PENERAPAN BAHAN BACAAN RAMAH ANAK BERBASIS ETNOSAINS UNTUK MENINGKATKAN LITERASI BACA TULIS SISWA KELAS IV SDK NGEDUKELU

Abstract

This study aims to improve the reading and writing skills of fourth-grade students at Ngedukelu Elementary School through the implementation of child-friendly reading materials based on ethnoscience. Literacy is a key foundation for student learning success in elementary school. However, initial observations indicate that most students still experience difficulties in reading comprehension, expressing ideas, and writing coherently. The reading materials used to date are general and lack contextualization with local culture or daily life. Therefore, this study offers an innovative solution by integrating the local wisdom of the Ngada community, particularly the Ngadhu-Bhaga tradition, into child-friendly reading materials that are appropriate for students' cognitive and psychological development. The research method used was Classroom Action Research (CAR), with two cycles, each consisting of planning, implementation, observation, and reflection. The subjects were 14 fourth-grade students at Ngedukelu Elementary School. The research instruments included observation sheets, a reading interest questionnaire, and a literacy test. Data were analyzed descriptively using quantitative and qualitative methods to determine improvements in students' reading and writing skills. The results showed significant improvements in both quantitative and qualitative aspects. In the pre-cycle, the average student reading and writing literacy score was 65.7, with a classical completion rate of 21.4%. After implementing ethnoscience-based reading materials in cycle I, the average score increased to 70.0, with a classical completion rate of 64.3%. In cycle II, reading achieved 85.7% completion, and writing reached 78.6%. Qualitative improvements were evident in students' increased motivation to read, active involvement in group discussions, and ability to write summaries and simple texts in their own words. Thus, this study demonstrates that implementing ethnoscience-based child-friendly reading materials is effective in improving elementary school students' reading and writing literacy. The novelty of this research lies in its holistic focus on reading and writing literacy and specific local contextualization, thus making a significant contribution to the development of local culture-based literacy relevant to students' lives.