According to Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology Nadiem Makarim, by reading aloud, the relationship between children and parents will be closer and can build the knowledge needed when reading. This was conveyed at the commemoration of World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) last February.
Read aloud is one method that can foster interest in reading in children. By reading aloud, this activity can also improve language skills while developing children’s literacy.
Awareness of the importance of this reading aloud activity inspired the Universitas Indonesia (UI) Community Service team to carry out a program in an effort to increase literacy interest in children in Buleleng Regency, Bali (24-27 August 2022). This community service was led by Dr. Ahmad Fahrurodji, S.S., M.A., a lecturer at the Faculty of Humanities (FHum) UI in two locations, namely Pelangi Library, Patas Village, Gerokgak District, Buleleng, and SMP Negeri 4 Singaraja, Bali.
The socialization of the read-aloud method was given to parents and teachers of PAUD (elementary schools) and High Schools in Patas Village and State Junior High School 4 Singaraja. It is hoped that the method can be applied to instill a love of reading for children in Buleleng Regency. The speaker for the activity was Nandha Julistya, S.Sos., M.Kesos, a National Literacy Expert and member of the Community Service Team.
In addition to socialization, a reading activity was conducted together with the method to students of State Elementary School 3 Patas. Each student gets one picture story book.
This community service was also attended by collaborator partners from representatives of the Buleleng Regency Archives and Library Office, Gerokgak District Government, Patas Village Government, Pelangi Library management, Buleleng Scout Movement Branch, and Gerokgak Scout Movement Branch. Ida Bagus Baruna as the representative of the Buleleng Regency Archives and Library Office, hopes that next year there will be other programs related to increasing interest in reading. “We (Buleleng Regency) can get a name at the center in improving community literacy,” said Ida Bagus Baruna.
This community service program is the implementation of the Universitas Indonesia Community Service and Empowerment Grant 2022. This activity is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) point 4, namely Quality Education and 17th, namely Partnerships to Achieve Goals. The participation of partners, such as the local government, regional literacy activists, and the Boy Scouts is expected to support the sustainability of the program.
