Based on the Standard Competencies and Basic Competencies in the table 2.1 above, the materials will be given to the students further more meaningful, if
they are available with the students’ needs, interests, and for their future.
D. Curriculum, Syllabus, and Material
Instructional materials are partially related to syllabus while syllabus and curriculum are two different but closely related matters. Their close relation in the
reasons why the two are sometimes used synonymously by some expert the present context. Materials are an important component within the curriculum they
are used to achieve the instructional objectives which have been formulated. The term “curriculum” has many different definitions, as state in the
Constitution of 1945 No. 20 of 2003 about National Educational System in section 1, verse 19:
“Kurrikulum adalah seperangkat rencana dan pengaturan mengenai tujuan, isi, dan bahan pelajaran serta cara yang digunakan sebagai
pedoman penyelenggaraan kegiatan pembelajaran untuk mencapai tujuan pendidikan tertentu.”
9
The word curriculum is used interchangeable with syllabus. A syllabus is a plan which a teacher translates into activities in the classroom. It is part of a
curriculum excluding the element of curriculum evaluation Huda, 1999
10
. This definition is in line with that of Robertson in Yalden, 1987
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that the curriculum includes the goals, objectives, content, processes, resources and means of
evolution of all learning experiences planned for pupils both in and out of the school and community through classroom instruction and related programs, and
he defines syllabus as a statement of the plan for any part of the curriculum, excluding the element of curriculum evaluation itself. Thus the main distinction
9
Masnur Muslich, KTSP Kurikulum … p. 1.
10
Nuril Huda, Language Learning and Teaching; Issues and Trends, IKIP Malang,1999, P.32
11
Janice Yalden, The Communicative Syllabus: Evolution, Design and Implementation, London: Prentice Hall International, 1987, p. 40.
between a syllabus and a curriculum is that a syllabus is part of a curriculum excluding the element of curriculum evaluation.
Moreover, Huda stated that a syllabus is a plan which a teacher translates into activities in the classroom. It is a part of a curriculum excluding the element
of curriculum evaluation.
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To operate the curriculum, it has to be developed into course unit syllabus. Besides, to conduct the syllabus well is needed materials,
because the materials have an important role to make a syllabus better and better. Therefore, the instructional materials used for teaching-learning process must be
carefully selected. The teachers must know what the students’ needs to learn, the materials are going to give available and to fulfill of the Content Standards. The
materials are going to give to the students have to make students comfortable and interested in teaching-learning process. According to Richards and Rodgers
1986,
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a particular design for an instructional system may imply a particular set of roles for materials in support of the syllabus and the teachers and learners. The
role of instructional materials within a functionalcommunicative methodology might be specified in the following terms:
1. Materials will focus on the communicative abilities of interpretation,
expression, and negotiation. 2.
Materials will focus on understandable, relevant, and interesting exchanges information, rather than on the presentation of grammatical
form. 3.
Materials will involve different kinds of text and different media, which the learners can use to develop their competence through variety of
different activities and tasks.
12
Nuril Huda, Language Learning and Teaching “Issues and Trends”, Malang: IKIP Malang Publisher, 1999, p. 107.
13
Jack C. Richards and Theodores S. Rodgers, Approaches … p. 25.
E. Instructional Activities Conducted at MTsSMP
