Communicative Approach in the Five Curricula of English Subject for Secondary Schools: A Paradox in English Language Teaching in Indonesia

Abstract

The English curriculum implemented in the Indonesian secondary schools has undergone some development in the past few decades. The development is meant to ensure that the curriculum remains up to date with the development of English language teaching theories and practices in the world. This paper discusses the English curricula which were developed in 1984, 1994, 2004, and 2006 and critically analyses the communicative approach that has been implemented in Indonesian secondary schools. The newest 2013 curriculum is also discussed, but only superficially as the curriculum was just officially implemented at national level in the end of 2019. The writers finally offer some recommendations for future curriculum developers and government officials in order to improve English language teaching and learning in Indonesia.

Learning Vocabulary Through Games: A Critical Review

“…In several countries with EFL contexts, even though the implementation was supported by governments and institutional authorities, the implementation of communicative language teaching is often stressful for both the teachers and the students who were non-native speakers of English [19], [21], [30], [31], [22]- [29]. Many researchers argue that cultural differences in diverse teaching and learning communities are problematic for communicative language teaching practices as national language policies [25], [26], [32]- [34].…”

Qualitative Research into Reading in English as a Foreign Language in Indonesia – Quo Vadis?

“…In this case, teaching is aimed at developing students' skills to understand the meaning of written texts in EFL contexts. One of the objectives of English language teaching in the Indonesian education system is actually to provide learners with advanced reading skills that enable them to read and comprehend texts in English (Cahyono & Widiati, 2006;Masduqi & Prihananto, 2021;Richards & Renandya, 2002). This paper addresses current issues within qualitative research into EFL reading in Indonesia.…”