English Teacher Strategies in Teaching Extrovert and Introvert Students in Junior and Senior High Schools in Gorontalo to Develop Communication Skills

Abstract

This qualitative research aims to investigate the strategies employed by English teachers to enhance communication skills in both introverted and extroverted students within the context of the recently introduced Merdeka Curriculum in Indonesia. English teachers from junior and senior high schools were selected as research participants. The qualitative approach was chosen to explore the nuances of teaching strategies, utilizing non-cognitive diagnostic tools to discern students' learning styles. Data collection involved in-depth interviews with teachers, focusing on their awareness of students' personalities and the practical implementation of teaching strategies. Findings indicate that a significant majority of teachers, 28 out of 36, consciously consider students' personalities in their teaching strategies. Differentiated learning strategies, accommodating individual and group preferences, emerged as crucial approaches. Practical implementation included problem-based learning, varied group discussions, and personalized attention to individual students, particularly introverts. The observations of participants revealed a nuanced incorporation of the Merdeka Curriculum, emphasizing problem-based learning and differentiated teaching practices to foster communication skills in introverted and extroverted students. The research underscores the importance of tailored teaching approaches that acknowledge and embrace the diversity in students' personalities and learning preferences. While the findings provide valuable insights into effective strategies, limitations such as a relatively small sample size and reliance on self-reported data should be acknowledged. Further research with larger and more diverse samples is recommended to enhance the generalizability of the findings and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of effective teaching strategies for communication skills. Keywords: Communication skills, teachers, differentiated learning, introverted students, extroverted students