Strengthening students’ literacy, numeracy and character by traditional Angkola games revitalization

Gabby Maureen Pricilia (English Education, Faculty of Social Science and Language Education, Institut Pendidikan Tapanuli Selatan, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia)
Habib Rahmansyah (English Education, Faculty of Social Science and Language Education, Institut Pendidikan Tapanuli Selatan, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia)
Ayustina Julia (English Education, Faculty of Social Science and Language Education, Institut Pendidikan Tapanuli Selatan, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia)
Sahrul Batubara (English Education, Faculty of Social Science and Language Education, Institut Pendidikan Tapanuli Selatan, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia)
Okta Amalia (English Education, Faculty of Social Science and Language Education, Institut Pendidikan Tapanuli Selatan, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia)
Dimas Eri Sujiwo (English Education, Faculty of Social Science and Language Education, Institut Pendidikan Tapanuli Selatan, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia)
Salsa Dillah Tijahra (English Education, Faculty of Social Science and Language Education, Institut Pendidikan Tapanuli Selatan, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia)
Nurhusainah Nurhusainah (English Education, Faculty of Social Science and Language Education, Institut Pendidikan Tapanuli Selatan, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia)
Mutiara Harahap (English Education, Faculty of Social Science and Language Education, Institut Pendidikan Tapanuli Selatan, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia)
Lidya Resti Minta Ito (English Education, Faculty of Social Science and Language Education, Institut Pendidikan Tapanuli Selatan, Padangsidimpuan, Indonesia)

Community Empowerment Journal
Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026)

Literacy, numeracy, and character are important foundations for life skills in the 21st century and the indicators of a nation’s progress, so they must receive serious attention. The partners in this activity are children in Rimba Soping Village who show low literacy, numeracy skills and need character strengthening. Strengthening children's literacy, numeracy and character is done by implementing community service in revitalizing Angkola traditional games program for students in Rimba Soping Village. Traditional Angkola games such as marsimbak, markuling-kuling acca, markalas-kalas, marjambatan Tapanuli, adong ma sada carito stimulate children to build communication each other, tell what they think, count and so on which are basic literacy and numeracy skills that are needed. And through these traditional games, the characters of cooperation, honesty, love of culture, friendship, communicative, caring, discipline, orderly are instilled and strengthened. With this, children’s literacy, numeracy and character experience positive changes while preserving traditional Angkola games.