Closing the Literacy Gap in Remote Indonesia: A Reading Corner Intervention to Improve Elementary Students' Reading Interest and Literacy Skills

Inggrid A. A. Anin; Andi Nur Samsi; Andi Andariana

doi:10.63922/ijevss.v5i04.6956

Inggrid A. A. Anin Master's Program in Biology Education, Postgraduate Faculty, Universitas Patompo
Andi Nur Samsi Master's Program in Biology Education, Postgraduate Faculty, Universitas Patompo
Andi Andariana Master's Program in Biology Education, Postgraduate Faculty, Universitas Patompo

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63922/ijevss.v5i04.6956

Keywords: reading corner; reading interest; literacy skills; elementary education; remote schools

Abstract

Reading interest and literacy skills among Indonesian elementary students remain persistently low, and schools in remote regions face the added constraint of limited access to a school library. This study examined whether a low-cost, in-classroom reading corner improves fifth-grade students' reading interest and literacy skills at SD YPK Kanda, Waibu District, Jayapura Regency, Papua. A quantitative, pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used with all 30 fifth-grade students as a total sample. Reading interest was measured with a 20-item Likert questionnaire; literacy skills were assessed through five indicators: fluency, comprehension, identifying main ideas, answering text-based questions, and retelling. Data were tested for normality (Shapiro-Wilk) and evaluated using paired-samples t-tests, normalized gain (N-gain), and effect size r. Mean reading interest increased significantly from 51.03 to 63.83, t(29) = -24.032, p < .001, N-gain = .442 (moderate), r = .976 (large). Mean literacy skills increased significantly from 57.83 to 74.50, t(29) = -13.548, p < .001, N-gain = .395 (moderate), r = .929 (large). All 30 students improved on both outcomes, with the largest gains on students' willingness to seek or borrow reading material and on answering text-based questions. These findings indicate that a well-managed reading corner, even without funding for a formal library, can meaningfully strengthen both the motivational and cognitive sides of early literacy. Sustainable implementation should combine collection rotation, student choice, a consistent reading routine, and comprehension follow-up activities.

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