Effective Reading Intervention Strategies for Primary Grade Students in Indonesia: A Systematic Review

This systematic review synthesized studies on effective reading intervention strategies for primary-grade students in Indonesia, identifying materials-based, technology-based, instruction-based, and culture-based approaches. Key qualities contributing to their success include interactivity, relevance, engaging visual design, and gamification. The findings suggest that teachers and schools should adopt a multivariate approach, integrating these qualities to create student-centered and adaptive strategies. Equipping educators with pedagogical skills and autonomy is crucial for effective implementation. Limitations of this review include relying solely on English-language publications, potentially underrepresenting studies published in Bahasa Indonesia, and not including grey literature. Future research should expand the scope to cover junior and senior secondary education, include broader sources, conduct meta-analyses, and explore the interactions between intervention qualities and student engagement.

Indonesia faces a significant challenge in reading literacy among its primary school students, consistently ranking below the global average in international assessments like PIRLS and PISA. This decline highlights a critical need for effective educational interventions. The OECD defines reading as the capacity to understand, use, evaluate, reflect on, and engage with texts to achieve goals and participate in society, emphasizing basic literacy, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Reading difficulties, affecting 30-40% of children, can stem from issues like fluency, comprehension problems, limited vocabulary, lack of strategies, and poor reading habits, leading to lifelong adverse impacts.

In response to poor reading literacy rates, the Indonesian Ministry of Education has implemented initiatives like the School Literacy Movement and the Merdeka Belajar (Emancipated Curriculum) to foster foundational skills and promote a literacy culture. These reforms grant schools and teachers autonomy to design effective reading intervention strategies. While various strategies have been implemented and evaluated, a systematic review of teacher-led research on these on-the-ground interventions was lacking. This review aims to synthesize findings from such studies to identify effective strategies and their contributing qualities, providing evidence-based insights for teachers, administrators, and policymakers.

This systematic literature review employed a configurative approach, informed by Gough et al. (2013) and Newman and Gough (2020), to organize and analyze data. The review followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines for transparent reporting. The search strategy involved databases like Scopus, ProQuest, and ERIC, covering studies from 2016 to 2023. Selection criteria included peer-reviewed empirical studies focusing on classroom-based reading intervention strategies for Indonesian primary students, published in English, and accessible in full-text. Out of 395 articles screened, 13 met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. The analysis involved thematic analysis, including coding, grouping related codes into themes, and cross-analyzing findings to synthesize results. Most reviewed studies used quantitative designs (11 out of 13), with varying experimental and research and development approaches, while two used qualitative designs.

The systematic review categorized the identified effective reading intervention strategies into four main types: materials-based, technology-based, instruction-based, and culture-based. Materials-based strategies, represented in four studies, leverage resources like pop-up books, big books, wordless picture books, and educational game tools (e.g., word trees) to engage students and improve reading outcomes. Technology-based strategies, found in three studies, involve developing and integrating educational applications like GraphoLearn, Android-based games for learning without spelling, and online magazine-based reading workshops. Instruction-based strategies, present in five studies, focus on novel pedagogical approaches such as Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA), Preview, Question, Read, Reflect, Recite, and Review (PQ4R), interactive-compensatory models, integrated thematic instruction, and long-term mixed-methods literacy programs. Finally, culture-based strategies, highlighted in two studies, utilize textbooks and storybooks integrated with local wisdom and fables to make reading materials more relevant and engaging for students.

Four key qualities were identified as contributing to the effectiveness of reading intervention strategies: interactivity, relevance, engaging visual design, and gamification. Interactivity, cited in five studies, involves active learning, collaborative interactions, and a sense of playfulness in activities and materials, fostering engagement and comprehension. Relevance, also mentioned in five studies, is achieved by incorporating cultural themes, students’ experiences, and prior knowledge into materials and activities, making reading more meaningful and motivating. Engaging visual design, identified in four studies, uses attractive illustrations and layouts in materials like picture books, pop-up books, and big books to capture attention and aid visualization. Gamification, noted in two studies (primarily in technology-based interventions), transforms learning into a game-like experience with rewards and challenges, enhancing student engagement and reading performance.

The variety of effective reading intervention strategies found in the review underscores the importance of a multivariate and adaptive approach rather than relying on a single program. These strategies, when incorporating qualities like interactivity, relevance, engaging visual design, and gamification, become student-centered and address contextual needs. The flexibility and autonomy granted to Indonesian teachers under recent educational reforms have allowed for the implementation of such diverse and effective strategies. This adaptability aligns with best practices in teaching reading, advocating for student-centered and adaptive instructional methods that enhance reading outcomes effectively.