IMPLEMENTASI MODEL PROJECT BASED LEARNING UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PEMAHAMAN HURUF ANAK USIA 4-5 TAHUN DI TK NEGERI PEMBINA BANJARMASIN SELATAN

Abstract

The ability to understand letters is fundamental to early childhood cognitive and language development, yet initial observations in Group A at TK Negeri Pembina Banjarmasin Selatan showed that most children could only write letters in their own names and still struggled to recognize letter shapes and distinguish similar letters, indicating the need for a concrete, active, and meaningful learning model. This study aimed to describe the implementation of the Project Based Learning (PjBL) model combined with Direct Instruction and to improve children's letter comprehension through both models. The research employed a qualitative Classroom Action Research (CAR) approach based on the Kemmis and McTaggart model, conducted in two cycles with 11 children in Group A as subjects, with data collected through observation and documentation, analyzed descriptively and comparatively. Results showed teacher activity increased from a score of 45 (70%, Good) in Cycle I to 52 (89%, Very Good) in Cycle II, particularly in delivering learning objectives, posing stimulating questions, guiding children, providing reinforcement, and conducting final reflection. Classical child activity rose sharply from 27% (Small Proportion Active) to 82% (Almost All Active), exceeding the ≥82% success indicator. Children's letter comprehension improved most significantly, from 36% to 100% in the Developing as Expected to Very Well Developed categories, surpassing the ≥63% success indicator. These results demonstrate that combining Project Based Learning with Direct Instruction effectively improves young children's letter comprehension through concrete, active, and meaningful learning experiences.