The Effectiveness of Reading Corners in Improving Literacy in Senior High Schools

Abstract

Reading and writing skills are essential components of literacy and serve as fundamental competencies that students must possess. Unfortunately, literacy levels in Indonesia remain relatively low. Both internal and external factors contribute to students’ lack of interest in reading and writing. Internal factors stem from individual aspects such as learning motivation, while external factors involve environmental conditions and the availability of supporting facilities. The School Literacy Movement (Gerakan Literasi Sekolah/GLS) is a school initiative designed to accommodate students in developing writing skills and providing simple reading spaces in each classroom or school area. This program aims to cultivate reading and writing habits to enhance student engagement in literacy activities.This study was conducted at SMA Negeri 1 Belimbing Hulu with a sample of 97 students. The objective was to examine and describe the effectiveness of reading corners in improving students’ literacy skills, as well as to identify supporting and inhibiting factors in their implementation. The study employed a School Action Research (SAR) approach consisting of two action cycles, each comprising planning, implementation, observation, interviews, reflection, and documentation stages. The findings indicate that the reading corner program had a positive impact: the school’s literacy report score increased from 41.18 in Cycle I to 79.17 in Cycle II; students became more confident in writing and reading their work aloud to peers; and they showed enthusiasm for the School Literacy Movement (GLS). Therefore, it can be concluded that implementing reading corners effectively improves students’ literacy skills. The results of the reading corner questionnaire also showed an optimal increase in reading and writing frequency. Supporting factors included teacher involvement, diverse reading materials, and active student participation, while inhibiting factors involved limited resources and inconsistent reading schedules. The study concludes that reading corners effectively enhance literacy skills and recommends wider implementation across classrooms, increased material diversity, and structured literacy routines.