Improving Hijaiyyah Letter Recognition Ability of Children Aged 5–6 Years Through Flashcard Media at KB An-Nur

Abstract

The ability to recognize Hijaiyyah letters is an essential foundation in early childhood Qur'anic education that directly determines the quality of Qur'an reading in the future. However, various field findings indicate that this ability remains very low in many Islamic early childhood education institutions, including KB An-Nur, where only 4 out of 20 observed children (20%) were able to recognize Hijaiyyah letters well. This low achievement is attributed to the use of learning media that is insufficiently varied and engaging for children. This study aims to describe the implementation process of flashcard media and analyze the improvement in the ability to recognize Hijaiyyah letters of children aged 5–6 years at KB An-Nur. The study uses a Classroom Action Research (CAR) design following the Kemmis & McTaggart model, conducted in two cycles, each consisting of three meetings. Research subjects were 20 Group B children at KB An-Nur. Data were collected through structured observation, interviews, and documentation, then analyzed using a descriptive qualitative approach combined with percentage achievement calculations. The success criterion was set at ≥80% of children reaching the Developing as Expected (BSH) category. The results show a significant improvement: in the initial condition only 20% of children reached BSH; increasing to 60% at the end of Cycle I; and reaching 90% at the end of Cycle II, surpassing the established success criterion. The effectiveness of flashcard media operates through mechanisms of multisensory stimulation, visual memory reinforcement, and enjoyable learning appropriate to the learning characteristics of early childhood.