Literacy Action through ReadQuest Gamification: Efforts to Transform Reading Interest at SDIT At-Takwin

Abstract

Reading literacy is an essential competency for elementary school students. Yet many learners still struggle to understand informational texts due to low motivation and the dominance of conventional teaching practices. This gap between recommended interactive learning approaches and actual classroom conditions highlights the need for innovative strategies within community service programs. Therefore, this community service initiative aims to enhance students’ comprehension of informational texts through the implementation of the ReadQuest gamification model, supported by deep learning principles, at SDIT At-Takwin. Using a participatory mentoring and intervention approach, the program incorporated observations, semi-structured interviews, and analysis of students’ reflective documents to identify learning needs and evaluate progress. ReadQuest was designed as an exploratory school game consisting of reading missions, case-based challenges, and collaborative tasks that encouraged critical thinking, active participation, and peer interaction. The intervention generated significant improvements, including increased motivation, stronger collaborative skills, and a 75% rise in comprehension scores. These outcomes demonstrate that integrating deep learning–based gamification within community service activities effectively strengthens reading literacy while fostering a joyful, meaningful, and socially empowering learning environment. This approach shows strong potential for broader application in improving the quality of basic education.