MALIN KUNDANG FOLKTALE AS A MEDIUM FOR CHARACTER BUILDING AND CONTEXTUAL LEARNING IN PRIMARY EDUCATION

Authors

  • Milah Universitas Djuanda
  • Fachri Helmanto Universitas Djuanda
  • Agung Muttaqin Universitas Djuanda

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21009/ishel.v1i1.57139

Abstract

Folktales represent a vital part of local cultural heritage, rich in moral messages and character-building values. In educational contexts, they serve as engaging yet meaningful learning tools. However, research on how primary school students comprehend and interpret such narratives remains limited. This study explores how the Malin Kundang folktale can be employed to foster character development and support contextual learning in accordance with the Indonesian Merdeka Curriculum. Conducted as a qualitative case study at SD Negeri Babakan Sukamanah, the research involved 20 sixth-grade students, a classroom teacher, and the school principal. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, direct classroom observations, and document analysis. Findings reveal that students most easily grasp narrative elements such as plot, whereas their understanding of character roles, setting, and moral messages remains underdeveloped. While students could internalize moral values such as respect for parents and humility, cultural values like awareness of heritage were less comprehended. Both the teacher and school principal emphasized the relevance of this folktale for thematic and contextual instruction. With appropriate instructional strategies, folktales like Malin Kundang hold strong potential to serve as effective pedagogical resources for character formation and cultural identity reinforcement in primary education.

 

Keywords: folktale, contextual learning, character education, cultural identity, primary school students

Author Biographies

Fachri Helmanto, Universitas Djuanda

Folktales represent a vital part of local cultural heritage, rich in moral messages and character-building values. In educational contexts, they serve as engaging yet meaningful learning tools. However, research on how primary school students comprehend and interpret such narratives remains limited. This study explores how the Malin Kundang folktale can be employed to foster character development and support contextual learning in accordance with the Indonesian Merdeka Curriculum. Conducted as a qualitative case study at SD Negeri Babakan Sukamanah, the research involved 20 sixth-grade students, a classroom teacher, and the school principal. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, direct classroom observations, and document analysis. Findings reveal that students most easily grasp narrative elements such as plot, whereas their understanding of character roles, setting, and moral messages remains underdeveloped. While students could internalize moral values such as respect for parents and humility, cultural values like awareness of heritage were less comprehended. Both the teacher and school principal emphasized the relevance of this folktale for thematic and contextual instruction. With appropriate instructional strategies, folktales like Malin Kundang hold strong potential to serve as effective pedagogical resources for character formation and cultural identity reinforcement in primary education.

 

Keywords: folktale, contextual learning, character education, cultural identity, primary school students

Agung Muttaqin, Universitas Djuanda

Folktales represent a vital part of local cultural heritage, rich in moral messages and character-building values. In educational contexts, they serve as engaging yet meaningful learning tools. However, research on how primary school students comprehend and interpret such narratives remains limited. This study explores how the Malin Kundang folktale can be employed to foster character development and support contextual learning in accordance with the Indonesian Merdeka Curriculum. Conducted as a qualitative case study at SD Negeri Babakan Sukamanah, the research involved 20 sixth-grade students, a classroom teacher, and the school principal. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, direct classroom observations, and document analysis. Findings reveal that students most easily grasp narrative elements such as plot, whereas their understanding of character roles, setting, and moral messages remains underdeveloped. While students could internalize moral values such as respect for parents and humility, cultural values like awareness of heritage were less comprehended. Both the teacher and school principal emphasized the relevance of this folktale for thematic and contextual instruction. With appropriate instructional strategies, folktales like Malin Kundang hold strong potential to serve as effective pedagogical resources for character formation and cultural identity reinforcement in primary education.

 

Keywords: folktale, contextual learning, character education, cultural identity, primary school students

References

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Published

2025-07-22

How to Cite

Milah, Helmanto, F., & Muttaqin, A. (2025). MALIN KUNDANG FOLKTALE AS A MEDIUM FOR CHARACTER BUILDING AND CONTEXTUAL LEARNING IN PRIMARY EDUCATION. Proceeding of International Seminar on Humanity, Education, and Language, 1(1), 557–565. https://doi.org/10.21009/ishel.v1i1.57139

Issue

2025: Proceeding of International Seminar on Humanity, Education, and Language

Section

Humanity-Education-Language

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Copyright (c) 2025 Milah, Fachri Helmanto, Agung Muttaqin

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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