TO UTBK BAHASA INGGRIS GMI 2025

In a 11th grade English class, Ms. Liana observed that Reza had difficulty understanding tenses when the material was explained verbally. However, when shown a learning video and visual schemes regarding the use of past tense, Reza showed better understanding and successfully answered the practice questions correctly. On the other hand, some students understood better when Ms. Liana gave examples of questions on the board and explained them directly. If you were in Ms. Liana's position, which learning strategy would be most effective to accommodate the differences in students' learning styles as above?

• A. Continue using the lecture method because it is more time efficient

• B. Focus on the visual approach because it has been proven to help some students

• C. Use a mixed approach (visual, verbal, practice) and give assignments based on learning styles

• D. Provide printed materials only so that all students learn independently

• E. Standardize the method so that students get used to the teacher's teaching style

Answer explanation

Answer Key: C

Explanation:

This question requires students to analyze diverse classroom situations and choose a learning differentiation strategy. Option C reflects a learning approach that is responsive to the character of students with various learning styles.

When teaching grade XII in the material "Expressing Opinions", Mr. Adi formed a discussion group. He realized that some students who were usually active when writing, became very passive when they had to speak. Some students said that they were afraid of making mistakes in pronunciation and felt embarrassed if teased by friends. If you were Mr. Adi, which of the following strategies would be most appropriate to build students' confidence in speaking English while still respecting the unique character of each student?

• A. Asking students to read the script in turns at each meeting

• B. Giving a penalty for students who do not participate in the discussion

• C. Dividing students into small groups and giving topics according to their interests, then giving appreciation for their efforts

• D. Choosing students who are considered good to be discussion leaders every time

• E. Avoiding oral discussions and focusing on writing because students are more comfortable

Answer explanation

Answer Key: C

Explanation:

This question tests the ability to evaluate learning strategies that support students' emotional development. Answer C is an inclusive and adaptive approach that respects students' character while stimulating the development of speaking skills.

Ms. Rika teaches English class X with students who have very diverse abilities and learning backgrounds. Some students come from junior high schools that use the Cambridge curriculum, while others are not used to speaking English at all. To understand the students' learning needs, Ms. Rika conducts a pre-test, a learning interest questionnaire, and observations of student behavior in early semester activities. If you were Ms. Rika, how would you design a differentiated learning strategy based on the initial data collected?

• A. Divide students based on ability level and teach them in separate groups

• B. Create a standard learning plan so that all students have the same learning experience

• C. Use the results of the initial assessment to develop various task approaches (e.g. speaking, writing, visual tasks) and provide students with choices

• D. Focus on weak students and give them more attention, while other students study independently

• E. Provide all students with remedial materials so that no one feels left behind

Answer explanation

Answer Key: C

Explanation:

This question tests the ability to integrate student characteristic data into learning planning. Answer C shows the ability to synthesize: develop flexible learning approaches based on students' real needs.

In a junior high school English class, Mr. Johan notices that many students are reluctant to participate in vocabulary drills due to fear of making mistakes. To address this, he begins giving verbal praise such as "Excellent!", "Well done!", and "You're improving!" whenever a student attempts to answer, regardless of whether the answer is fully correct. Over several weeks, he observes that not only do more students participate, but their vocabulary retention also improves significantly. In a teacher discussion forum, some of his colleagues question whether this approach is pedagogically sound or if it may lead students to rely too much on external validation. In terms of learning theory, how can Mr. Johan’s strategy best be evaluated to support student engagement and vocabulary development?

• A. The strategy is more emotional than pedagogical and may distort assessment outcomes

• B. It reflects the constructivist approach because it encourages students to reflect on their performance

• C. Mr. Johan applies a behavioristic approach by using positive reinforcement to shape active learning behavior

• D. This strategy conflicts with intrinsic motivation theories, which discourage the use of praise

• E. Mr. Johan is combining cognitive and metacognitive strategies to improve student self-awareness

Answer explanation

Answer Key: C

Explanation:

Mr. Johan is clearly applying positive reinforcement, a core principle of the behaviorist theory of learning, where desirable behaviors (such as participating in class and trying to answer) are strengthened through rewards (in this case, praise). While the strategy may support motivation and habit building, it should be balanced with intrinsic motivators over time.

In an English class for grade XI, Ms.Lina observed that many students struggled to understand narrative text structure when reading traditional folk tales. Instead of asking students to analyze the original texts, she designed a project where each student was tasked with creating an alternative version of a well known folk tale (Malin Kundang or Snow White) using English. Students were allowed to reimagine the plot, change the character traits, modify the setting, and even alter the ending. Ms. Lina guided them in applying narrative elements such as orientation, complication, and resolution, but gave them the freedom to develop their ideas. At the end of the project, most students expressed greater enthusiasm, and their grasp of narrative structure improved significantly. Analyzed from the perspective of learning theory, what are the advantages of the strategy applied by Ms.Lina?

• A. The strategy encourages students to replicate model texts to improve accuracy

• B. The learning process becomes more efficient because it focuses on one correct version of a story

• C. Students build their own understanding through exploration, personal experience, and creative expression

• D. The teacher tightly controls the outcomes to ensure students stay within the boundaries of traditional structure

• E. The strategy risks confusing students because there is no single correct narrative structure to follow

Answer explanation

Answer Key: C

Explanation:

Ms. Lina’s approach aligns with constructivist learning theory, where students actively build their own understanding through creative problem solving, exploration, and experiential learning. Giving students autonomy to reconstruct a folk tale develops deeper comprehension of narrative elements and supports long-term retention through meaningful engagement.

In a grade XII English class at a public high school, students were required to present short dialogues in pairs as part of their speaking lesson. In the past, many students showed signs of anxiety and low motivation, particularly when they were required to perform in front of the class under time pressure and strict grading. To address this, Mr. Andi revised his approach. He began each session with light hearted ice breaker games and allowed students to choose their own topics based on interests such as music, sports, or trending issues. He provided ample time for students to prepare, encouraged collaboration, and did not immediately assess their performance. Instead, he gave verbal encouragement and highlighted each student’s progress before offering constructive suggestions.

At a teacher meeting, one of Mr. Andi’s colleagues criticized the strategy, saying it was too relaxed and lacked academic rigor. Mr. Andi argued that his method helped students feel safe, empowered, and more willing to take risks in using English. From the perspective of humanistic learning theory, how can Mr. Andi's strategy best be justified?

• A. The strategy risks lowering academic standards because students are not formally assessed

• B. Mr. Andi emphasizes emotional safety and intrinsic motivation, which are key to holistic learning

• C. He avoids teaching grammar, which is essential in second language acquisition

• D. This method limits students’ exposure to authentic public speaking challenges

• E. The strategy works only for students with high language confidence and motivation

Answer explanation

Answer Key: B

Explanation:

Mr. Andi’s approach reflects the core of humanistic learning theory, which focuses on personal growth, emotional well being, and intrinsic motivation. By creating a safe, low pressure environment and honoring student choice, he supports students’ self esteem and autonomy essential factors in helping learners reach their full potential in language learning.

In a grade X English class, Ms. Rika noticed that her students had difficulty speaking confidently during oral tasks, especially when the topics felt unfamiliar or disconnected from their daily lives. To address this, she designed an activity called “Cultural Talk Show,” where students were grouped by region and asked to discuss their local cultural traditions using English. Each group created a short interactive presentation, demonstrating their traditions through storytelling, role play, or visuals. As the activity progressed, Ms. Rika noticed a shift students who were previously hesitant began to participate more eagerly, sharing unique cultural insights and correcting each other's grammar collaboratively. Some even started asking questions about traditions outside their own, building intercultural understanding.

During a staff meeting, a colleague asked why Ms. Rika focused so much on culture instead of grammar drills. Ms. Rika responded that connecting learning to students’ social and cultural backgrounds made them more engaged and helped language learning occur more naturally through interaction. Why can Ms. Rika’s approach be seen as a reflection of sociocultural learning theory?

• A. Because students are required to memorize and repeat facts about their own culture

• B. Because the activity allows teachers to directly assess grammar accuracy

• C. Because learning takes place through social interaction and cultural context, as emphasized by Vygotsky

• D. Because the lesson strictly focuses on enhancing cognitive grammar structures

• E. Because student performance improves due to competition and time pressure

Answer explanation

Answer Key: C

Explanation:

Ms. Rika’s strategy reflects sociocultural theory, particularly the views of Lev Vygotsky, who emphasized the importance of social interaction, language, and cultural context in learning. By encouraging discussion of personal and local culture, students construct meaning collaboratively, making the learning process both socially grounded and meaningful.

During a grammar unit on "conditional sentences" in her grade XI English class, Ms. Yulia noticed that many students could identify the correct answers in multiple choice questions but struggled to apply the rules in writing or speaking tasks. To address this issue, she avoided traditional lecturing and instead designed an inquiry based approach. She presented students with multiple example sentences and asked them to sort them into categories (real vs unreal conditions). Then, students were guided to build comparison tables, identify consistent patterns, and construct their own conditional formulas. Ms. Yulia also integrated real life examples, such as "If I were the president…" or "If we had no internet…", to ground the abstract rules in relatable situations.

By the end of the lesson, students not only mastered the formulas but also could explain why a certain structure was used in different contexts. Some even began challenging exceptions and exploring mixed conditionals. Why is Ms. Yulia’s teaching strategy considered to reflect a cognitive learning theory approach?

• A. Because it encourages students to imitate teacher-modeled answers for accuracy

• B. Because it creates behavioral habits through consistent drilling

• C. Because it develops emotional safety to reduce speaking anxiety

• D. Because it promotes learning through internal reasoning, pattern discovery, and knowledge construction

• E. Because it motivates students by creating a sense of urgency and competition

Answer explanation

Answer Key: D

Explanation:

Ms. Yulia’s strategy reflects cognitive learning theory, which emphasizes active information processing, mental structures, and meaningful learning. By guiding students to analyze examples, create categories, and construct their own formulas, she activates higher order thinking skills like analysis and synthesis core features of cognitive learning.

In a grade XI English vocabulary lesson, Mr. Dani noticed that students were often passive and hesitant to speak, even when they knew the correct answer. To address this, he created a vocabulary game called “Speed Star,” where students were challenged to name as many correct English words as possible related to a given theme (animals, food, emotions) within 30 seconds. To motivate participation, Mr. Dani gave star stickers for each correct and fast response. Over time, students became highly engaged some practiced vocabulary at home to win more stickers, while others began collaborating to improve their speed. However, a few students who were slower became discouraged and less willing to join. In a teacher reflection session, Mr. Dani questioned whether this strategy truly built long-term understanding or just short term excitement. Another teacher argued that the use of rewards could impact students' internal motivation and learning autonomy. Based on learning theory, how can Mr. Dani's strategy be best understood?

• A. It builds reflective thinking by encouraging students to analyze vocabulary deeply

• B. It promotes collaborative learning through social dialogue and interaction

• C. It shapes learning behavior through stimulus response mechanisms using positive reinforcement

• D. It enhances metacognitive strategies by making students aware of their own learning processes

• E. It promotes independent knowledge construction by offering choice and student agency

Answer explanation

Answer Key: C

Explanation:

Mr. Dani’s strategy is aligned with behaviorist learning theory, particularly the concept of positive reinforcement. The use of star stickers serves as a reward (reinforcer) that increases the likelihood of the desired behavior (accurate, quick responses) recurring. This stimulus response pattern is a hallmark of behaviorism, although it may need to be balanced with strategies that support intrinsic motivation.

Ms. Leni observed that many of her grade XI students struggled to write report texts because they lacked concrete examples and often misunderstood the structure (general classification, description, and conclusion). Instead of giving them a textbook sample, she selected a three minute documentary video about rare animals in Indonesia. Before writing, students watched the video twice: first for general understanding, and then to focus on factual details. Ms. Leni then facilitated a discussion where students identified the main topic, categorized the descriptions, and explored how to structure the report text accordingly.

During the writing session, students worked in pairs to draft reports, often referring back to the video content. Many expressed that the activity helped them understand the purpose of each report section more clearly than simply reading examples. Later, Ms. Leni used peer feedback and class sharing to deepen learning and reflection. Why can Ms. Leni's learning strategy be considered effective from the perspective of modern learning theories?

• A. Because students are expected to memorize and copy structured texts for assessment

• B. Because students are guided without engaging deeply in thinking processes

• C. Because it integrates multimedia, active analysis, and student participation in knowledge construction

• D. Because the teacher dominates the lesson, ensuring clear instructions at all times

• E. Because students are pressured to produce quick written results regardless of understanding

Answer explanation

Answer Key: C

Explanation:

Ms. Leni's approach reflects modern learning theories such as constructivism and cognitivism, where students are not passive recipients but active participants in building their understanding. The use of visual media, guided analysis, and collaborative construction of text encourages deep processing, meaningful learning, and enhances critical thinking.