Enhancing Students’ Literacy Skills through Folklore-Based Learning: A Community Empowerment Program in Junior High School

Abstract

Literacy skills remain a fundamental challenge among junior high school students, particularly in reading comprehension and narrative writing. This community engagement program aimed to enhance students’ literacy skills through folklore-based Indonesian language learning by integrating local cultural content into classroom practices. The program was implemented using an action research approach combining quantitative (pre-test and post-test) and qualitative methods (observation, interviews, and documentation). A total of 80 seventh-grade students and two teachers participated in a six-month intervention consisting of reading, discussing, and rewriting local folklore into contemporary narratives. The results showed significant improvements in students’ literacy outcomes. Reading scores increased from 65.3 to 78.4 (p < 0.001, d = 1.20), while writing skills improved from 58.7 to 74.5 (p < 0.001, d = 1.35). Students’ reading interest also rose from 2.8 to 3.4 on a Likert scale. Qualitative findings revealed increased student engagement, confidence, and creativity, as well as improved teacher effectiveness in delivering narrative-based instruction. The program also produced a student anthology titled “Cerita Rakyat Masa Kini” as a tangible output of literacy development. This study demonstrates that folklore-based learning is an effective community empowerment strategy that not only enhances literacy skills but also strengthens cultural awareness and active participation. It is recommended that schools integrate local cultural resources into literacy programs to create more meaningful, contextual, and sustainable learning experiences.