<![CDATA[This study aims to develop and evaluate a character-based English language instructional design that integrates the local cultural values of North Sumatra to improve students’ English proficiency and multicultural character. The approach incorporates the traditions and local wisdom of ethnic groups, including the Batak, Malay, Nias, and Karo, to strengthen linguistic competence while fostering cultural awareness and identity. It also seeks to prepare graduates who are globally competitive and remain rooted in their local cultural heritage. The study employed a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group pretest–posttest design. It was conducted during the fifth semester of the 2026/2027 academic year in the English Literature Study Program, Faculty of Literature, Universitas Islam Sumatera Utara (UISU). The sample consisted of 72 undergraduate students, with 36 assigned to the experimental group and 36 to the control group. The experimental group received local culture-based instruction, whereas the control group received conventional instruction. The instruments measured English proficiency through locally relevant cultural content and multicultural character across four dimensions: cultural awareness, appreciation of diversity, cross-cultural empathy, and cultural identity. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and normalized gain (N-gain). The results indicated significant improvements in English proficiency (F = 29.47, p < .001, d = 0.94) and multicultural character (F = 34.82, p < .001, d = 1.07). The N-gain scores were 0.68 for English proficiency and 0.71 for multicultural character. These findings support integrating North Sumatra’s local cultural values into character-based English language instruction.]]>
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