TASK 1

In Malaysia, curriculum is seen as a course of study for the beneficial of the Malaysian
education. According to Kridel (2010), curriculum is defined as an actual sequence of
instructional blocks operating in a school. Most of the districts and schools use a designated
educational tool that help teachers to smoothen the lesson during the process of teaching and
learning, called a curriculum guide. But a curriculum and a curriculum guide don't just come
out of thin air. Time and energy goes into the creation of these documents by the curriculum
professional developers. This process is known as curriculum development. The emergence
of the curriculum development are based on the models of the curriculum. A model or models
of curriculum is actually the first step in curriculum development. A curriculum model or models
of curriculum determines the type of curriculum used. The models of curriculum encompasses
educational philosophy, approach to teaching, and also methodology. In akin to the curriculum
development, the new Standard-Based English Language Curriculum for Primary Schools
(SBELC) was introduced at Malaysia in 2011.

The model of curriculum design that is applicable in formulating SBELC is Tyler’s

Objective Model. Defining objectives of learning experience in Tyler’s model is emphasized in
SBELC. Tyler states that in creating learning objectives, it is important to inculcate elements
on the development of knowledge, communication skills, social and ethical perspective,
quantitative and analytical skills, and cognitive/taxonomy to be able to produce pupils of higher
cognitive ability (Tyler,2013). In align with it, SBELC emphasises the use of Higher Order
Thinking Skills (HOTS) in creating learning objectives. For an example in SBELC, the content
and learning standard focuses on developing pupils of having the ability of applying, analysing,
evaluating and creating which initiates and enhances pupils development in knowledge
acquisition, communication, cognitive skills and more as stated by Tyler.

The next aspect that is emphasized in SBELC is defining learning experience. Tyler
explains that learning takes place through the active behaviour of the pupils. This learning
strategy correlates to pupils-centred learning strategy. In align to Tyler’s explanation, SBELC
is developed based on the principle of pupil-centeredness in teaching and learning. In SBELC,
the focus is more on project based learning as this help pupils to connect to real world with
teacher functioning as a facilitator in the process of teaching and learning. Through this
learning strategy, the pupils will be able to enhance their creativity and their problem solving
skill. For an example of creativity development, in language arts skills, pupils will have the
opportunity to experience role play in the aspect of camouflaging the characteristics through
intonation and speech dialogues.

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 Moreover, the central aspect in Tyler’s model that is used in formulating SBELC is
organization of learning activities. Tyler states that there are 3 major criteria in in building
organized learning experiences which are continuity, sequence and integration. The terms
continuity, sequence and integration refers to self-sustainability, as well as competitiveness in
language learning. In relation to this, SBELC incorporates the element of life-long learning in
where pupils take responsibility for their own learning to enhance the development of their
language learning. This learning aligns to the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025 in
where the blueprint specifies that every pupil should be independently proficient in the English
language as defined by the Common European Framework of References (CEFR). For an
instance in CEFR, Project Based Learning activities such as exhibitions require pupils to
incorporate the learning skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing skills to access
information for their knowledge and language development. This example is pertinent to
Tyler’s statement that pupils need concrete experiences to which the learnings are
meaningfully connected.

The last aspect that is used in creating SBELC is evaluation and assessment of the
learning experiences. Tyler clarifies the functions of evaluation which is to obtain data for
educational goal achievement known as summative assessment and to measure learning
process effectiveness known as formative assessment. In akin to Tyler’s sayings, SBELC
incorporates the element of formative and summative assessment to assess pupils’
competence in the language. In SBELC the formative assessment in the form of school based
assessment is carried out through the band system to report each pupils’ learning progress
for measuring learning process effectiveness as stated by Tyler. On contrast to formative
assessment, summative assessment in SBELC is carried out by requiring pupils to answer
high cognitive level questions at Year End Examination or standardized examinations to obtain
data for educational goal achievement as uttered by Tyler in the form of examination
certificates. In relatable to Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025, this SBELC
incorporating Tyler’s Objective model is in line with the government policy to strengthen
English language amongst teachers and pupils as well as internationally benchmark the
English language curriculum.

Implementing SBELC which is designed with significant changes in curriculum

documents and organization demands teachers to move from former programme to new
programme. Therefore, the role of teachers in implementing SBELC is important to attain the
quality education outcome as stated in Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025. Since
SBELC focuses more on formative assessment, the role of teachers in designing and
implementing SBELC is to ensure the learner achievement is checked regularly throughout
the learning process. Since, formative assessment is an ongoing process, teachers should

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have the responsibility in providing feedback based on the relevant learning task for the
purpose of improvement in akin to learning objective achievement. Black (2009) stated that
formative assessment enable pupils to engineer learning opportunities so that they can
become more expert and more responsible in guiding and furthering their own learning.
Through this, it is learnt that the role of teacher in checking the learner’s achievement regularly
produces pupils to be well-verse in English language as desired in the Malaysian Education
Blueprint 2013-2025.

The second role of teachers in designing and implementing SBELC is to equip

themselves with vast knowledge of using different learning strategies and approaches in the
process of teaching and learning. This is to ensure that the teacher can cater pupils of different
learning needs. SBELC emphasises on the usage of project based learning, performance
based learning, inquiry based learning and more which inculcates different learning strategies.
In relation to this, teacher plays the responsibility in equipping knowledge of Howard Gardner’s
multiple intelligence theory. Through this, the teacher will be able to carry out activities which
involves different learning intelligences to cater pupils of different learning needs. For an
example, teacher can carry out activities like project exhibition which involves visual
intelligence, linguistic intelligence, interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence. Pupils will be
able to absorb the language input through language experience if the learning is conveyed
according to pupils’ needs. Therefore, equipping themselves of using different learning
strategy is important for teachers to design and implement SBLEC successfully.

In conclusion, SBELC is a curriculum which develop pupils of higher cognitive level in

where its curriculum incorporates the development of HOTS. To enhance the process of
teaching and learning based on the SCELC curriculum, it is important for teachers to play their
role effectively. Through continuous implementation of teacher’s role in SBELC development,
the second wave which intends to increase English language exposure can be accomplished
successfully.

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 REFERENCES

Black, P. &. (2009). Developing the theory of formative assessment.

Kridel, C. (2010). Encyclopedia of Curriculum Studies. University of South Carolina, USA:
SAGE Publications, Inc.
Malaysia, M. o. (2012). Pelan pembangunan pendidikan Malaysia 2013–2025 [Malaysia
education blueprint 2013-2025]. Retrieved from
http://www.moe.gov.my/userfiles/file/PPP/Preliminary-Blueprint-Eng.pdf
Tyler, R. W. (2013). Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction. University of Chicago
Press.