Al-Irsyad: Journal of Education Science

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ELSA SPEAK FOR FIRST-SEMESTER EFL STUDENTS

Dadan Hidayat, Chodidjah Chodidjah, Rina Lestari, Kalsum Kalsum — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigated the effectiveness of the ELSA Speak application in improving the speaking ability of first-semester EFL students. Many beginner learners still face difficulties in speaking English, especially in pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary use, and confidence during oral communication. To address these problems, ELSA Speak provides AI-supported speaking exercises, pronunciation feedback, and repeated practice that allow students to learn independently in a flexible environment. The research applied a pre-experimental method using a one-group pre-test and post-test design. The participants were 25 first-semester English students who attended eight treatment sessions over four weeks. Students’ speaking performance was evaluated through several aspects, including pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, and confidence. The findings showed that students’ speaking scores improved after using the application. The average score increased from 56.12 in the pre-test to 78.36 in the post-test. In addition, the paired-sample t-test indicated a statistically significant improvement (t(24) = 20.31, p < .001). The study suggests that the ELSA Speak application may support speaking development by providing interactive and motivating speaking practice. Furthermore, AI-based mobile learning applications can serve as supportive tools in technology-assisted language learning for EFL students.

STRATEGI GURU DALAM MENANAMKAN NILAI MODERASI BERAGAMA DI SEKOLAH RA RAUDLATUL HASANIYAH

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan strategi guru dalam menanamkan nilai moderasi beragama di RA Raudlatul Hasaniyah. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan jenis deskriptif. Subjek penelitian terdiri dari kepala sekolah, guru, dan pihak orang tua. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa strategi guru dalam menanamkan nilai moderasi beragama dilakukan melalui keteladanan, pembiasaan, kegiatan religius, pembelajaran kontekstual, serta kerja sama dengan orang tua. Bentuk penerapannya meliputi kegiatan infaq, sholat dhuha, tahfiz, cerita islami, bermain peran, serta pembiasaan sikap toleransi, saling menghargai, dan tolong-menolong. Strategi tersebut berkontribusi dalam membentuk karakter peserta didik yang religious,toleran,dan memiliki kepedulian sosial. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa penanaman nilai moderasi beragama di RA Raudlatul Hasaniyah berjalan cukup efektif dalam membentuk karakter peserta didik. Anak menunjukkan perubahan perilaku positif seperti lebih sopan, mandiri, peduli, dan mampu menghargai perbedaan. Keberhasilan tersebut didukung oleh kerja sama antara guru dan orang tua dalam membangun pembiasaan yang konsisten di sekolah maupun di rumah.

IMPLEMENTASI PEMBELAJARAN PAI TERINTEGRASI NEUROSAINS DAN KECERDASAN SPIRITUAL DI ERA SOCIETY 5.0

Muhammad Danial — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Minimnya pengetahuan terhadap mekanisme kerja dan fungsi otak manusia turut mempengaruhi gagalnya ketercapaian tujuan pendidikan Islam. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memahami implementasi pembelajaran Agama Islam yang terintegrasi dengan konsep neurosains melalui optimalisasi pengembangan pembelajaran di era Society 5.0. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif deskriptif, dengan desain studi kasus di UPT SMA Negeri 5 Barru, melibatkan guru, siswa dan kepala sekolah. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui wawancara mendalam, observasi dan dokumentasi serta bantuan angket yang bersifat Open Ended Questionnaire. Menggunakan analisis hermeneutik dan phenomenologik untuk menginterpretasikan fenomena yang terjadi seputar implementasi pembelajaran Agama Islam yang terintegrasi dengan konsep neurosains. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa:1) Integrasi neurosains dalam pembelajaran Agama Islam sebagai bagian dari proses internalisasi nilai-nilai keislaman dengan menghubungkan pemahaman kognitif dengan kesadaran transendental siswa. 2) Model Pembelajaran Agama Islam dikembangkan dengan memadukan prinsip kerja otak dan keterlibatan emosi positif dalam proses pembelajaran, penguatan memori jangka panjang melalui pengalaman bermakna. 3) Aspek kecerdasan spiritual di ukur dengan melihat kemampuan siswa dalam memaknai setiap peristiwa, kemampuan berpikir fleksibel dalam menyelesaikan masalah, kesadaran tujuan hidup sesuai nilai-nilai Islam.

RESEARCH DESIGNS AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS OF GAMIFICATION IN EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Agus Rahmat, Iskandar Iskandar, Amirullah Amirullah, Dias Wahyu Rawikarani — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This systematic literature review looks at how gamification strategies are being used in education that focuses on the trends in research designs and the theories used in educational gamification studies, given the limited synthesis regarding these two aspects. The analysis covers 16 research articles published from 2020 to 2025. Information was gathered from Google Scholar and ERIC by using specific rules to decide either data inclusion or exclusion, and then it was examined through a process called thematic synthesis. The results show that most research on gamification uses quantitative and quasi-experimental designs, while mixed-methods and qualitative approaches are used less often. Additionally, the review shows that several studies use gamification but don't clearly base their methods on recognized learning or motivation theories. However, some studies do mention Self-Determination Theory and ideas related to active learning. Overall, the synthesized evidence indicates that gamification enhances motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes. However, future studies should use more theory-based approaches and different methods to make their findings more reliable and relevant to teaching.

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF ENGLISH TEACHERS’ TEACHING STRATEGIES IN SECONDARY SCHOOL EFL CLASSROOMS

Utary Rustam, Hasbiyah Srianah Amir, Dewi Yuliani Lukman, Syaiful Syaiful — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Students’ perceptions provide valuable insights into how teaching strategies are experienced in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. This study examined secondary school students’ perceptions of the teaching strategies employed by English teachers at SMPN 2 Parepare, Indonesia. A descriptive quantitative survey was conducted with 172 ninth-grade students selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a 30-item questionnaire adapted from Barnes and Orlich’s framework of effective teaching strategies (Cronbach’s α = 0.91). The findings revealed a mean perception score of 92.31 out of 120, indicating positive perceptions across all eight instructional dimensions. Teacher–Student Relationship received the highest mean score (M = 3.24), whereas Feedback and Assessment received the lowest (M = 2.93), although both remained within the positive category. These findings highlight students’ positive perceptions of English teachers’ instructional practices and suggest the importance of maintaining supportive teaching strategies while strengthening feedback and assessment practices.