EXPLORING ENGLISH CLUBS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS OF SURABAYA: AN ANALYSIS OF AIMS, MATERIALS, ACTIVITIES, AND COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE ENGAGEMENT

Dalam Kurikulum Merdeka, peserta didik diharapkan mencapai capaian pembelajaran bahasa Inggris tertentu, namun beberapa kebutuhan masih belum terpenuhi. English club sebagai kegiatan ekstrakurikuler dipandang sebagai cara untuk mengembangkan potensi dan bakat peserta didik dalam bahasa Inggris. Pelaksanaan English club sering menghadapi tantangan, seperti tujuan yang kurang jelas, keterbatasan materi, dan menurunnya antusiasme peserta didik. Masalah serupa juga terjadi pada English club di sekolah menengah pertama di Surabaya. Saat ini belum ada studi empiris yang meneliti apakah English club tersebut memenuhi harapan. Oleh karena itu, penelitian ini memberikan gambaran menyeluruh mengenai upaya English club di Surabaya dalam menjawab permasalahan tersebut.

Penelitian ini merupakan studi kasus dengan pendekatan kualitatif. Partisipan terdiri atas sembilan guru English club dan 213 peserta didik dari sembilan sekolah (tujuh SMP swasta dan dua SMP negeri). Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara, kuesioner, observasi, dan dokumentasi. Kemudian data yang diperoleh dianalisis secara kualitatif.

Hasil penelitian menunjukkan English club memiliki tujuan yang beragam dan menggunakan materi serta aktivitas yang bervariasi. Keterlibatan peserta didik belum menciptakan lingkungan yang mendukung penggunaan bahasa Inggris secara aktif. Selain itu, kurangnya pemantauan dan evaluasi membuat pencapaian tujuan sulit diukur.

Dapat disimpulkan pelaksanaan English club di sekolah menengah pertama di Surabaya secara umum telah memenuhi harapan. Penelitian ini memberikan kontribusi secara teoretis dan praktis. Selain itu, beberapa saran diberikan untuk guru, kepala sekolah, dan penelitian selanjutnya.

Kata kunci: English club, kegiatan ekstrakurikuler, keterlibatan komunitas praktik, studi kasus kualitatif

In the Independent Curriculum, students are expected to achieve specific English learning outcomes, but some needs remain unaddressed. English clubs as extracurricular activities are seen as a way to expand students’ potential and talents in English. However, these clubs often face challenges, including unclear objectives, limited materials, and declining student enthusiasm. Such problems also occur in English clubs in junior high schools in Surabaya. However, no empirical studies have examined whether these clubs meet expectations. Therefore, this study provides a thorough account of how English clubs in Surabaya have sought to address these issues.

This study is categorized as a qualitative case study. The participants were nine English club teachers and 213 students as English club members from nine schools (seven private junior high schools and two state junior high schools). Data were collected through interviews, questionnaires, observations, and documentation. Then, the data obtained were analyzed accordingly.

The findings indicate that English clubs have diverse objectives and make use of varied materials and activities. However, student participation has not yet created an environment that consistently supports the active use of English. In addition, the lack of monitoring and evaluation has made it difficult to measure the achievement of the clubs’ goals.

It can be concluded that, overall, the implementation of English clubs in junior high schools in Surabaya has met expectations. This study offers both theoretical and practical contributions. Furthermore, several suggestions are provided for teachers, school principals, and future research.

Keywords: English club, extracurricular activities, community of practice engagement, qualitative case study