Cultivating Santri’s Academic Writing Skills in a Formal Pesantren Setting: Implementation of Paper Program for Final-Year Students

Mohammad Dzakiyyuddin; Aang Ali Nurzen Amin; Tuti Alawiyah; Anton Musa; R Dedi Supriatna

doi:10.35445/alishlah.v18i2.9510

Cultivating Santri’s Academic Writing Skills in a Formal Pesantren Setting: Implementation of Paper Program for Final-Year Students

Mohammad Dzakiyyuddin, Aang Ali Nurzen Amin, Tuti Alawiyah, Anton Musa, R Dedi Supriatna

Abstract

Academic writing is essential for developing students’ scientific literacy, critical reasoning, and intellectual maturity. However, in pesantren contexts, the transition from oral-textual religious learning to formal academic writing remains underexplored. This study examines the implementation of the Santri Paper Program at Muadalah Mualimin Pesantren Darussalam Garut as an institutional effort to cultivate final-year santri’s academic writing skills.This study employed a qualitative case study design with a naturalistic inquiry approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, student testimonies, and document analysis involving pesantren leaders, program committee members, mentors, and final-year santri. The data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, consisting of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing.The findings show that the program was implemented through five stages: strategic planning, academic writing workshops, mentor briefing, daily mentoring and writing practice, and final assessment. The success of the program was supported by a “Triple-Helix Synergy” consisting of institutionalized Arabic-English linguistic culture, academic collectivism among santri, and religious altruism-based mentorship. These elements enabled 341 santri, guided by 81 mentors, to complete academic papers in Arabic and English. Nevertheless, the program still faced challenges related to digital literacy, limited mentor research profiles, and the lack of external publication mechanisms.The Santri Paper Program offers a contextual model for institutionalizing academic writing in pesantren education. Its sustainability depends on strengthening digital literacy, mentor capacity, and dissemination systems.

Keywords

santri paper program; academic writing in pesantren; Muadalah Mualimin; scientific literacy; academic mentorship

References

Alfathon, A. M., & Alberto, A. R. (2022). Model tradisi keilmuan dan pengembangan literasi santri di Pesantren Karanggedang, Cilacap, Jawa Tengah. AT-THARIQ: Jurnal Studi Islam Dan Budaya, 2(2), 23–41. https://doi.org/10.57210/trq.v2i02.152

Bal, S. (2021). An investigation of the integration of blogs into EFL classes: Learners’ views toward blogs and preferences for writing classes. Journal of Educational Technology and Online Learning, 4(4), 594–604. https://doi.org/10.31681/jetol.1016599

Bassal, S., Matalines, A. M., & Valles, J. V. (2025). Corrective feedback and writing skills of humanities and social science senior high school students in creative writing. Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 3(8), 555–566. https://doi.org/10.69569/jip.2025.460

Bauer, F., & El-Sayed, M. (2025). School climate and academic resilience: The mediating role of teacher–student relationship quality. Journal of Adolescent and Youth Psychological Studies, 6(6), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.jayps.6.6.15

Dhillon, P. (2022). How to write a good scientific review article. FEBS Journal, 289(13), 3592–3602. https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.16565

Drennan, L. (2022). Transitioning from undergraduate to postgraduate studies: A multistage evaluation of a discipline-specific writing intervention. Journal for Language Teaching, 56(2), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.56285/jltVol56iss2a5293

Dzakiyyuddin, M., Sanusi, A., Wahidin, D., & Saeful Insan, H. (2022). Management of khidmah practices at Mualimin Muadalah Islamic boarding schools to produce quality graduates. International Journal of Educational Research and Social Sciences, 3(2), 890–903. https://doi.org/10.51601/ijersc.v3i2.357

Fajrina, D., Everatt, J., & Sadeghi, A. (2022). Rhetorical pattern of the Indonesian EFL undergraduate students’ writings. Studies in English Language and Education, 9(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v9i1.13640

Gatz, J. D., Windsor, T. A., Chu, E., Dezman, Z. D. W., & Bontempo, L. J. (2025). Mentorship as a catalyst for academic writing in emergency medicine. AEM Education and Training, 9(3), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1002/aet2.70062

Haki, U., Prahastiwi, E. D., & Selatan, U. T. (2024). Strategi Pengumpulan dan Analisis Data dalam Penelitian Kualitatif Pendidikan. Jurnal Inovasi Dan Teknologi Pendidikan, 3(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.46306/jurinotep.v3i1.67

Hastasari, C., Setiawan, B., & Aw, S. (2022). Students’ communication patterns of islamic boarding schools: the case of Students in Muallimin Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. Heliyon, 8(1), e08824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08824

Ismail, S. N. (2021). Peran program kegiatan karya tulis ilmiah untuk meningkatkan daya kemampuan berpikir siswa MA Raudlotul Huffadz. Widya Balina, 6(2), 246–261. https://doi.org/10.53958/wb.v6i12.103

Kanyiri, A. (2025). School climate and teacher attrition intentions: A case study of junior high schools in Bole district, Ghana. Journal of Social and Scientific Education, 2(1), 51–72. https://doi.org/10.58230/josse.v2i1.280

Kayaalp, F., Meral, E., & Namlı, Z. B. (2022). An analysis of the effect of writing-to-learn activities regarding students’ academic achievement and self-regulation skills in writing. Participatory Educational Research, 9(1), 324–348. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.22.18.9.1

Ladera, D. L. E., & Barcelona, K. E. (2025). Linguistic knowledge, teachers’ writing strategies and writing apprehension implications to grade 12 students writing skills. Ignatian International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research, 3, 1145–1165. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15739675

Luu, N., Le, P., & Vo, T. H. C. (2025). Students’ attitudes toward the use of peer assessment in developing writing skills. EIKI Journal of Effective Teaching Methods, 3(3), 167–173. https://doi.org/10.59652/jetm.v3i3.637

Mehdi, P., Jamal, N., Maryam, M., Gull, K., & Lodhi, D. M. A. (2025). Role of ESL teachers’ feedback in improving students’ writing skills: A case study in City School Bahawalpur. Academia International Journal for Social Sciences, 4(3), 1981–1993. https://doi.org/10.63056/acad.004.03.0507

Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2020). Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://opac.ut.ac.id/detail-opac?id=38763

Muslihati, M., Taufiq, A., Sopingi, S., Saputra, N. M. A., & Diyana, T. N. (2023). Peningkatan keterampilan penulisan karya tulis ilmiah pada santri dengan model hybrid project based learning. E-Dimas: Jurnal Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat, 14(2), 260–267. https://doi.org/10.26877/e-dimas.v14i2.11742

Na’imah, T., Sriyanto, S., Nur’aeni, N., & Azzahra, N. F. (2025). School climate and academic hardiness on students’ subjective well-being in boarding school with student engagement as mediator. Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal, 8(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.25217/0020258567200

Naufina, N., & Putro, N. H. P. S. (2025). Senior high school students’ writing anxiety: A writing process theory. EduLite: Journal of English Education, Literature and Culture, 10(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.30659/e.10.1.16-35

Nazariah, N., Helmanda, C. M., & Yani, M. (2023). Upaya peningkatan kemampuan literasi baca tulis santri di Pesantren Baitul Arqam Aceh Besar. Amalee: Indonesian Journal of Community Research and Engagement, 4(2), 707–722. https://doi.org/10.37680/amalee.v4i2.3160

Nugraeni, R., & Akhiriyah, S. (2025). The correlation between self-regulated learning strategies in writing and senior high school students’ writing performance. English Education:Journal of English Teaching and Research, 10(2), 101–110. https://doi.org/10.29407/jetar.v10i2.26392

Nurkamto, J., Ary Prihandoko, L., Putro, N., & Purwati, O. (2024). Academic writing apprehension in higher education: A systematic review. Studies in English Language and Education, 11, 247–266. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v11i1.28928

Pasandalan, S., & Cerado, E. (2025). Linking school climate to teachers’ motivation, satisfaction, and commitment among public high schools in Muslim Mindanao. Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 3(9), 589–598. https://doi.org/10.69569/jip.2025.503

Polonia, B. S. E., Ravi, A., & Jumiar, A. D. (2022). Bimbingan & pelatihan KTI (karya tulis ilmiah) bagi siswa-siswi SMP Negeri di Kabupaten Ketapang. Literasi: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat dan Inovasi, 2(2), 586–590. https://doi.org/10.58466/literasi.v2i2.345

Rahmah, N. A., & Hadi, S. (2025). English Immersion at Modern Pesantren : Communities of Practice and SLA Perspective. Tarbiyah: Jurnal Ilmiah Kependidikan, 14(2), 367–385. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.18592/tarbiyah.v14i2.17950

Rasimin, Semma, A. B., Zakiyuddin, Ali, M., & Helmy, M. I. (2024). Multi-dimensional challenges in the Indonesian social science information technology-based learning: A systematic literature review. Heliyon, 10(7), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28706

Saharudin, S. (2025). Menumbuhkan budaya literasi tulis santri di Pesantren Nurunnubuwah NW Repuk Buwuh. Jurnal Pengabdian pada Masyarakat, 5(2), 144–150. https://doi.org/10.51700/pemberdayaan.v5i2.1304

Sitorus, R., & Zasari, M. (2023). Pelatihan karya tulis ilmiah bagi siswa SMA Setiabudi Kecamatan Sungailiat Kabupaten Bangka. Jurnal Abdi Masyarakat Indonesia, 3(6), 1657–1662. https://doi.org/10.54082/jamsi.982

Suteja, S., & Setiawan, D. (2022). Students’ critical thinking and writing skills in project-based learning. International Journal of Educational Qualitative Quantitative Research, 1(1), 16–22. https://doi.org/10.58418/ijeqqr.v1i1.5

Sya’roni, A., & Nisa, D. C. (2023). Peran pesantren dalam mengembangkan literasi digital santri di Forum Lingkar Pena (FLP) Darul Ulum Banyuanyar. Al-Ulum Jurnal Pemikiran Dan Penelitian Ke Islaman, 10(2), 105–119. https://doi.org/10.31102/alulum.10.2.2023.105-119

Syakur, A., Dainori, D., Fitriyah, R., & Paisun, P. (2021). Penguatan Literasi Digital Santri di Pondok Pesantren Sabilul Muttaqin Daramista Lenteng Sumenep. Bisma : Bimbingan Swadaya Masyarakat, 5(1), 36–43. https://doi.org/10.59689/bisma.v1i3.199

Wahyuningsih, S. (2021). Engaging EFL students in English phrases of academic writing: How and why? Prominent, 4(2), 116–126. https://doi.org/10.24176/pro.v4i2.6243

Wale, B. D., & Bogale, Y. N. (2021). Using inquiry-based writing instruction to develop students’ academic writing skills. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 6(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-020-00108-9

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v18i2.9510