Fostering Character and Literacy through the Development of Descriptive Text Based on Sidenreng Rappang Local Wisdom

This study aims to foster students’ character and literacy through the development of descriptive text teaching materials based on the local wisdom of Sidenreng Rappang. The research adopted a four-stage development model consisting of defining, designing, developing, and disseminating, which was adapted to the needs of Indonesian language learning in junior high schools. The participants were six teachers and ninety seventh-grade students from three junior high schools in Sidenreng Rappang Regency. Data were collected through expert validation, practicality questionnaires, and pre-test and post-test assessments of students’ descriptive writing skills. The validation results indicated that the teaching materials were highly feasible, with an overall mean score of 4.26, covering content, presentation, language, and graphic aspects. The practicality test showed that the materials were highly practical for both teachers and students, with the same mean score of 4.26. The effectiveness test revealed a significant improvement in students’ descriptive writing skills, with the average score increasing from 61.25 in the pre-test to 82.50 in the post-test. The highest improvement was recorded in idea development, which increased by 25 percent. Students’ responses also indicated greater pride in their local culture after using the materials. These findings suggest that descriptive text teaching materials based on local wisdom are effective in improving descriptive writing skills while nurturing students’ positive character.