Graded Readers in Indonesia: A Review

Abstract

Book leveling system is indispensable to prepare children to become life-long readers. In literacy learning, children read books according to their level of reading competence, and graded readers help teachers and parents select books that suit children's reading level. To enhance School Literacy Movement, the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture (MoEC) has recently established a book leveling system. This study seeks to review MoEC book leveling system by comparing graded readers in Indonesia and the United Kingdom on the basis of the following indicators: structure and format, comparison of level, content, language, and graphic work. Taken as samples were graded readers published by Yayasan Literasi Anak Indonesia (Indonesian Children's Literacy Foundation; henceforth, YLAI), Indonesian digital graded readers distributed by The Asia Foundation through Let's Read, and the book leveling system established by MoEC. Meanwhile, graded readers published in Oxford Reading Tree and Ladybird series were used as samples from the UK. The results of the comparison reveal that the indicators used in MoEC system needs to provide more details so that it can be used as a better guideline for writers and teachers.

Implementing basal reading program in EFL upper secondary school settings

“…Regardless of their criticism, basal readers are continuously used in L2 teaching for several reasons. First, since the readers are made at different levels (Day, 2012), all students can read the texts according to their level (Retnaningdyah et al, 2020). This can promote independent reading among the students.…”