Improving Numeracy Literacy Competency of SPS Teachers through the Media Board Game Workshop

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FORMOSA NEWS

South Jakarta — Improving Numeracy Literacy Competency of SPS Teachers through the Media Board Game Workshop. This research was conducted by Sri Watini, Rahmah Ayuningtyas, Puji Widyaningrum, and Meily Tri Rahmadani from Panca Sakti University Bekasi in a scientific article published in the Formosa Community Service Journal (JPMF) in early 2026.

Research conducted by Sri Watini, Rahmah Ayuningtyas, Puji Widyaningrum, and Meily Tri Rahmadan revealed that the practice-based workshop approach and educational games are able to improve teachers' understanding of numeracy literacy while changing learning practices in the classroom.

Numeracy literacy is not just about counting

This research highlights that numeracy literacy at the PAUD level is still often understood narrowly as reading, writing, and arithmetic activities through children's worksheets (LKA). In fact, the concept of numeracy literacy includes the ability to understand symbols, numbers, patterns, and the context of daily life through the experience of play and social interaction.

In many SPS units, limited resources and training make teachers tend to use conventional methods. Children seem to be busy doing tasks, but are not always actively involved in the thought process. This condition prompted the research team to present a workshop that emphasized game-based learning as an alternative approach

Participatory workshops: from theory to hands-on practice

The workshop was held for about one month with a participatory mentoring approach. Teachers not only receive material, but also design, test, and reflect on learning media directly.

The stages of the activity include:

1. Initial assessment to determine teachers' understanding of numeracy literacy.
2. Strengthening the concept of play-based numeracy literacy.
3. The practice of designing board games according to the learning theme.
4. Trial in their respective classes.
5. Evaluation and reflection together.

This method provides space for teachers to experiment and learn from real experiences, rather than just accepting theories.

Significant improvement in teacher competence

The results of the evaluation show quite a striking change. The average score of the teacher's pre-test was at 48.3, indicating that the initial competency was in the medium to low category. After the workshop and classroom implementation, the average post-test score increased to 86.7.

Three main improvements noticed:

1. Teachers better understand the concept of play-based numeracy literacy.
2. Teachers are able to design board games according to learning objectives.
3. Teachers can distinguish drilling activities from meaningful learning.

Thematic board games are born from the creativity of teachers

One of the interesting results of this workshop is the emergence of various board games made directly by teachers using simple materials.

Some examples of media produced:

• "Mini Market", a buying and selling simulation game that trains the introduction of numbers and the concept of numbers.
• "Explore Numbers", a dice-based game with a numeracy challenge at every step.
• "House of Colors and Shapes", a game matches colors, shapes, and the number of objects.

Teachers realize that interesting media doesn't have to be expensive; Creativity and local context are key.

Children are more active and learning is more meaningful

The teacher's reflection shows that the use of board games makes children more enthusiastic, actively discussing, and involved in learning. Children who were previously passive when using LKA became more focused when learning through games.

In addition to increasing learning motivation, board games also help teachers observe children's natural abilities through social interaction and decision-making during play. Sri Watini and her team emphasized that this change is not just about new media, but a paradigm shift from task-based learning to a lively learning experience.

Implementation challenges in the field

Despite the positive results, several challenges still arise, including:

• Limited training time.
• The old habit of teachers who still rely on worksheets.
• Lack of confidence in designing media.

However, group discussions and collaborative work help teachers overcome these barriers. Many participants even plan to develop new board game variations independently.

Implications for the world of education

These findings provide an important message for the development of early childhood education in Indonesia. Contextual, practical, and real-experience teacher training has proven to be more effective than theoretical training alone.

Some of the key implications the researchers raise:

• Integration of game-based learning to improve numeracy literacy.
• Strengthening the teacher's learning community as a space to share good practices.
• Continuous assistance so that changes in teaching practices can be sustained.

Author profile

• Sri Watini – Panca Sakti University Bekasi.

• Rahmah Ayuningtyas. – Panca Sakti University Bekasi.

• Puji Widyaningrum– Panca Sakti University Bekasi

• Meily Tri Rahmadani– Panca Sakti University Bekasi.

Research source

Watini, S., Ayuningtyas, R., Widyaningrum, P., & Rahmadani, M. T. (2026). Improving Numeracy Literacy Competency of SPS Teachers through the Media Board Game Workshop.

Journal of Community Service of Formosa (JPMF), Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 45–56.DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/jpmf.v5i1.119

Official URL: https://ntlformosapublisher.org/index.php/jpmf