Students’ Perceptions on Strengthening Character Education in English Teaching Learning Process at Smas Nurul Iman Tanjung Morawa

This study investigated character education in English teaching-learning at grade
XI IPA 1 of SMAS Nurul Iman Tanjung Morawa. Specifically, it sought to analyze
character values and strategies that may contribute to strengthening character
education in English teaching-learning process based on the students’ perceptions.
The descriptive qualitative design is used in this study. The data were obtained
through observation, questionnaires, interview and documentation. The fifteen
students were selected as data source to answer the implementation of character
education in their English teaching and learning process by Lickona (2003). This
findings showed that all participants have more positive perceptions than negative
perception after attending the English class. The English teacher has implemented
character education with various frequencies in the teaching and learning process.
In addition, the English teacher has included various character values in the teaching
and learning process with different focuses and emphases in their implementation.
There were fifteen character values in the lesson plan and eighteen in implementing
the learning process in the classroom out of the eighteen characters in the 2013
curriculum. The fifteen character values included in the lesson plan can be used in a
classroom setting. They are religious, social care, curiosity/critical thinking,
tolerance, honesty, democracy, hard work, appreciating or rewarding achievements,
responsibility, confidence, communication, creativity, independence, discipline,
and reading interest. In addition, the teacher used some strategies that might be
effective in implementing character values and have a good impact on her students’
attitude and achievement, namely with habituation, advice, brainstorming, doing
assignments, punishments or rewards.