Enhancing Students’ Learning Interest in Islamic Religious Education and Character Building Through the Drill Method in Grade VIII at SMP Islam Terpadu Al Ikhlas Pinrang

his research is motivated by the effort to apply the drill method to enhance the learning interest of Grade VIII students in the subject of Islamic Religious Education and Character at SMP Islam Terpadu Al Ikhlas Pinrang. The research problems formulated in this study are: (1) How is the process of increasing students’ learning interest in Islamic Religious Education and Character through the drill method in Grade VIII at SMP Islam Terpadu Al Ikhlas Pinrang,(2) What are the results of increasing students’ learning interest in Islamic Religious Education and Character through the drill method in Grade VIII at SMP Islam Terpadu Al Ikhlas Pinrang. The objectives of this study are to analyze the process and the outcomes of increasing students’ learning interest through the drill method in Islamic Religious Education and Character for Grade VIII students at SMP Islam Terpadu Al Ikhlas Pinrang. To achieve these objectives, the study employed a qualitative approach with Classroom Action Research (CAR) methodology, implemented in three phases: precycle, cycle I, and cycle II. Data collection techniques included observation, interviews, and documentation, using an assessment instrument for learning interest consisting of eight indicators. The collected data were analyzed descriptively and quantitatively based on observations in each cycle. The results show that the gradual application of the drill method successfully increased students' learning interest—from the "low interest" category in the pre-cycle (43.27%), to "interested" in cycle I (71.75%), and finally to "highly interested" in cycle II (88.15%). These findings indicate that the drill method is an effective and adaptive instructional strategy for fostering students’ learning interest. The novelty of this research lies in the integration of the drill method into Islamic Religious Education andCharacter instruction, which aims not only to enhance learning interest but also to support the development of students’ character. The context of implementation in an integrated Islamic junior high school, along with the alignment of the instructional approach to the psychological and pedagogical characteristics of junior high school students, further strengthens the innovative contribution of this study.