific-based 2013 national curriculum. This study investigates the development of HOTS strategies and possible challenges through storytelling among seventh grade students to improve their speaking ability. This Classroom Action Research (CAR) obtains data from classroom observations, interviews with the teachers and students, and analysis of lesson plans. The findings reveal that, in its simple form, HOTS in storytelling was developed in young English learners through open-ended question, a strategy which enables students to practice speaking through giving opinion, comment, and imagination while analyzing and evaluating the story. However, due to their limited language competence and unfamiliarity with the story context, students still find difficulties in creating their own stories, the highest level of educational objective. The study finally comes up with ways to engage students in storytelling while developing their HOTS.

This article explores the preservation of humour in the Indonesian translation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Through the use of questionnaires completed by young readers aged 12-15 years old, we examine whether passages in the novel that are deemed humorous in the English original are also perceived as such by Indonesian readers. Our findings reveal the complexity of translating linguistic and culturally-specific humour in a novel. We conclude that the Indonesian translator of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone adopted an interpretativecommunicative method of translation. In doing so, some compromises were made, particularly, through simplification, which frequently resulted in humour loss.

Not all aspects of Western culture, reflected in the language used in Walt Disney's Donald Duck comics, are acceptable in Indonesia. So, in translating the comics, the translators have to manipulate the text for it to be acceptable by the target readers and parents. This research aims at finding out censorship through the translation techniques used by the translators in translating the English humorous texts in the Walt Disney's Donald Duck comics into Indonesian and the reasons underlying the translators' choice of the translation techniques. It also aims at analysing whether or not the choice of the translation techniques affects the rendering of meaning, maintenance of humour, and acceptability of the translation. For these purposes a qualitative method was employed with content analysis technique and reader response analysis. Content analysis was used in comparing the source text (ST) and target text (TT) to find out the translation techniques used as a means of censorship and to find out the translators' reasons for choosing the techniques. Reader-response analysis was done to find out the readers' response to the rendering of meaning and maintenance of humour in the translation. The research findings discovered that the translators performed censorship through the dominant use of reduction and generalisation techniques so as to reduce sarcasm and insults. The interview with the publisher's Senior Editor also revealed that "decency" was the first priority in the translation decision making, followed by clarity of meaning and maintenance of humour. Further research to investigate other elements censored, and compared with other translated comics is recommended.

The study aims to determine the extent of the implementation of the English Language Teaching 2013 Curriculum in Indonesia on aspects of planning stage, teaching and learning processes, and teaching assessments. It is a cross-sectional survey which uses quantitative and qualitative approaches. The data are gathered from questionnaire, observation, interview, and documentation. Thirty-four teachers from 12 schools of 91 secondary schools in Jepara Regency, Central Java, Indonesia are selected as the sample in this study. The results showed that the planning stage conducted by teachers was in accordance with the principles of the 2013 curriculum by taking into account the core competencies, basic competencies, graduate competency standards, materials and learning activities, the selection of learning strategies and assessment. The teaching and learning process of the 2013 curriculum in English subject was well implemented. The process was also based on the principles of applicable curriculum by promoting a scientific approach. In addition, in the assessment aspect, the teachers conducted the assessment by referring to graduate competency standards by using authentic approach that assesses the readiness, the process, and the learning outcomes of the students. This indicates that the curriculum has been applied well in schools with different national examination indexes and employment status.

This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Three Step Interview (TSI) and Numbered HeadsTogether Techniques (NHT) to enhance speaking skill for the students having different motivation levels and to show if there is any interaction between teaching techniques and motivation. The participants of the research were the students of survival English Class Level of Nissan Fortuna English Course, Kudus. The research method of this study was quantitative by using 2x2 factorial experimental research designs. The data collection was done by giving questionnaire and conducting pre-test and post-test and was analyzed by using ANOVA. This study found that (1) TSI and NHT are effective to enhance speaking skill of students with different motivation level, (2) Enhancing speaking skill of the high motivated students using TSI is more effective than using NHT, (3) Enhancing speaking skill using TSI to the low motivated students is more effective than using NHT, (4) There is no interaction between the techniques and students‘ motivation. This study concluded that TSI and NHT can be used as techniques to enhance the students‘ speaking skill no matter how students‘ motivational level is.