This research aimed at investigating the students‟ perception toward character
building in English classes. The research used descriptive survey method. The technique
of collecting data were closed-questionnaire and semi-structured interview. The
participants of this study were the 6th semester of English education department
Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto Academic year 2016/ 2017. The research
findings of the research revealed in general that majority of the students (72.90%) had
positive perception toward character building aspect. This showed: the first highest
percentage was optimistic, hard work, care, and respect aspect in character building.
Almost all of the students (90.43%) had very good perception in optimistic aspect. In
hard work most of the students (90.43%) had very good perception toward this
character building aspect. In care aspect (86.17%) most of the students had good
perception. In respect (81.91%) most of students also had positive perception. The
second highest percentage covered trustworthiness, creativity, responsibility, fairness,
team work, politeness, leadership, and curious. In trustworthiness most of the students
(75.53%) had positive perception. In creativity most of the students (74.47%) had good
perception. In responsibility (74.47%) most of the students had positive perception.
Meanwhile, in fairness most of the students (73.40%) had positive perception. In team
work most of the students (73.40%) had good perception and in politeness (73.40%)
students had positive perception toward this aspect. In curious most of the students
(70.21%) had positive perception. The third highest percentage revealed from
confidence, risk taking, and reading habit. In confidence aspect there were (69.15%)
students who had positive perception toward this aspect. In risk taking aspect there were
(64.89%) students who had positive perception toward this aspect. Meanwhile, there
were (24.47%) only few students who had positive perception toward reading habit
aspect.