Journal of English and Education

Vol. 5 No. 2, October 2017, pp. 112 - 119

URL: http://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/L-E/article/view/9941

SCIENTIFIC APPROACH: AN ENGLISH LEARNING-TEACHING

(ELT) APPROACH IN THE 2013 CURRICULUM
Intan Siti Nugraha and Didi Suherdi First Received: 25 May 2017
Department of English Education, Indonesia University of Accepted: 18 June 2017
Education Final Proof Received: 1 October 2017
suherdi_d@upi.edu Published: 30 October 2017

Abstract
The primary focus of the study is to investigate the practice of a teacher implementing
scientific approach in English learning-teaching in one junior high school in Bandung and
reveal the difficulties encountered by the teacher in the process. In particular, this study
portrays the occurrence of activities and the quality of the teaching process through
pedagogical microscope. This study employs a descriptive-qualitative research design.
The data were procured from classroom observation, teacher’s lesson plan analysis and
interview. Those data were analyzed by Pedagogical Microscope instrument (Suherdi,
2009). The findings show to some extents. First, the finding shows that all the five stages
of scientific approach were completely executed in four meetings of delivering one
material or one Basic Competence (KD) eventhough the five stages were not always
conducted in every meeting which was different from lesson plan made. The teacher
provided plenty activities in each stage. Scientific approach implemented by the teacher
could engage students in active learning activities and develop various students’
contributions. The ways the teacher led the active learning activities and students’
contributions were varied depending on the stages. Scientific approach implemented
successfully fostered students’ critical thinking and developed high-thinking level of
students’ learning behaviour. Second, the difficulties encountered by the teacher during
implementation were the problem on the students with low English proficiency, time
allotment, and the teacher’s teaching management.

Keywords: ELT approach; scientific approach; the 2013 Curriculum; teaching practice;
pedagogical microscope

INTRODUCTION Those learning activities are then covered

Indonesia’s Educational Curriculum has into a scientific-based process (Abidin, 2014,
changed for several times as an attempt to p.17; Hosnan, 2014, p.39). Thus, learning
improve its education quality. The latest methods promoted in this new curriculum are
curriculum, KTSP (Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan learning process which uses scientific
Pendidikan), Indonesia’s curriculum which had principles in its process, or the method that is
been applied since 2006, is replaced by the included into scientific approach.
2013 Curriculum. Unfortunately, in some particular subjects,
Some of the highlighted aspects in this material, or situations, this scientific approach
new curriculum are in the process of learning might not be implemented procedurally.
and the aspects assessed which cover Scientific approach is promoted as the
integrated attitudes (affective), skills main learning approach for all subjects,
(psychomotor), and knowledge (cognitive) including English, in the 2013 Curriculum
(Mulyasa, 2014, p.68-69). Learning process in (Abidin, 2014). It is claimed that scientific
the 2013 Curriculum is mainly concerned on approach is “a more effective learning
constructive and contextual learning in which approach to reinforce students’ learning
learners are used to constructing their own outcomes; learner is an active subject of
knowledge based on the meaningful context learning or learner is subject of learning
for them (Kemendikbud, 2013b). process” (Permendikbud No.68, 2013).
Practically, this learning process will Knowing how to apply scientific
lead learners to do ‘research’ activity such as approach in English learning-teaching is a
observing, experimenting, and associating. need and becomes significant to fulfill the
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

requirement of implementing the 2013 on process of searching knowledge and

Curriculum. Since scientific approach has not students as subject of learning through
been familiar in language teaching, applying science principles. Since the students
specifically in English learning-teaching, it become the subject of learning, the learning
maintains a question on “how is scientific method promoted is ‘learning by doing’ which
approach applied in English learning- is largely promoted by an American educator
teaching” especially to meet demands of the and philosopher John Dewey (1859-1952).
new curriculum and ELT itself. Since learning is a search for meaning,
Derived from the preceding elaboration learning objectives should be established that
of issues, this research is designed to connect to important issues for the student.
investigate the practice of scientific approach In addition, scientific approach in
of the 2013 Curriculum in English learning- learning process means learning process
teaching in junior high school to reveal how which is organized to make learners actively
and what activities conducted and what construct concepts, laws, or principles
difficulties faced by the teacher in through activities of observing,
implementing scientific approach in English hypothesizing, collecting data, analyzing data,
language teaching. drawing conclusion, and communicating the
concepts, laws, and principles found (Hosnan,
The 2013 Curriculum 2014, p.39; Saddhono, 2013, p.440). It is
The 2013 Curriculum has been administered expected to encourage students searching
nationally in the first two grades in each level knowledge from multisources through
of high school and elementary school in 2014. observation and not to be given by teachers
The purpose of the 2013 Curriculum, as only. Scientific approach also emphasizes on
stated in Permendikbud (Regulation of communicating skill as well as sceintific
Indonesia Ministry of Education and Culture) principles. As discribed by McCollum (2009),
No 68/1/2013, is to prepare Indonesian A learning approach can be regarded as
people to have life skill competence as an scientific approach if it covers some criteria
individual and citizen who are faithful, explained by Ministry of Education and
productive, creative, and able to contribute to Culture. They are: (1) the teaching materials
society, nation, and mankind life. come from facts or phenomena that logically
As stated in Permendikbud No. can be explained, (2) teacher’s explanation,
68/2/2013, theoretically, the 2013 the 2013 and teacher-student interaction are based on
Curriculum is learner-centered curriculum objectivity, (3) teaching materials build
which is standardized by the government to students’ critical thinking and accuracy in
aim life skill competences. identifying, understanding, and resolving
To assist the demand of learning process problems, (4) it encourages and inspires
in this curriculum, Abidin (2014) states that students to think hypothetically in looking at
“there are five steps of learning activity that difference, congruence and links to each
must be conducted in learning process: (1) learning material given, (5) it fosters students
observing scientifictly, (2) developing to understand, apply, and develop pattern of
intelectual curiousity through questioning, (3) rationale and objective thinking towards
constructing critical thinking, (4) learning materials, (6) it should be based on
experimenting, and (5) communicating” concepts, theories, and empirical facts, and (7)
(p.122). Since “the 2013 Curriculum stresses learning objectives are composed in simple,
on modern pedagogic dimention of learning clear and attractive presentation way
using scientific approach”(Kemendikbud, (Kemendikbud, 2013a).
2013b), therefore scientific approach is
empazised as one of the main learning Stages of scientific approach
approaches in the 2013 Curriculum. The stages of learning in scientific approach
in the 2013 Curriculum context generally are
Scientific Approach in the 2013 divided into five main stages. They are
Curriculum observing, questioning, experimenting,
Scientific approach is one of the learning associating, and communicating. (Abidin,
approaches promoted by the 2013 2014, p.132; Hosnan, 2014, p.37;
Curriculum. This approach also emphasizes Kemendikbud, 2013; Mulyasa, 2014;
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

Suharyadi, p.1350; Saddhono, 2013, p.441; particular subject, (4) probing and divergent,
Permendikbud No. 103 Year 2014). Each of (5) valid and reinforced question, (6)
the stages will be elaborated. increasing cognitive level, and (7) promoting
interaction. Thus, in this stage, students
Observing pursue their own knowledge to construct a
The first stage is observing. Observing is “a concept, principle, procedure, theory or law of
deliberate and systematic activity to study a the material learned. It can be obtained
social phenomenon or real object through through classroom discussion, or group
utilization of the five sense” (Hosnan, 2014, discussion (Abidin, 2014, p.137; Hosnan,
p.40) and involving descriptive skill (Halonen, 2014, p.40; Kemendikbud, 2013b).
et al., 2003, cited in Mutaqqin, 2015). In this
stage teacher contextualizes learning activity Experimenting
for students in the classroom. The third stage is experimenting. In this
In language learning-teaching, the stage, students get real or authentic learning,
materials in form of fact that can be observed, for example they have to do experiments. As
as described by Kemendikbud (2013b) for stated in the Regulation of Indonesia Ministry
instance are interpersonal or transactional of Education and Culture No. 81/2013, in
text, specific text, functional text, and doing the experiment, the students have to
linguistic features of a text, video, or read other sources or collect extra
recording. Teaching materials in form of information by several ways such as, doing
concepts are for instance social function of a experiment, observation, and interview,
text, while the material in form of procedural reading texts or books or other sources or
can be structure of the text observed. The functional texts. In addition, experimenting
activities can be watching or listening a video might be started by visiting new places, try
of conversation, watching a short movie or new things, seek information through various
video, reading story book, text, magazine, sources (Dyer et al., 2011) It is intended to
brochure, or posters. Besides, develop the ability to communicate and collect
“repeating/copying/imitating guided information through various sources. The
examples”, in which the students do not only teacher provides learning sources,
receiving information but also they can repeat worksheets, media or experiment tools.
and practice the activities provided by the Therefore, the roles of teacher in this stage
teacher (Muttaqin, 2015), are also covered in are as director and as the controller who plan
activities of observing stage. Therefore, and manage the activity of collecting data and
observing stage becomes a vital role in its process (Brown, 2001, as cited in Nugraha,
leading students to the next stage, so that by 2015). The teacher may give feedback during
doing the activities students’ curiosity is also the process of the activity.
built here.
Associating
Questioning The fourth stage is associating. In this stage,
The second stage is questioning. Questioning students and teacher are engaged into
is the process of constructing knowledge in learning activities, such as text analyzing, and
form of concepts of social function in categorizing.
particular material, procedure of structure The information or data that have been
text through group discussion or class collected from the previous activitiy,
discussion (Kemendikbud, 2013; Abidin, 2014; experimenting, must be analyzed to draw
Mulyasa, 2014). Based on the regulation of conclusions. Students then will process the
Ministry of Education and Culture information from the teachers and draw the
(Permendikbud No 81a, 2013) n this stage, conclusions out of that information. As stated
students pose questions from what have been on the Policy of Indonesia Ministry of
observed in the previous stage for gaining Education and Culture No. 81a/2013,
more information and comprehension about associating process must through: (1)
the material. processing information that has been collected
The question expected in this stage also from the result of experimenting and
must requires criteria of good question: (1) observing activity and, (2) processing the
compact and clear, (2) inspiring, (3) focus on a information collected to find solutions from
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

variety of sources that have different opinions meaning hidden behind teaching-learning
to the contrary. Thus, students are expected practice (Suherdi, 2010: 9). The classroom
to be able to relate the result of learning or discourse analysis approach chosen in this
experimenting to the reality they find. study is systemiotic approach, using
Pedagogical Microscope as the tool to
Communicating/Networking analyze the elements of teaching learning
The last stage is networking. In this stage, process. As stated by Suherdi (2009),
students communicate, demonstrate, and classroom discourse analysis, specifically
publish their learning product as a form of Pedagogical Microscope is considered to be
collaborative learning in which they face an ideal instrument to give a holistic and in-
various changes. In collaborative learning, the depth understanding of what actually happens
learners interact with empathy, mutual in classroom and how the teacher implements
respect, and receive a deficiency or excess, scientific approach in teaching English. It can
respectively in order to create social be seen through the elements of teaching-
interaction to gain meaningful learning learning process such as teacher-students’
(Wahyudin, 2015). The teacher gives interaction, and students’ contributions
feedback, suggestions or more information (students’ learning behavior and students’
related to students’ work. There are language characteristic) appear in every stage
interactions between teacher and students and (Suherdi, 2009, p.12).
among the students.
In this stage, teacher holds role that Site and participants of the research
provides correct information and the This research was conducted in one public
reciprocal scaffolding (Brown, 2001, cited at junior high school in West Bandung. The
Nugraha, 2015). This can be done through participants who were involved in this study
dialogue and discussion between teacher with were one teacher and 38 students. The
the students. Thus communicating stage is in teacher is a national instructor of the 2013
which students report or deliver the results of curriculum and she has been using the 2013
the observing, experimenting and concluding curriculum and implementing scientific
based on the result of the analysis orally or approach in her teaching-leaning activities.
written or in other forms to let others know
what learners have learned (Abidin, 2014; Data collection techniques
Arauz, 2013; Hosnan, 2014, p.77; Mulyasa, The data of this study was collected through
2014). three main techniques: classroom observation,
document analysis, and interview.
Classroom observations were conducted
METHOD twice a week started from 2nd to 12th
To meet the purposes of the study, the November 2015. The detail was presented in
research employed descriptive qualitative the table as follows:
research design since it places stress and
describes in detail of what goes on in Table 1. Classroom Observations
particular events or situations or activities Teacher 1 (T1)
rather than comparing the effects of a  Monday, 2nd November 2015
particular treatment (Burns, 1995, p.12;  Thursday, 5th November 2015
Creswell, 1994, 2012; Fraenkel, Wallen, &  Monday, 9th November 2015
Hyun, 2012, p.426).  Thursday, 12th November 2015
In accordance with the research design
and research questions related to analyzing During this classroom observation,
teaching practice, classroom discourse videotaping, field-notes, observation sheet
analysis is employed as the main approach to were employed as the main techniques of
investigate the stages of scientific approach collecting data in observation. The researcher
and to seek what happen in every stage played role as non-participant observer which
rigorously. The significant reason for using means, the researcher was an ‘outsider’ who
classroom discourse analysis in this study is visited the site, videotaped and recorded notes
its level of accuracy in describing classroom without becoming involved in the activities of
activities which can reveal the intricacy participants.
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

The document analyzed is the lesson The content such as indicator, objectives and
plan, specifically the learning activities and its learning activities were analyzed to find out
Kompetensi Dasar and Kompetensi Inti stated in whether the aspects in lesson plan has met the
teacher’ lesson plan of one material. The criteria of scientific approach’s principles.
lesson plan was collected before the teacher The analysis of interview was conducted
conducted teaching practice. in several steps. First, the data from interview
Interview is necessary to reveal how were transcribe. Second, teacher’s answers
scientific approach is perceived by teachers were categorized based on the focus of study.
and to seek the depth of teachers’ perception Third, the data were interpreted and
of the difficulties faced towards scientific concluded to answer the second research
approach in the 2013 Curriculum in teaching question of this study that is difficulties faced
English. It was administered in the last day of by the teacher in implementing scientific
the research. The interview was recorded to approach.
be then transcribed.

Data analysis techniques FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

The data analysis was conducted into three The findings and discussions were divided
stages, namely: classroom observation, into two main parts. The first part presents
written document analysis, and interview. the implementation of scientific approach in
The data gained from classroom English learning-teaching by the teacher of
observation were in two forms, which were one junior high school in Bandung. The
the transcription of videotaped observation second part presents the difficulties
and the description of classroom situation in encountered by the teacher in implementing
observation process from observation sheet scientific approach in English learning-
and field note (see Apendix). Those data were teaching.
corroborated each other to answer the
question of how scientific approach is The implementation of scientific approach
implemented in teaching English. The The teacher taught one material using
transcription of videotaped classroom scientific approach completely in four
observation was analyzed using Pedagogical meetings. It was conducted twice a week
Microscope instrument (Suherdi, 2009) started from 2nd November to 12th November
which include analysis of teacher-students’ 2015. Referring to the five stages of scientific
interaction and strudents contribution seen approach, the teacher did not apply all of the
through Bloom’s Taxonomy. Bloom’s stages in every meeting eventhough in the
Taxonomy (see Appendix) is used in assessing lesson plan made, the stages should have been
the learning outcomes and in portraying conducted in every meeting. The observation
detail of students’ contribution in each stage. results of the four meetings are depicted in
The data obtained from teachers’ lesson the following table:
plan were analyzed in term of their content.

Table 2. Stages of Scientific Approach in the Classroom

Stage of Scientific Approach 1st meeting 2nd meeting 3rd meeting 4th meeting
Observing V V V -
Questioning V V V -
Experimenting V V V V
Associating V V - V
Networking V V V V

According to the table above, there was a conducted completely by the teacher in
significant discrepancy of the learning delivering one material or Materi Pokok.
activities conducted with the lesson plan.
However, Reiser and Dick (1996) argue that Observing
teacher can change teaching strategy to Observing, specifically in language learning
achieve teaching-learning goals. Nevertheless, context, is the stage of obtaining information
all stages of scientific approach were still through observation of the object or
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

phenomenon in form of video, picture, text, or observing pictures and their description, and
social or natural phenomenon (Abidin, 2014, watching Video.
p.132; Hosnan, 2014, p.40; Kemendikbud, From the activities conducted, the
2013; Mulyasa, 2014). In the practice of the objectives of observing stage are attained. It is
participant (Teacher), the teacher conducted proven by the interactions happened in the
observing activities through various activities observation stage. The table below shows the
to start teaching the material. They are distributions of classroom interaction in
observing short dialogues and their pictures, observation stage:

Table 3. Distribution of classroom interaction pattern (exchanges) in observing stage

Category of Exchange Observing Stage
exchange Observing 1 Observing 2 Observing 3 TOTAL
Knowledge JL 2 7 5 14
exchange Teacher’s initiated
exchange TB 15 20 24 59
TU 26 24 24 74
JL - -- - -
Students’ initiate
TB 3 - - 3
exchange
TU - - - -
Total 150
Action TA 1 1 3 5
Teacher’s initiated
Exchange MA 26 25 5 56
exchange
SA - - - -
TA 2 - 3 5
Students’ initiate
MA - - - -
exchange
SA - - - -
Total 66
Skill exchange TK 1 - 1 2
Teacher’s initiated
MK - - - -
exchange
SK 2 13 - 15
TK 4 - - 4
Students’ initiate
MK 2 -- - 2
exchange
SK - - - -
Total 121
TOTAL 89 90 65 237

The table above shows the teacher’s and MA means that teacher gave direction
students’ role in observing stage. It can be for students such as directing the students to
seen form the exchanges appeared. The total observe and examines to the material. SK
exchanges in observing stage is 242 means that teacher asked students to perform
exchanges, which more than the half has been language skill such as repeat teacher’s
identified as knowledge-oriented exchanges. pronunciation. Here, the teacher roles as the
The teacher’s genuine (TB) and display instructor, the fact that teacher instruction or
questions (TU) means that the teacher gave MA (23,2%) is the third of dominant
questions about the about students learning exchanges and SK (6,3%) is the fourth
experiences and students interest of the exchanges in this stage suits with the
materials (TB) and questions about previous characteristic of this stage where the teacher
learning materials to relate materials in every should roles as the instructor in observing
meeting (TU). It is relevant to the objective of activity.
observation stage that it is aimed to get Another aspect that is considered to be
students’ prior knowledge and to check important to see what happened and what
students’ learning ability and readiness. It kind of students’ leaning behaviors appeared
shows that the teacher contextualized and in observing stage is students’ contribution.
gave a meaningful learning activity, because To sum the students’ contribution, here is the
he brought the learning material in table of students’ contribution:
accordance with students’ learning ability.
(Permendikbud, 81A, 2013; Hosnan, 2014, Table 4. Students’ Contribution
p.40; Abidin, 2014; Mulyasa, 2014).
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

Learning In the practice, the students read the

Obs. 1 Obs. 2 Obs. 3 Total
Behavior dialogues on the book which each dialogue
C1 65 83 72 220 was illustrated by a picture. The teacher gave
C2 4 - 3 7 opportunity for students to practice observing
C5 - - 6 6 and get important information through
A1 2 1 10 13 reading dialogue, and looking the picture as
A2 - 1 - 1 applied in scientific approach.
P1 22 1 25 48 The students were also asked to read the
P2 - 4 - 4
P3 - - 7 7
dialogue aloud. In the next meeting
TOTAL 93 90 123 306 observation, the Teacher also conducted
observing stage by some techniques. As stated
In observing stage, students learning in the lesson plan and the practice observed,
behaviors are still in low level. In cognitive the first activity is showing some pictures of
aspects, the activities conducted in observing people with different professions. The
stage mostly requires students to recall or second activity is observing daily activities
recognize information (C1) and comprehend of specific profession that is zookeeper.
meaning (C2) such as exhibit memory of The last is showing a video about daily
previous material learned through question- activities of a man.
answer activity or comparing and describing By showing the picture of some people
pictures, short dialogue and video. In whose the professions are different and
psychomotor aspect, the activities conducted teacher display questions (TU), it was aimed
mostly got students to watch video and repeat to give an overview of what peoples usually
teacher’s action (P1), and few of them got do. The excerpt is as follows:
students to carry out task from written or
verbal instructions (P2; P3) such as copy an 12 TU And then, who is
action or repeat teacher’s utterance and besidde Christiano
Ronaldo?
reproducing activity such as write and read TB W C1 Ss Al-Ghazali
from video or text given to be observed.
13 TU T Who is he?
However, there is interesting data that
TB W C1 S4 Actor
synthesizing (C5) and articulating (P3) that
JL T An actor, right!
are categorized into high-thinking level
appeared in this stage. It happened because in TB Ph C1 S5 Ahmad Dani's son
the third meeting, observing activity was JL T Yes, Ahmad Dani's son
derived from students’ homework. They 14 TU What does usually Al-
Ghaza do?
composed the list of daily activities then
TB Ph C1 S6 Plays music
presented (TK & MK) to be the introduction
JL T Yeah, playing music.
of that day’s materials then the teacher added
x1 Because he s also DJ,
videos to complement observing activity.
right?
In the first meeting, observing stage is TB W C1 S1 Acting
reflected in instructional activities in lesson JL T Oh ya, he usually acts.
plan (LP 1) in which students observed
15 TB okay, anybody want to
short dialogues and its pictures and they be like… like Al-
wrote down what was new for them. The Ghazali?
excerpt of the lesson plan is as follows: JL No
17 TB T No? Why?
Observing TB He is very handsome
a) Students observe short and simple right?
dialogues which contain expressions of JL W C1 Ss Yes
asking and stating numbers. 18 JL T He is very talented
b) Students write what they do not know too.
related to the pictures and dialogues that KaJ W C1 Ss Yes
they see and read. (Observation Transcript#2, 05/11/2015)
(Data 1#, LP 1, 03/11/2015)
The conversation above was aimed to
help students to identify the picture and to
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

bridge them to the topic being discussed. posed. It is seen from the distribution of
Through the pictures shown and teacher’s interaction which was dominated by teacher’s
questions (TU & TB), students were also display questions (TU) to prompt students
directed to observe the social phenomena that generating questions. However, the fact that
happen around them and to check whether the the numbers of students’ initiated exchanges
topic is interesting and familiar to the are significant in the skill exchanges confirms
students or not. It was intended to that the teacher provided opportunities for
contextualize the object being leant accorded students to perform more initiative activities
with students’ ability, existing knowledge, (MK) during the teaching process. This is
interest as the purpose of observing stage in important to indicate that the teacher was
scientific approach. successfully bringing scientific approach’s
In meantime, the teacher also asked characteristic in which students have the main
the students to repeat the teacher. By role in leading their own learning process.
asking the students to repeat the sentences, In the Table 5, 152 exchanges have been
the teacher also gave examples and how to identified to appear in questioning stage and
state it. The teacher successfully let the they are dominated by knowledge-oriented
students used their sense to observe not only exchanges (102 exchanges) and few of them
through looking, reading but also through are skill (30 exchanges) and action (20
listening exchanges) oriented exchanges. It shows that
The next activity is that teacher learning activities related to cognitive domain
showed a video (song) of daily activities. (knowledge) still become the focus of this
Video in language teaching is suggested as stage. Teacher’s display questions (TU)
the form of material to be observed. mostly appeared in the classroom discussion.
After watching the video, the teacher In the meantime, students’ contributions
reviewing the video by asking what activities in questioning stages of the first and second
that were mentioned in the video. The meetings seen from students’ linguistic
teacher, then, asked the students to write characteristics were mostly in the form of
the sentences appeared in the video. Some word and phrase responses, while in the third
of them are asked to write the sentences on meeting, students’ contributions were
the whiteboard. dominated in form of sentence (question).
The fact that the teacher frequently Students’ learning behaviors appeared in
asked the students to repeat, rewrite and read this stage was various. This variation is
aloud as efforts to elicit students’ learning influenced by the way teacher led learning
experience is relevant to be done in observing activities, such as discussing structure of
activity to build a firm based to the learning present tense in the dialogue or recalling
activities. students experience related to the material.
Table 6 depicts students’ contribution from
Questioning the viewpoint of students learning behaviors.
The second stage is questioning. Questioning From the Table 6, students’ contributions
is the process of constructing knowledge in were dominated by recognition information
form of concepts of social function in (C1) and the questions were around recalling
particular material, procedure of structure students’ prior knowledge. However, there is
text through group discussion or class an interesting fact that the number of
discussion. In the practice, questioning phase students’ high thinking level contributions
was conducted as continuation of the (C3 & C4) in this stage is high.
observations. The Teacher conducted The purpose of questioning stage is to
questioning stage in some forms of activities, emerge students’ curiosity, attention, and
such as classroom discussion started by critical thinking so that students can ask high
teacher’s questions (TU) to trigger students’ thinking level question and good question. In
critical thinking and students’ question, and the practice, teacher’s strategy to foster
in form of guessing game. students’ high thinking level learning
In the activities of questioning stage behaviors were by prompting students’
conducted in each meeting, the teacher mostly responses towards the materials being learned
led the students in classroom discussion to or posing prompt questions. It was successful,
come up with questions where the teacher indicated by the presence of high thinking
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

level behaviors in the classroom discussion No, it just has 2

(C3 & C4). Students’ high thinking level TK T legs.
behaviors were because the teacher posed 56 MK W C1 S8 Chicken
analyzing questions, where the students TK T Chicken? No.
compared and broke down the concepts of An animal, and then
present tenses, such as asking the students to has 2 legs. It ca be
comparing the writings and dialogues 57 JL big or small.
Does it live in the
provided in the textbook.
58 MK St C1 S12 water?
In the next meeting, after listening to Does it live in the
some examples of daily activities of several TK T water? No.
students, the teacher was going to show a 59 JL I'll give you a clue…
picture to the students. She invited the 60 MK St C1 S30 Does it fly?
students to ask her with ‘yes no’ question to TK T Does it fly?
guess the picture and named the activity as No.
Guessing Game. (Observation Transcript#9, 05/11/2015)
Okay, please ask me
52 SK T questions! The guessing game is teacher’s strategy
ro Ss … to initiate and conduct an interactive learning
Seperti quiz siapa teaching process. In this game, the students
dia, kan, ayo come were required to generate questions and it
rph T on. could reach the learning goal in that stage.
MK St C1 S27 Is it an animal? This game created positive learning
Is it an animal? Yes, environment to the students, especially to
TK T that's right. prompt the students’ critical thinking and
53 SK Good! Next! curiosity. Within this activity, the students
54 MK St C1 S35 Is it small? practice their skill in generating questions
Is it small? It can be (MK). It was successfully inviting almost
TK T small it can be big. students to pose questions.
55 MK St C1 S29 Does it have 4 legs?

Table 5. Distribution of classroom interaction pattern (exchanges) in questioning stage

Observing Stage
Category of
Exchange Classroom Classroom Guessing
exchange TOTAL
discussion 1 discussion 1 Game
Knowledge Teacher’s JL 9 7 12 18
exchange initiated TB 8 8 4 20
exchange TU 26 31 6 63
JL - - - -
Students’ initiate
TB 1 - - 1
exchange
TU - - - -
Total 102
Action Teacher’s TA 2 4 - 6
Exchange initiated MA 6 6 - 12
exchange SA - - - -
TA 2 - - 2
Students’ initiate
MA - - - -
exchange
SA - - - -
Total 20
Skill Teacher’s TK 1 - - 1
exchange initiated MK - - - -
exchange SK 10 3 4 17
TK - - - -
Students’ initiate
MK 1 - 11 12
exchange
SK - - - -
Total 30
TOTAL 66 59 37 152
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

Table 6. Students’ Contribution

Learning
Ques. 1 Ques. 2 Ques. 3 Total
Behavior
C1 43 63 43 149
C2 7 5 1 13
C3 22 7 - 29
C4 8 4 - 12
A1 1 3 1 5
A2 - 3 8 11
P2 8 4 - 12
TOTAL 94 82 60

Different from classroom discussion sources or collecting extra information with

which were various and many of the students several ways like observation, and interview.
generated questions requiring analysis, the In the first meeting, the students
questions produced by the students in practice the dialogue provided in the textbook
guessing game were identical in which they and completing cloze test of ‘how many’, ‘how
were generally in group of low-thinking level much’, ‘there is’, ‘there are’. In the second
questions since the questions only required meeting, every student did experiment or
‘yes’/’no’ answer. In guessing game activity, collected information through survey in
the teacher invited students as much as which they asked their classmates about their
possible pose questions. The teacher said that daily activity. In the third meeting,
individually they analyzed a text given by
T: …the purpose of stage in every meeting can be teacher related to a description of daily
various. For example, in the classroom discussion activities. In the last meeting, they were given
I wanted to get the students produce high- a task to observe a place and report the
thinking level questions so that I mostly initiated situation, what people do, and what happen
asking them question. But, in guessing game, I there.
needed them making questions as much as possible. The teacher gave plenty opportunities
(Interview#1, 5/11/2015) for students to get real and authentic learning
experience. The teacher also provided
Thus, as confirmed from the interview, learning sources, worksheets and media. The
the objective of questioning stage in this teacher directed the students to collect
activity was different from the first two information to accomplish the tasks given so
meeting. that the interaction happened mostly in
giving-receiving direction and instructions of
Experimenting the activities (action exchanges). The table
The third stage is experimenting in which below shows the distributions of classroom
students get real or authentic learning; they interaction in experimenting stage:
have to do experiments. In doing the
experiment, the students have to read other

Table 7. Distribution of classroom interaction pattern (exchanges) in experimenting stage

Category of Exchange Observing Stage
exchange Exp. 1 Exp. 2 Exp. 3 Exp. 4 TOTAL
Knowledge exchange JL 3 1 5 3 12
Teacher’s initiated exchange TB 3 4 2 2 11
TU 2 2 2 6 12
JL - - - 2 2
Students’ initiate exchange TB 3 - - - 3
TU - - - - -
Total
Action Exchange TA 1 1 1 1 4
Teacher’s initiated exchange MA - - 12 12 24
SA - - - - -
TA 1 - - - 1
Students’ initiate exchange
MA - - - - -
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

SA - - - - -
Total
Skill exchange TK - - - - -
Teacher’s initiated exchange MK - - - - -
SK 3 3 2 - 8
TK 1 - - - 1
Students’ initiate exchange MK 1 1 1 1 4
SK - - - - -
Total
TOTAL 17 12 25 26 80 17

Due to the limited mobility of the researcher’s mobility in recording all the
researcher to observe every group working, students’ activities in different group is the
the number of students’ genuine questions main reason to consider all of the process
(TB) related to the work were only few of experimenting conducted by students such as
them were recorded, and in fact, the teacher practicing conversation, interview, and
almost visited every group and walked around observation as one series of students’ learning
to help the students who needed. behavior. In fact, within that number, it
The fact SK was initiated by teacher is covers almost all the activity such as using
implied that the teacher’s roles as director and some expression (C3), analyzing and
manager where she gave direction to the comparing (C4), and composing text and
students what they had to do and behave report (C5) in every meeting.
(Brown, 2001, as cited in Nugraha, 2015) in
the activities of experimenting stage. In the Table 8. Students’ learning behaviors in
group working of describing people or animal Experimenting Stage
or thing, the teacher still participated to Learning Exp. Exp. Exp. Exp.
Total
control the group discussion and to make sure Behavior 1 2 3 4
the students do the task well. The teacher C1 2 5 6 7 20
gave direction, went around the class and C2 1 - - - 1
gave feedback and help whenever needed by C3 - 1 - - 1
the students as expected in scientific approach C4 - 1 1 1 3
C5 - - 3 1 4
(Hosnan, 2014). A1 3 3 12 12 30
The number of MK in every meeting, A2 1 - 3 1 5
which MK indicates students performing P2 - 1 - - 1
language skills, does not mean the students TOTAL 7 10 24 21 63
only once performed language skill in
observation activity. It was considered as one Table 9. Field Note 3
series of exchange of performing language Observed Observed Comments
skill in which they did to accomplish some Teacher’s Students’
tasks. Behavior Behavior
To see what the students did in this The teacher Every Some of the
stage, it is important to discuss students’ went around student students seemed
contribution in this stage. It is seen from checking got turn to to be excited to
students’ learning behavior based on Bloom students ask and tell their daily
Taxonomy and its language complexity. The interviewing told their activities and
each other. daily some of them
table below shows students’ contribution in activities. seemed to get
experimenting stage. difficulties to ask
There is an interesting data that and tell their
students’ learning behavior in low-thinking daily activities.
level also has large portion in this stage. Even (Researcher’s field note, 1st Meeting#,
though the number of high thinking level 3/11/2015)
behaviors such as applying (C3) and analyzing
(C3) and planning or generating (C5) is not As shown in the table above, students’
high that the total of them is only 47, 6%, attitude that could be observed by the
they are significant in portraying students’ researcher was enthusiast in doing the
contribution. The limitation of the
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

interview. Most of the students even activities in forms of sentences and

interviewed more than four friends. paragraphs.
Through this activity, the teacher gave In the last meeting, the students
an opportunity for the students to experience composed descriptive text and drew the place
asking and telling their daily activity. The from the data collected in the observation of
structure of simple present discussed in the place they visited. The students processed the
previous stage was used. They expanded their data collected into various forms, such as text
knowledge through practicing simple present and drawings or map. They construct
tense in the interview (C3). This kind of drill knowledge by making sense of their
is an effective way of getting students to environment through exploration and
experience how to say new language and to opportunities to work with.
make an accurate production in which they From the activities conducted, the
practice using the language repeatedly. objectives of associating stage are attained. It
In the next experimenting stage, the is proven by the fact that the interactions
student did an observation of a place and happened in the observation stage in every
everything happened there. The places were meeting were almost dominated by students’
canteen, teacher’s room, library, yard, etc. activities in processing the data collected.
They were divided into some group, group of Table 10 shows the distributions of classroom
five persons. Every group observed one place interaction in observation stage.
and its surrounding. They got a task to make Total exchanges in associating stage
a report from a certain place and write down shown in the table above is not the real
anything in the place and what people usually exchanges happened in the practice due to the
do in that place. limited researcher’s mobility in recording and
transcribing associating stage. It means,
T : “Do you understand what to do now?” exchanges predicted in the table were the
S : “Yes.” conversation and the activities of classroom.
T : “Observe the place that you have chosen, It is not the interactions of the induvial
you write what you see in that place it can students. Knowledge exchanges are
be animals, things, how many or much, and
then what usually happens, what do people
dominated by giving explanation and
usually do in that place. Report them.” clarification from the teacher of the concept
(Observation Transcript#11, created by the students (JL and TU), while
05/11/2015) the skill exchanges are dominated by
students’ performance in applying concepts of
In this observation, the students also present tense, such as making report and
practiced communicative skill needed in descriptive text (MK & TK).
group discussion, observing and investigate of From the students’ contribution above, it
what can be found in place they observe, and can be seen that students learning behaviors
composing what can be the reported from the appeared in the associating stage, where the
place. As one criteria demanded by Ministry students comparing daily activities and
of Education and Culture, this activity can be making text from observation, were mostly in
regarded as scientific learning because it high-thinking level (C3 & C5). However, the
encourages and inspires students to think psychomotor aspect appeared was only
hypothetically in looking at different and performing skill (P3).
congruent data in the place they visited and Since the process of knowledge construction
links to each learning material given. is the process of adaptation students’ prior
knowledge and their experience, the activity
Associating seen may be depended on them. After
In the practice, after gathering information collected information through interview,
through interview of some friends of their process of analysis and comparing (C3)
daily activity, the students compared friends’ happened in adapting to their own daily
daily activities with a zookeeper’s activities. activity and the prior knowledge of
The data collected from the interview was zookeeper’s daily activity. In the last meeting,
compared with zookeeper’s activities such as where they collected information from
“does zookeeper…”. After comparing the observation, they are synthesizing and
activities, they made new form of stating the transforming (C5) the data into various forms,
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

requiring their prior knowledge of present In Table 12, it can be seen that in this
tense, language skill, and another skill stage, the students performed language skills
(drawing). such as presenting report and their works
done in the experimenting stage and
Communicating associating stage. Moreover, the process of
In collaborative learning, the learners interact evaluation also happened in this stage where
with empathy, mutual respect, and receive a the students and students gave feedback to
deficiency or excess, respectively in order to their works. The process of communicating
create social interaction to gain meaningful students’ work were labeled MK in which the
learning (Wahyudin, 2015). In this stage, students performed language skills such as
teacher holds role that provides correct reading aloud their works, presenting table of
information and the reciprocal scaffolding. comparison, and presenting report they made
The teacher gives feedback, suggestions or as result of observation in experimenting
more information related to students’ work. stage and associating stage. Besides, the
There are interactions between teacher and evaluation process was indicated by the
students and among the students. In the interactions initiated by teacher’s display
practice, the teacher mostly conducted questions (TU) in which the teacher asked the
communicating stage by classroom students to give comments to their friends
discussion. work.

Table 10. Distribution of classroom interaction pattern (exchanges) in associating stage

Category Exchange Observing Stage
of Classroom Classroom Guessing TOTAL
exchange discussion 1 discussion 1 Game
Knowledge JL 4 5 - 9
Teacher’s initiated
exchange TB 5 5 - 10
exchange
TU 2 2 - 4
JL 1 2 - 3
Students’ initiate exchange TB 1 3 - 4
TU - - - -
Total 30
Action TA - - - -
Teacher’s initiated
Exchange MA 2 2 - 4
exchange
SA - - - -
TA - - - -
Students’ initiate exchange MA - - - --
SA - - - -
Total 4
Skill TK 1 2 - 3
Teacher’s initiated
exchange MK - - - -
exchange
SK 3 2 - 5
TK - 2 1 3
Students’ initiate exchange MK 2 1 - 3
SK - - - -
Total 14
TOTAL 21 26 1 48

Table 11. Students’ contribution in associating stage

Learning Assoc. Assoc. Assoc. Total
Behavior 1 2 3
C1 6 4 - 10
C3 - 2 - 2
C5 4 - 5 9
A1 - - 3 3
A2 1 - - 1
P3 1 - 2 3
TOTAL 12 6 10 28
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

Table 12. Distribution of classroom interaction pattern (exchanges) in communicating stage

Category of Exchange Observing Stage
exchange Exp. 1 Exp. 2 Exp. 3 Exp. 4 TOTAL
Knowledge exchange JL 2 5 9 4 20
Teacher’s initiated
TB 1 1 17 9 28
exchange
TU 3 12 12 3 30
JL 1 - - - 1
Students’ initiate TB 3 - - - 3
exchange
TU - - - - -
Total
Action Exchange TA - - - - -
Teacher’s initiated MA 2 2 15 7 26
exchange
SA - - - - -
TA 3 1 6 - 10
Students’ initiate MA - - 1 - 1
exchange
SA - - - - -
Total
Skill exchange TK - - - - -
Teacher’s initiated MK - - - 4 4
exchange
SK 7 5 7 - 19
TK - - - - -
Students’ initiate MK 9 3 6 - 18
exchange
SK - - - - -
Total
TOTAL 31 29 73 27 160

Table 13. Students’ contribution in communicating stage

Learning Exp. 1 Exp. 2 Exp. 3 Exp. 4 Total
Behavior
C1 21 13 23 16 73
C2 - 1 - 1 2
C3 - 14 - - 14
C4 8 - 7 - 15
C5 9 - 12 6 27
C6 9 - - - 9
A1 7 - 9 8 24
A2 - - 12 - 12
P1 12 - 12 - 24
TOTAL 66 28 75 31 200

Students’ behaviors that appear in every the teacher’s experience and from the
activity in this stage were dominated by observation to get some sort of confirmation
cognitive domain and psychomotor domain. It from the data found in the observation.
shows that the learning outcomes in this The data of the interview discovered that
stage reached the main objective of evaluating the teacher encounter some problems in
demanded in the networking stage. implementing scientific approach in her
English teaching. There are three main
The difficulties encountered by the problems stated by the teacher who have been
teacher in implementing scientific implemented scientific approach since she was
approach pointed by the government to be an instructor
This section presents the analysis of the of 2013 curriculum in some junior high
difficulties or problems faced by the teacher in schools in Bandung. They are the problem on
implementing scientific approach in English students, time allotment, and the teacher
learning-teaching. The main data was herself. The problems then are discussed in
obtained from the interview which uncover the following subparts.
 Nugraha and Suherdi,
Scientific approach: an English learning-teaching (ELT) approach in the 2013 Curriculum

Time Allotment CONCLUSION

Another problem that is being the teacher The finding shows that all the five stages of
concern in implementing scientific approach scientific approach were completely executed
in teaching English is the time allocation. It in four meetings of delivering one material or
was admitted by the teacher that, the one Basic Competence (KD) eventhough the
activities and time allotment planned in lesson five stages were not always conducted in
plan sometimes cannot be conducted every meeting. The activities in every stage
precisely. Thus, the challenge for the teacher were various depended on the stage. Scientific
is to make the learning as effective as possible approach implemented by the teacher could
while the stages of scientific approach are engage students in active learning and
successfully conducted. develop various students’ contributions. How
To deal with the insufficient time and the teacher led the active learning activities
unexpected factors, the teacher reduces the and students’ contributions were varied
time allocation of other activities or even the depend on the stages.
teacher does not execute some activities Scientific approach implemented
According to the teacher, although the successfully developed students’ critical
five stages of scientific approach are not thinking and fostering high-thinking level of
conducted in one meeting, it does not mean students’ learning behavior. The difficulties
that the learning-teaching process is not encountered by the teacher during
successful. implementing scientific approach are the
problem on students, time allotment, and the
Teacher’s Ability teaching management.
The last problem mentioned by the teacher
and the researcher observation is the teacher’s
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