Prophetic educational values in the Indonesian language textbook: pillars of positive politeness and character education

Abstract

Strengthening character education and positive politeness is an important pillar in selecting textbooks and teaching materials in global era. This study aimed to identify and describe the prophetic education values in Indonesian language textbooks for the VII grade junior high school in their relation to positive politeness to build students' character. The research question is “how are the values of prophetic education as a pillar of politeness and character education in textbooks?”. Descriptive qualitative method was employed as the main approach. Data were collected through documentation using read-marker and noting techniques, and analyzed using heuristic and Grice's means-end politeness methods. Furthermore, the data were analyzed using content and comparative document analysis and sharpened by referential pragmatic politeness analysis. The research findings showed several interrelated prophetic education values in relation with the pillars of positive politeness and character education. These values formed the self-sufficiency of students in the Indonesian language textbook of class VII junior high school. They were manifested in the reality oriented to humanization, liberation, and transcendence. Humanization was realized through social life based on the generosity, honesty, tolerance, and politeness values. Similarly, liberation was realized through the education, health, mutual help, and hard work values. Moreover, transcendent life was actualized according to the consistency (istiqamah) in worshipping Allah (swt), gratitude, and humility (tawadhu') values. This study recommends that prophetic values can be used as a pillar of politeness development and strengthening educational characters in global era.