MERDEKA CURRICULUM: EXPLORING TEACHERS’ STRATEGIES IN IMPLEMENTING 21ST CENTURY SKILLS

Abstract

Teaching strategy is one of the important aspects that make teaching and learning becoming more effective. However, different teaching strategies used by the teachers can influence the skills required by the students. Then, this present study investigated the English teachers’ strategies in implementing 21st century skills embedded in the Merdeka Curriculum. Also, the difficulties faced and the solutions offered by the teachers in SMAN 1 Praya, Central Lombok, NTB. This study employed a qualitative research approach and the subjects of this study were four English teachers. The data collection method was used in-depth interviews, document analysis, and observation. The data analysis in this research was descriptive qualitative. In analysing the data, this research used coding analysis. Therefore, the findings of this study showed that: The strategies used by the teachers were questioning, group discussion, debate, role play, inquiry-based learning, and project-based learning strategies. The problems faced by the teachers were the different characters of the students, the large number of students in a class, lack of motivation of the students, low teaching strategy mastery by the teachers, crowded classes, limited time of teaching, and lack of learning sources. To solve the problems, the teachers offered some solutions such as being independent teachers in finding the supplementary material, approaching the students who have low motivation in the class, and using games in teaching to make fun learning.