The Application of Magic Words Habituation (Please, Thank You, Sorry, and Excuse Me) in Building Character of Children Aged 5-6 Years

Rini Widiastuti; Sri Watini; Agustin Hamidah

doi:10.61650/ajme.v4i2.1218

Authors

Rini Widiastuti Universitas Pancasakti Bekasi, Indonesia
Sri Watini Universitas Pancasakti Bekasi, Indonesia
Agustin Hamidah Universitas Pancasakti Bekasi, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61650/ajme.v4i2.1218

Keywords:

Magic Words Habituation, Polite Character, Early Childhood

Abstract

Based on the problems identified at KB/TK AZ-Zaitun Bekasi, the polite character of children aged 5-6 years still needed improvement. This was evident from the fact that many children were not accustomed to saying "please," "thank you," "sorry," and "excuse me" in their daily interactions. Therefore, this study aimed to build children's polite character through the habituation of magic words in learning activities and daily school routines. The study focused on developing polite character in children aged 5-6 through the habituation of using the words "please," "thank you," "sorry," and "excuse me." The participants of this study were 10 children in Group B aged 5-6 years at KB/TK AZ-Zaitun Bekasi. This research employed the Classroom Action Research model of Kemmis and McTaggart, conducted in two cycles. Data were collected through observation, documentation, and field notes. The success criterion of this study was set at a minimum achievement of 80% in the development of children's polite character. The findings showed that the habituation of magic words was effective in building polite character among children aged 5-6 years. The observation results increased from 20.00% in the pre-cycle to 50.00% in cycle I and reached 80.00% in cycle II. These findings indicate that the consistent habituation of using the words "please," "thank you," "sorry," and "excuse me" can help children develop polite behavior in their daily lives.

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