Teachers’ Strategies for Teaching and Assessing in English Classes: A Case Study of the Implementation of Kurikulum Merdeka in Primary Education

Abstract

The implementation of Kurikulum Merdeka has encouraged teachers to adopt innovative teaching and assessment practices that support student-centered learning and 21st-century competencies. However, teachers continue to face challenges in adapting instructional strategies and assessment approaches to accommodate diverse student characteristics and learning needs. This study aimed to investigate the strategies used by English teachers in teaching and assessing students under the implementation of Kurikulum Merdeka in elementary schools. The study employed a qualitative case study design involving two English teachers who also served as homeroom teachers in Grade IV and V at SDN 13 Sesetan. Data were collected through classroom observations, interviews, and document analysis. The findings revealed that teachers utilized Alur Tujuan Pembelajaran (ATP) as the basis for instructional planning and implemented various teaching strategies, including drilling, oral repetition, dictation, multimodal instruction, contextual learning, visual media utilization, and collaborative learning activities. Assessment practices consisted of formative and summative approaches through observation, checklists, peer assessment, teacher feedback, assignments, and end-of-unit evaluations. Despite challenges related to heterogeneous student abilities, teachers demonstrated adaptability by integrating diverse instructional and assessment techniques. The study concludes that the successful implementation of Kurikulum Merdeka in English classrooms depends on teachers’ pedagogical flexibility, effective assessment literacy, and the use of student-centered learning strategies.