Teaching English to Young Learners: Evidence from Kampus Mengajar Practice

Abstract

In 2020, Nadiem Makarim (Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of Indonesia) launched the Merdeka Belajar-Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program for the scope of higher education by giving students the right to take courses outside the study program for one (1) semester and do activities outside the university for two (2) semesters This study is significant can provide insight into learning strategies that can be used to teach early childhood and provide views on information and references in the field of basic education regarding materials suitable for use in learning elementary school children. This research used a qualitative descriptive, moving on a simple qualitative approach to get a result. The research objective is descriptive of the topic posed and studied. The research results obtained are later translated and described in clear explanations so that the results obtained can be clearly explained. The data collection was conducted by observation, data checklist, and interview. The result of this study is improved students' grades and understanding of English after using the new learning method, singing, flashcard, Questions and Answer, and Quizzes.

Students’ Perception of The Implementation of Kampus Mengajar

“…In response, the government implemented a new policy in some universities called the MBKM programme, which was started in 2020 and is overseen by the Ministry of Education and Culture. There's no doubt that both students and teachers can come up with new ideas and improve education quality (Labaika & Purwanto, 2023;Suryaman, 2020;Vhalery et al, 2022). Students will gain a creative mindset, collaborative abilities, and work readiness through this programme, which will be advantageous to both them and the neighbourhood.…”

“…For the three semesters of off-campus activities, the government has developed nine initiatives. Included in it is Kampus Mengajar (Hendrowati & Faelasofi, 2021;Labaika & Purwanto, 2023;Rosita & Damayanti, 2021). According to previous study students from this programme will be placed in Indonesian elementary and junior high schools to assist with the teaching and learning processes (Rosita & Damayanti, 2021).…”

“…Some may have difficulty managing time and making decisions regarding their study plans. Although on the one hand independent learning provides freedom, on the other hand, it also requires a high level of independence and self-management skills (Anwar, 2021;Labaika & Purwanto, 2023). It is important to note that these perceptions may change over time and students' experiences in higher education settings.…”

The Ability of Prospective Elementary School Teachers in Developing Civics Learning Modules in Elementary Schools

“…One of Mr. Nadiem Makarim's initiatives is Freedom of Learning, which aims to create a fun and enjoyable learning environment. The purpose of freedom of learning is to make parents, teachers and students happy (Faiz et al, 2022;Labaika & Purwanto, 2023). In the independent curriculum, teachers are responsible for preparing open modules, but many teachers fail to understand the learning process that does not plan open modules (Ariga, 2022;Hardiansyah, 2022).…”