CURRICULUM

STUDIES
TUTORIAL 4 (TASK 1)
Prepared by: • Fatin
• Helmi • Maizatul
• Atikah • Zafrina
 Question :
Conduct a background research on the
current Malaysian curriculum and
English language syllabus.
Based on your research, discuss the
influencing factors that shaped the
curriculum.
1. POLITICAL FACTOR
Fatin
 SOCIAL /
ENVIRONMENTAL
FACTOR
Atikah
Social and environmental factor?
■ The Social factors influence every aspect of curriculum development, including the
content covered, media and strategies used.
■ Our multicultural society is a key factor that is taken into consideration for
curriculum design. Some factors of diversity include religion, race, gender, ethnicity,
socioeconomic status, age, and also children with different kinds of disabilities.
■ Key to getting this right is to do a proper needs analysis which explores the learner
population and the context that they will learn in.
■ Tradition, religious beliefs, laws, etc. make us believe of something in view of
education in different ways.
Social factor

■ We all live in either a multicultural or self society so this means there are many factors
that affect or direct our lifestyle. These factors are called social factors.
■ Some important social factors are:
■ 1. Religion
■ 2. Ethnicity
■ 3. Family
■ 4. Physical attributes
■ 5. Economic Status
■ 6. Education
■ 7. Locality( Location)
■ Society has its own expectations about the aims and objectives that should be
considered when designing the curriculum. It also has a perception of what the
product of the school system should look like. It is therefore necessary for
curriculum designers to take in to account these societal considerations.
■ Example:
Subjects which has gender education and political economy have proved difficult to
include in the curriculum because of the resistance from some groups
Environmental factor

■ Environment issues affect curriculum development.

■ World awareness and action toward reversing and ending pollution continues
affecting curriculum development. Typical elementary classrooms teach recycling
and healthy environmental practices.
■ Example:
The education indirectly emphasise on how to take care of the environment in subjects
such as English and Science.
National Philosophy of Education

■ It is clearly stated in the National Philosophy of Education that our education system
aims to:
a) Develop students’ potential holistically.
b) Develop students’ potential based on a firm belief in God.
c) Produce Malaysian who are able to contribute to the betterment of the family,
society and nation.
KSSR

■ KSSR aims to produce creative, critical, innovative and highly-motivated human

capital with high level thinking skills. Education is seen as a means that can produce
people with life skills and ready to face future challenges globally. This is in line with
the government's efforts to make our country as a developed country and promising
people of high income.
■ Several new subjects were introduced such as Design and Technology (RBT),
Information Technology and Communication (TMK) and History. The new subject,
History was introduced to instill and improve the spirit of patriotism and cultivate
noble values among students.
(Utusan Malaysia, 2013)
■ Elective subjects are offered for native languages such as Chinese SK, Tamil SK,
Iban Language, Kadazandusun Language and Semai Languages including Arabic.
■ Focus will be given on critical subjects such as Malay, English, Mathematics,
Science and History.

(Utusan Malaysia, 2013)

3. ECONOMICAL
FACTOR
Zafrina
■ One of the reasons why education is financed by governments is to improve
the country’s economy. Therefore, the national curriculum should concern
itself with the requirements of the economy.
■ The children will need to be employed. The skills needed by industry should
be translated into the content and learning experiences of these children.
The skills, knowledge base and attitudes required by industry should be
developed in the classroom.
■ Educational institutions working to meet these basic requirements
academically and professionally.
■ The market forces dictate what should be included in the national
curriculum.
■ As a teacher, you require classroom supplies such as:
• textbooks,
• charts,
• equipment, and
• chemicals for science experiments.
■ These materials are products of industry. Without these materials,
learning is compromised. It is therefore crucial that serious
consideration be given to economic demands when designing the
curriculum.
■ In line with the government’s policy on strengthening English, the
curriculum has been designed to produce pupils who will be proficient in
the language.
■ The content and learning standards that have been developed in the
curriculum are designed to help pupils acquire the language so that they
can use it in their daily lives, to further their studies and for work
purposes.
OBJECTIVES
By the end of Year 6, pupils should be able to:
i. communicate with peers and adults confidently and appropriately in
formal and informal situations;
ii. read and comprehend a range of English texts for information and
enjoyment;
iii. write a range of texts using appropriate language, style and form using
a variety of media;
iv. appreciate and demonstrate understanding of English language literary
or creative works for enjoyment; and
v. use correct and appropriate rules of grammar in speech and writing.
Creativity and Innovation
■ Creativity is the ability to produce something new and different in an
imaginative way. Innovation is the process of idea generation and the
utilisation of the creative idea in relevant contexts.
■ Through creative and innovative teaching approaches, pupils will display
interest, curiosity, excitement and greater growth in learning.
■ Creativity and innovation in pupils should be exploited and nurtured to
ensure that their full potential is realised.
Entrepreneurship
■ Fostering the entrepreneurial mind-set among pupils at their young age is
essential in this competitive and global age.
■ Some of the elements that are linked to entrepreneurship are creativity,
innovation and initiative, which are also attributes for personal fulfilment and
success.
■ The elements of entrepreneurship are incorporated in lessons through
relevant and meaningful activities.
4. TECHNOLOGICAL
FACTOR
Helmi
■ The use of ICT in schools is the current focus and concern of the Malaysian
Government. This concern has been translated into long-term strategies and
substantial funding initiatives.
■ There was a belief among developing nations in the 1990s that information
technology could be used as the main means of rapidly modernising and
transforming themselves into developed countries (Warschauer 2003).
■ This is why the government is keen on integrating technology in education. This can
be seen as the government invested heavily in the education sector and adopted
large programmes to introduce ICT into the schools’ curriculum. (Smart Schools, ICT
subject in secondary schools.)
Smart Schools (1999)

■ The Malaysian Government has established Smart Schools to capitalize on leading

current ICT technology (Frost 2004), to take advantage of the development of the
Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) (Chan 2002), and to transform Malaysian schools
into technology enablers (MMoE 1997a).
■ The Smart School initiative was created as a direct result of the establishment of the
Multimedia Super Corridor(MSC) in 1996.
■ In Smart Schools, the computers are widely used, not only in teaching and learning
but also for school functions and activities
■ Students even use the computer in extra-curriculum activities such as designing the
school’s magazine, which has helped many students to enhance their computers
skills.
Industry 4.0

■ In tabling the 2019 National Budget, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the
government aimed to support measures to accelerate the adoption of Industry 4.0 as
outlined in the Industry 4.0 Blueprint or Industry4WRD, which aims to make Malaysia the
prime destination for high-tech industries.
■ IR 4.0 is the term used to describe the current trend of automation and data exchange in
manufacturing technologies.
■ IR 4.0 demands changes in the contents of not only technical education, but also
education in general. Across disciplines, new emphasis will have to be given on certain
skills and new contents have to be added. So, new educational programmes will have to
be developed to meet changing demands
■ Through education, young generation will understand the challenges brought about by IR
4.0 and learn to cope with the changes. IR 4.0’s success depends on education. (Prof
Dr Saunah Zainon, 2018)
■ IR 4.0 is suggested to affect all the domains (Cognitive, Affective and Psychomotor)
in the Bloom’s model. In the cognitive domain, Application, Analysis, Evaluating and
Creating will become way more important relative to the lower level cognitive skills.
■ IR 4.0 will require human resources with adequate digital and data literacy.
Students across disciplines will, therefore, need to gain digital and data literacy
during their studies.
 5. CHILD
PSYCHOLOGY FACTOR
Maizatul
What is child psychological ?
■ Also called as child development
■ The study of the psychological processes of children
and, specifically, how these processes differ from
those of adults,
■ how they develop from birth to the end of
adolescence,
■ how and why they differ from one child to the next.
■ The development of psychology curriculum examines
the changes in personality, cognitive ability and
behaviour throughout the lifespan.
■ In addition to prepare the students for rewarding
careers soon, students enrolled in developmental
psychology curricula will also learn and understand
more about themselves as they study the scientific
conclusions made by experts in the field.
■ The curriculum merges from the needs, interests and
purposes of students.
■ Children are given freedom to develop naturally.
National Philosophy of Education
■ developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and
integrated manner,
■ to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually,
emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious, based
on a firm belief in and devotion to God.
■ Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens
who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high
moral standards,
‘Kurikulum Standard Sekolah
Rendah (KSSR)’
The Primary School Standard Curriculum
(Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah) or KSSR
will empower students as well as the teachers
and enrich them with the capabilities to increase
their thinking and give them more room and
freedom to exercise their creativity.
The Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Department
deputy director Dr Azian T. S. Abdullah said
■ KSSR would cater to all students and give them a chance to
explore their abilities, especially those with special needs.
■ The curriculum also pays attention to special needs kids, as
well as Orang Asli and Penan students.
■ They must make school a fun place for the Orang Asli pupils,
as their learning capabilities and ways are different from other
students.
■ They have to find ways to attract them to come to school, and
increase the number of school-going children from among the
Orang Asli and Penan people.
■ Both the primary and secondary school curricula will
address the intellectual, spiritual, emotional, and physical
dimensions of each student.
■ It will emphasise the application of knowledge and the
development of critical, creative, and innovative thinking
skills.
■ The proportion of questions in both school-based
assessments and the national examinations that test
higher-order thinking will be increased in the next three
years.
■ These questions will test skills such as applying,
analysing, evaluating, and creating.
■ Teachers need to apply classroom strategies which promote
creative and critical thinking and innovation among pupils.
■ Teachers need to carry out teaching and learning activities
which are student-centred, provide opportunities for pupils to
explore and test their hypotheses and ideas, solve problem
and most importantly provide a fun learning environment.
■ Classroom practices such as inquiry-based, problem-based
and project-based are some recommended strategies which
promote critical and creative thinking and innovation among
pupils.
■ Teachers need to be sensitive to students’ learning needs
and be able to identify learning styles which suits them best.
 English Language Syllabus in KSSR
■ The implementation of KSSR - to ignite a genuine interest in English subject
■ Improving student’s skill, educational emphases and the way of assessment
towards students and organization.
■ Development of basic language and improving student’s level of proficiency
■ Focuses 5 skills - reading, writing, listening, speaking & language arts.
■ Teachers’ role
- Identify the students’ potential
- Create fun learning environment in classroom
- Improvement In Assessment on Student’s Academic• one - one assessment
individually
- creates the students profile to evaluate the students through language
development
Reference
■ Simone Evans (2012). Implementation od the KSSR: Standard-based assessment.
Retrived from
https://www.simonesource.com/uploads/9/4/3/7/9437956/reltmax_implementation_of_s
ba_eltc_briefing_may_2012.pdf.
■ Alimuddin (2013). Kurikulum baharu KSSR meningkatkan kualiti pendidikan.
http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/Rencana/20131231/re_06/Kurikulum-baharu-KSSR-
meningkatkan-kualiti-pendidikan.