Principal Strategies for Improving Students’ Literacy Skills
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52690/jswse.v8i1.1651Keywords:
Instructional Leadership, Principal Strategy, School Literacy Culture, Students’ Literacy, Transformational LeadershipAbstract
This article analyzes principal strategies for improving students’ literacy skills in an integrated Islamic junior high school context. The study was developed from qualitative case study conducted at SMP IT Al-Furqon Palembang. The research focused on four main aspects: the planning and implementation of the principal’s literacy strategy, the challenges and solutions in program implementation, the principal’s leadership role in strengthening literacy culture, and the impact of the strategy on students’ literacy development. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and documentation involving the principal, school supervisor, curriculum vice principal, teachers, students, and parents. The findings show that the principal acted as both an instructional and transformational leader by integrating literacy into school vision, curriculum, classroom learning, Islamic values, and school culture. The main strategy was organized through Penggiat Literasi Al-Furqon (PELITA), including literacy corners, digital literacy, bulletin publication, wall magazines, book writing, and appreciation for active library users. Although the implementation faced challenges related to teacher competence, student reading interest, data-based evaluation, learning time, reading resources, and gadget influence, the school responded through teacher training, peer tutoring, varied literacy methods, strengthened coordination, and parent involvement. The strategy improved students’ literacy achievement, participation, confidence, creativity, and learning culture.
References
Akinsemolu, A. A., & Onyeaka, H. (2025). The role of green education in achieving the sustainable development goals: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 210(December 2024), 115239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2024.115239
Ali, N., Afwadzi, B., Abdullah, I., & Mukmin, M. I. (2021). Interreligious Literacy Learning as a Counter-Radicalization Method: A New Trend among Institutions of Islamic Higher Education in Indonesia. Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, 32(4), 383–405. https://doi.org/10.1080/09596410.2021.1996978
Alramamneh, Y., Saqr, S., & Areepattamannil, S. (2023). Investigating the relationship between parental attitudes toward reading, early literacy activities, and reading literacy in Arabic among Emirati children. Large-Scale Assessments in Education, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40536-023-00187-3
Altinyelken, H. K. (2021). Critical thinking and non-formal Islamic education: Perspectives from young Muslims in the Netherlands. Contemporary Islam, 15(3), 267–285. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11562-021-00470-6
Baig, M. I., & Yadegaridehkordi, E. (2023). Flipped classroom in higher education: a systematic literature review and research challenges. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00430-5
Bogner, J., Fritzsch, J., Wagner, S., & Zimmermann, A. (2021). Industry practices and challenges for the evolvability assurance of microservices: An interview study and systematic grey literature review. Empirical Software Engineering, 26(5). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10664-021-09999-9
Bonawitz, K., Wetmore, M., Heisler, M., Dalton, V. K., Damschroder, L. J., Forman, J., Allan, K. R., & Moniz, M. H. (2020). Champions in context: Which attributes matter for change efforts in healthcare? Implementation Science, 15(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-020-01024-9
Brummernhenrich, B., Baker, M. J., Bietti, L. M., Détienne, F., & Jucks, R. (2021). Being (Un)safe together: Student group dynamics, facework and argumentation. In Dialogue for Intercultural Understanding: Placing Cultural Literacy at the Heart of Learning. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71778-0_9
Chung, H. Q., Chen, V., & Olson, C. B. (2021). The impact of self-assessment, planning and goal setting, and reflection before and after revision on student self-efficacy and writing performance. Reading and Writing, 34(7), 1885–1913. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-021-10186-x
Dabengwa, I. M., Moyo, S., Ncube, S., Gashirai, T. B., Makaza, D., Makoni, P., Pasipamire, N., Chademana, G. K., Mafoti, M., Mapfumo, S., & Mandaza, D. (2024). Exploring digital competences in Zimbabwean secondary schools using a multimodal view: a hermeneutical phenomenography study. Cogent Education, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2387911
Edge, C., Monske, E., Boyer-Davis, S., VandenAvond, S., & Hamel, B. (2022). Leading University Change: A Case Study of Meaning-Making and Implementing Online Learning Quality Standards. American Journal of Distance Education, 36(1), 53–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923647.2021.2005414
Esmaeeli, S. (2024). A Model of the Home Literacy Environment and Family Risk of Reading Difficulty in Relation to Children’s Preschool Emergent Literacy. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 57(3), 181–196. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222194231195623
Franco, M. P., Bottiani, J. H., & Bradshaw, C. P. (2024). Assessing Teachers’ Culturally Responsive Classroom Practice in PK–12 Schools: A Systematic Review of Teacher-, Student-, and Observer-Report Measures. Review of Educational Research, 94(5), 743–798. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543231208720
Gorter, D., & Arocena, E. (2020). Teachers’ beliefs about multilingualism in a course on translanguaging. System, 92, 102272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102272
Goyibova, N., Muslimov, N., Sabirova, G., Kadirova, N., & Samatova, B. (2025). Differentiation approach in education: Tailoring instruction for diverse learner needs. MethodsX, 14(December 2024), 103163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2025.103163
Heo, K., & Seo, Y. (2021). Anticipatory governance for newcomers: lessons learned from the UK, the Netherlands, Finland, and Korea. European Journal of Futures Research, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40309-021-00179-y
Javaid, M., Haleem, A., Singh, R. P., Khan, S., & Khan, I. H. (2023). Unlocking the opportunities through ChatGPT Tool towards ameliorating the education system. Bench Council Transactions on Benchmarks, Standards and Evaluations, 3(2), 100115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbench.2023.100115
Johnson, C. C., Walton, J. B., Strickler, L., & Elliott, J. B. (2023). Online Teaching in K-12 Education in the United States: A Systematic Review. Review of Educational Research, 93(3), 353–411. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543221105550
Kim, T., & Lee, Y. (2020). Principal instructional leadership for teacher participation in professional development: evidence from Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. Asia Pacific Education Review, 21(2), 261–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-019-09616-x
Kosmas, P., Nisiforou, E. A., Kounnapi, E., Sophocleous, S., & Theophanous, G. (2025). Integrating artificial intelligence in literacy lessons for elementary classrooms: a co-design approach. Educational Technology Research and Development, 73(4), 2589–2615. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-025-10492-z
Kucirkova, N., & Grøver, V. (2024). The Importance of Embodiment and Agency in Parents’ Positive Attitudes Towards Shared Reading with Their Children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 52(1), 221–230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01415-1
Lucas, R. E. (2023). Why the Cross-Lagged Panel Model Is Almost Never the Right Choice. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/25152459231158378
Mahmood, A., Huang, X., & Rehman, N. (2024). The role of teachers and administrators in supporting the adaptation of students with special needs in mainstream high schools. Quality Education for All, 2(1), 35–54. https://doi.org/10.1108/QEA-06-2024-0054
Marín, V. I., & Castañeda, L. (2023). Developing Digital Literacy for Teaching and Learning. Handbook of Open, Distance and Digital Education, 1089–1108. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2080-6_64
Mashami, R. A., Ahmadi, & Pahriah. (2025). Green chemistry and cultural wisdom: A pathway to improving scientific literacy among high school students. Social Sciences and Humanities Open, 11(December 2024), 101653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101653
Massouti, A., Shaya, N., & Qareiny, S. M. A. (2024). Exploring the nexus between female school leaders’ perceptions of distributed instructional leadership, socio-cultural dynamics, and student achievement in the Arab world. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 7(March), 100372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2024.100372
Merga, M. K., Roni, S. M., & Malpique, A. (2021). School leadership and whole-school support of struggling literacy learners in secondary schools. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 49(3), 534–550. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143220905036
Mincu, M. (2022). Why is school leadership key to transforming education? Structural and cultural assumptions for quality education in diverse contexts. Prospects, 52(3–4), 231–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-022-09625-6
Mugwaze, F., & Smith, C. (2024). Rethinking the Role of the Principal in the Strategic Management of Human Capital in Public Secondary Schools in Zimbabwe. SAGE Open, 14(3), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241254604
Ortega, G., Rodriguez, J. A., Maurer, L. R., Witt, E. E., Perez, N., Reich, A., & Bates, D. W. (2020). Telemedicine, COVID-19, and disparities: Policy implications. Health Policy and Technology, 9(3), 368–371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlpt.2020.08.001
Peters, M. A., Wang, H., Ogunniran, M. O., Huang, Y., Green, B., Chunga, J. O., Quainoo, E. A., Ren, Z., Hollings, S., Mou, C., Khomera, S. W., Zhang, M., Zhou, S., Laimeche, A., Zheng, W., Xu, R., Jackson, L., & Hayes, S. (2020). China’s Internationalized Higher Education During Covid-19: Collective Student Autoethnography. Postdigital Science and Education, 2(3), 968–988. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-020-00128-1
Rees, J., Burton, A., Walters, K., & Cooper, C. (2023). Exploring the provision and support of care for long-term conditions in dementia: A qualitative study combining interviews and document analysis. Dementia, 22(4), 820–837. https://doi.org/10.1177/14713012231161854
Schiff, D. (2022). Education for AI, not AI for Education: The Role of Education and Ethics in National AI Policy Strategies. In International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education (Vol. 32, Number 3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40593-021-00270-2
van Hek, M., & Kraaykamp, G. (2023). Why Jane likes to read and John does not. How parents and schools stimulate girls’ and boys’ intrinsic reading motivation. Poetics, 101(October 2022), 101828. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poetic.2023.101828
Visscher, A. J. (2021). On the value of data-based decision making in education: The evidence from six intervention studies. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 69(April 2020), 100899. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2020.100899
Walid, M., Budianto, L., Rohmana, W. I. M., Wahyuni, E. N., Ali, N., & Uyun, F. (2025). Caring leadership as a leading factor in cultivating the research culture: Evidence from Islamic higher education. Cogent Education, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2480485
Yapp, D., de Graaff, R., & van den Bergh, H. (2023). Effects of reading strategy instruction in English as a second language on students’ academic reading comprehension. Language Teaching Research, 27(6), 1456–1479. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820985236
Yessenbekova, U., Aldabergenova, Z., Mamankul, A., Rakhymbayev, N., & Kutym, B. (2025). The Impact of the Digital Format on Kazakh Youth’s Information Consumption and Reading Culture. Publishing Research Quarterly, 41(1), 113–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12109-024-10012-6
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Mardalena Mardalena, Nila Kesumawati, Nuril Furkan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
