LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ATTITUDES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE THEMATIC APPROACH BY MALAY LANGUAGE TEACHERS AT SJKC TERENGGANU

Abstract

The thematic approach is an approach introduced by the Curriculum Development Division in 2021, aimed at emphasizing meaningful learning that spans a single theme across several subjects. This purpose of this study aims to explore the level of knowledge, skills and attitudes of Malays language teachers in implementing the thematic approach in Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC). This study is a descriptive study. The sample of this study consists of 46 Malay language teachers from SJKC who teach in the state of Terengganu. Descriptive analysis was conducted to obtain the data using SPSS version 26.0. The findings of the study indicate that the level of knowledge among Malay language teacher in the implementation of the thematic approach is high (mean = 4.17, SD = 0.842). The level of skills among Malay language teachers in implementing the thematic approach is also high with (mean = 3.89, SD = 0.758), while the attitude of Malay language teachers towards the implementation of the thematic approach is similarly at a high level (mean = 4.16, SD = 0.796). The results also indicated that teachers recognize the importance of this approach in stimulating students’ thinking and fostering meaningful learning. However, there are still constraints in terms of training, availability of teaching materials, and teachers' confidence to implement the approach comprehensively. These findings are expected to serve as a useful guide for school administrators, policymakers, and researchers in strengthening pedagogical practices among Malay language teachers in primary schools.