Internalizing Moral Values through Nadhoman Hidayatul Muta’allim

This study examines how students encounter, interpret, and practice moral values through the collective recitation of verses from Hidayatul Muta’allim. A qualitative single case study drew on direct observations, documentation, and in-depth interviews with the school head, teachers, and students. Evidence was compared across sources and methods. Teachers introduced values through recitation and explanation. Students associated rhythm with enjoyment and found the Indonesian and Javanese translations, along with teacher explanations, helpful for understanding the verses. Their accounts of greeting teachers and speaking politely provided preliminary indications of moral practice. The study examines a local recitation tradition in primary education and distinguishes engagement with the activity, perceived understanding of its messages, and reported enactment of values. The findings clarify how rhythmic recitation and teacher guidance work together in a routine for teaching moral values. They also refine the interpretation of value transformation, value transaction, and transinternalization by distinguishing the evidence available for each process. This distinction helps educators assess what students take from the verses and identify where further observation is needed to understand how they apply them.