Further Study on Implementing Thematic Teaching in Preschool: A Needs Analysis Research

Abstract

Thematic teaching has been introduced through the Malaysian Preschool Education Curriculum Guidelines (KPM, 1993) since 1993. This research is a preliminary review aimed at looking at the need to conduct further studies on the implementation of thematic teaching and to determine the focus of the research. This research explores the current understanding and practice of eight teachers from eight preschools in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan in implementing thematic teaching. Data collected for this research was based on document analysis, observations, and interviews. Findings of the research show that there were various levels of understanding and methods employed in implementing thematic teaching in the selected preschools. Teachers' understanding is divided into several categories: 1) understanding thematic teaching as curriculum; 2) understanding thematic teaching as an approach; 3) the minimum understanding of thematic teaching; and 4) no understanding of thematic teaching at all. In terms of planning, only two of the teachers integrated thematic teaching in their annual, weekly, and daily lesson plans. The findings on the implementation of thematic teaching also show that teachers: 1) used thematic teaching as the basis of the curriculum; 2) applied thematic teaching as one of the teaching approaches; 3) used thematic teaching based on the requirements of the teaching and learning; and 4) had not used thematic teaching. This finding supports the need for further research on thematic teaching. A detailed research on the implementation of more practical and friendly thematic teaching for teachers that also fulfills the principles of implementation of such teaching and the overall developmental needs of children should be undertaken.

Application of Thematic Context-Based Deep Learning in Foreign Language Teaching

“…emed foreign language reading teaching in college is a process of active discovery and learning with students as the main body, and it is also a learning process that follows students' cognitive rules from the surface to the deeper level gradually. Due to the limitations of China's traditional examination-based education system, schools currently focus too much on students' test scores in college foreign language teaching, ignoring students' ability to apply foreign languages in real-life situations, resulting in "dumb foreign languages" that students can learn but cannot use [18]. In order to change the current situation of college foreign languages reading teaching, teachers should change the traditional teaching concept, design the whole teaching based on the theme context, and create a context that is closely related to the meaning of the theme and students' real life.…”

Strategi Pendekatan Kurikulum Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini dengan Pembelajaran Tematik Integratif

“…Pemahaman guru yang rendah terhadap pengembangan instrumen pembelajaran tematik, kesulitan dalam menyusun perangkat tematik, dan kurangnya sarana yang sesuai menjadi beberapa permasalahan yang dihadapi dalam pengimplementasian pembelajaran tematik integratif (Damayanti & Muhroji, 2022). Hal ini juga diungkapkan oleh studi terdahulu terhadap guru prasekolah di Malaysia (Zin et al, 2019). Dari delapan guru yang menjadi partisipan, hanya dua guru yang sudah mengintegrasikan pembelajaran tematik dalam rencana tahunan, mingguan, dan hariannya.…”

Early Childhood Care and Education teachers’ experiences of integrating the activities of the national curriculum framework into themes

“…Various teaching activities are prepared to link to one another in order to avoid the unclear and incoherent nature of learning as the invention of positive childhood development (Ashley-Cooper, Van Niekerk & Atmore 2019;Meier & Marais 2018). Where the selected theme is transport, teaching and learning activities and the resources are linked to transport (Zin et al 2019). Subject areas and content topics are incorporated into the selected themes and play resources for easiness to learn (Somantri et al 2019).…”