The Development of Task-Based Learning Material to Enhance Students' Receptive Skill in Descriptive Text within Merdeka Curriculum for Junior High School
This thesis, entitled The Development of Task-Based Learning Materials to Enhance Students’ Receptive Skills in Descriptive Texts within the Merdeka Curriculum for Junior High School Students, was written by Asni Deswita (Student ID: 20224008) from the Graduate Program in Teaching English, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, State Islamic University of Sjech M. Djamil Djambek Bukittinggi. This study aimed to develop English learning materials that integrate Task-Based Learning and the Genre-Based Approach (GBA) to enhance Grade VII students’ receptive skills of descriptive texts. The study was conducted in response to the need for supplementary learning materials that could support the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum and facilitate meaningful language learning. The study focused on identifying students’ and teachers’ needs, designing and developing task-based learning materials, evaluating their validity, practicality, and effectiveness, and disseminating the final product. This study employed a Research and Development (R&D) methodology using the 4D Model, consisting of the Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate stages. The learning materials were developed based on Willis’s TBL framework, which includes the Pre-Task, Task Cycle, and Language Focus phases. The participants consisted of one English teacher and fifty-six Grade VII students of SMP N 3 Ampek Angkek. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and listening and reading tests administered as pre-tests and post-tests in both experimental and control classes. The research instruments and learning materials were validated by three experts, and the data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. The findings revealed that both students and the teacher required supplementary task-based learning materials to support the teaching and learning of listening and reading skills in descriptive texts. The developed materials were organized into two learning cycles: a listening cycle and a reading cycle. Expert validation indicated that the materials achieved a very high level of validity, with scores ranging from 86.7% to 100% across all evaluation indicators, demonstrating their suitability for classroom implementation. The practicality evaluation also showed that the materials were highly practical for use by both teachers and students. Furthermore, the results of the Mann–Whitney U test revealed a statistically significant difference between the learning outcomes of the experimental and control groups (Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) = 0.000, p 0.05), indicating that the developed learning materials effectively improved students’ receptive language skills. Therefore, the integration of Task-Based Learning and the Genre-Based Approach in the developed materials contributed positively to students’ listening and reading achievement.