Improving Short Story Writing Skills Through Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) Approach Assisted by Canva Media Among Grade XI Students of SMA Mutiara Harapan

Writing skills are an essential component of Indonesian language learning because they enable students to express ideas, experiences, and thoughts systematically through written communication. However, students often experience difficulties in developing ideas, organizing story structures, and transforming historical information into creative literary writing. This study aimed to describe the instructional implementation and improve students’ skills in writing national historical short stories through the Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) approach assisted by Canva media. The research employed a Classroom Action Research (CAR) design conducted in two cycles involving 29 grade XI students at SMA Mutiara Harapan. Data were collected through classroom observations, documentation, and writing tests, while the data were analyzed using descriptive quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques. The results showed a significant improvement in students’ short story writing skills following the implementation of CTL assisted by Canva. Students demonstrated better abilities in developing historical themes, characters, settings, plots, conflicts, and language use, supported by visual stimuli and contextual exploration. This study concludes that the integration of Contextual Teaching and Learning and Canva media is effective in improving students’ ability to write national historical short stories.