Enhancing Early Childhood Islamic Character Development Through Story Based Learning at RA Darul Arqom Jembrana

Abstract

This classroom action research aims to improve early childhood Islamic character development through the implementation of Story-Based Learning (SBL) at RA Darul Arqom Jembrana. The study was conducted in two cycles, each consisting of planning, action, observation, and reflection stages. The participants were 20 children aged 5–6 years in the B group, who were observed for changes in attentiveness, moral understanding, empathy, and daily behavioral patterns during learning activities. The problem identified at the beginning of the study was that most students demonstrated limited engagement with character-building activities and faced challenges in understanding abstract moral values presented through conventional teaching. To address this issue, Story-Based Learning was introduced as a pedagogical approach that integrates moral narratives, visual aids, dialogic reading, and interactive discussions to make character concepts more concrete and relatable for young learners.

Findings from the first cycle revealed that children began to show increased interest in storytelling, though their moral comprehension and application of values—such as honesty, respect, and cooperation—remained inconsistent. After revising the strategy by adding more culturally relevant stories, multisensory media, and role-playing activities in the second cycle, there was a notable improvement in children’s ability to recall moral lessons and apply them in classroom routines. Observation sheets, anecdotal records, and performance assessments indicated significant progress in students’ social interactions, verbal expressions of empathy, and engagement in cooperative play. Furthermore, the SBL approach strengthened teacher–student communication and created a more positive and meaningful learning environment.

The study concludes that Story-Based Learning is an effective strategy for enhancing Islamic character development in early childhood education settings, particularly in RA Darul Arqom Jembrana. Through structured moral storytelling and interactive activities, young learners can internalize core values more naturally and consistently, contributing to better behavioral outcomes and a holistic learning atmosphere.