Literacy and reward: teachers’ effort to build

children reading habit

Komang Widia Helena Arisandi1, Ni Nyoman Padmadewi , and Luh Putu Artini
1
English Education Department
2
Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha

Abstract. Children at early levels of primary school require appropriate

guidance in their initial reading skill. They need to be trained on how
reading becomes an enjoyable routine activity. This study aimed at
describing teachers’ effort to build children reading habit. This study
employed a qualitative descriptive study and conducted at North Bali
Bilingual School Bali. The data were collected through observations and
interview. The findings of the study showed that there were several
activities conducted by the teacher as efforts to build children reading
habit. In terms of building students’ reading habit, the teacher used (1)
Point-written in Reading Rocket Chart (PRRC), (2) Chip (white, yellow,
green) for appreciating good behaviour in reading and using English, (3)
Certificate, (4) Class Reward, and (5) Free Play Time. With these efforts, it
is evident that the students’ literacy improves and they exhibited great
enthusiasm in their reading and studying literacy in the classroom.
Keywords: Literacy, Reward, Reading Habit

1 Introduction
Literacy is the foundation which is very important in children's life. It is a set of skills
which lead into someone ability. Literacy is said as the key to enhance human capabilities
which involved the ability in reading and writing [1, 2]. The intention of people write and
read is to construct meaning [3, 4, 5]. Children socialize through the language. Their
language skills were able to ask questions and construct ideas to be conveyed to others.
According to [6] in English literacy, students are not only expected to be able to read, but
also afford to communicate fluently, independently, and effectively in the society.
National phenomenon today shows that the literacy skills of Indonesian children
are very low compared with children in other countries. It will be related to the role of
parent as well as teacher. Based on the result of study conducted by [7], English teachers
need to increase their knowledge and experience in understanding the concept for using the

1 Corresponding author: elen_arisandi@rocketmail.com

strategies to teach reading. They should have awareness to the significance in choosing the
appropriate strategies for teaching reading. Besides, the results of PISA (the Programme for
International Student Assessment), from 2000 to 2012 is less satisfactory. In 2000, the
average value of Indonesian students in reading is 371 (the average value of international
500) which ranked 39th out of 41 countries. In 2003, the average value of reading is 382
which ranked 39th from 40 countries, meanwhile in 2006, the average reading score is 393,
which ranked 48th out of 56 countries. In 2009, the value of reading is 402 which ranked
57th out of 65 countries. Whereas in 2012, the value of reading only 396 in the rank of 64
out of 65 countries [8].
Reading allows children to learn and gain knowledge which is an important gateway
to personal development [9]. It is capable in increasing and improving children insight in
their early progress. For them, reading is considered as leisure time activity. Accordingly,
the real efforts how to introduce literacy especially in reading skill is very necessary.
Several attempts have been made nationally, such as: building a library in every school and
even the government always provide assistance in the form of books. However these
solutions do not have the maximum impact. Reading is still at the level of carrying out the
instruction. Most of the students do not have a character in case of loving to read. Most of
them perform reading activities for the teacher's instructions, because the demands of the
task, the repetition or exams, and have not shown their initiative intrinsically or because of
his own desire to go to the library to read. In this regard, it extremely needs a teacher role.
This research aimed at describing teachers’ effort to build children reading habit. For this
purpose, whether there is a significant effort that has to be done by the teacher in terms of
students’ reading habit.

2 Method
2.1 Subject of Study
The subject of this study was the students of North Bali Bilingual School. The students in
grade 1, 2 and 3 were selected as the subject of this study. Besides, the teacher and
headmaster were also as the subjects who were observed by the researcher. They were also
as informants in gaining the data through interviewing.

2.2 Instruments
In this study, there were several types of instruments used by the researcher in collecting
data. They are human instrument, observation checklist, and interview guide. Human
instrument was used as the key instrument of qualitative research. The researcher used
checklist during the observation to write down the interesting and important information
during the process of collecting data. After conducting classroom observation, the interview
was conducted by the researcher toward the learning process. Besides, the interview was
used to investigate kinds of rewards used in which may influence students’ reading habit.
2.3 Procedures of data collection
In eliciting the objectives of this research, the procedures of data collection were designed.
The first step was done by observing the students in grade 1, 2 and 3 in North Bali
Bilingual School. It aimed at investigating their activity in their reading and class
circumstance. To explore back the result of observation, the interview was carried out as
well. It aimed at eliciting related information from the teacher and also the headmaster
about how reading activity was done by the students properly. Besides, the teacher’s
teaching method and guiding the students were much needed which may bring influences
on their reading habit. After attaining the related information, the researcher conducted the
further observation by tracing back class activity and observing how teacher gave rewards
and how the students’ responds toward those rewards. Then, the data regarding to the
teacher effort by giving rewards to build students’ reading habit was gained from the
observation and interview.
2.4 Data analysis
The data were analyzed to discuss the teacher’s effort to build children reading habit
through rewards. This study employed a qualitative descriptive study and conducted at
North Bali Bilingual School Bali. [10] suggest that qualitative data analysis consists of
three procedures; Data Reduction, Data Display and Conclusion Drawing/Verification.

3 Results and Discussion

The findings of the study showed that there were several activities conducted by the teacher
as efforts to build children reading habit. In terms of building students’ reading habit, the
teacher used (1) Point-written in Reading Rocket Chart (PRRC), (2) Chip (white, yellow,
green) for appreciating good behaviour in reading and using English, (3) Certificate, (4)
Class Reward, and (5) Free Play Time.

Table 1. Reward Application and Students’ Response toward Reading Rewards

 Name of When Reward is Students' Response
Rewards Given The Reward
Point- - 10 minutes - Students were
written in reading = 1 point - Enjoying in excited in achieving
Reading - 21 minutes the reading points by reading
Rocket reading = 3 points corner every day
Chart
(PRRC)
- Students were
- White = using interested in
English collecting the chips
Chip
- Yellow = good - Chip by doing a positive
(white,
attitude in society collection behaviours in school
yellow,
- Green =
green)
enthusiastic in
reading and
writing  
- Students had
passion in
possessing the
certificate by
Certificate - 15 minutes striving to read
reading routinely routinely and make
= super reader - Super Reader reading as their
certificate Certificate habit
   
- All students in a
class showed their
cooperation in
collecting and
Class
- 500 points in a - 10 minutes achieving the points
Reward
week = class free time for by reading every
reward playing day

 
- Playing in - Students were very
classroom, enthusiastic in
- 500 points or more playground, following the
in a week and creativity agreement, and
Free Play (accordance to the room. making reading as
Time teacher students - Free time for their hobby
agreement) = free watching
play time film
 
3.1 Point-written in Reading Rocket Chart (PRRC)

The Point-written in Reading Rocket Chart is one of the rewards given in North Bali
Bilingual School in the early level of primary students. This reward is given when the
students have read. Every 10 minutes reading is appreciated one point. The students who
have not read, they give no point. Awarding the point depends on each teacher in NBBS.
Every class can determine reading point differently. According to one of the teachers in that
school, she checks students’ point in every week. There are 5 rules in reading that she and
her students mutually agreed. 1 – 10 minutes reading is counted one point. 11 – 20 minutes
is counted two points. For 21 minutes of reading are counted three points. The students,
who gain 3 points in every day, will have 5 points in a week. Every point will be collected
and placed in the house owned by the student. The student who is able to be a super reader
of the month (full reading by gaining 3 points for a month) is given gift by the teacher.
Usually, the gift is enjoying in the reading corner.
3.2 Chip (white, yellow, and green) for Appreciating Good behaviour in Reading and
Using English

For the students in the early level, Chip is given by the teacher as a reward. The use of chip
is used for appreciating the students’ behaviours in reading. There are three colours of chip
that provided by the teacher, such as: white, yellow, and green. The white chip is used for
motivating the students in using English. The yellow chip is used for students’ attitude in
their society inside or outside classroom. Meanwhile, the green chip is used for the
students’ learning attitude. The students who are enthusiastic in reading and writing
practice will be given the green chip.
3.3 Certificate

The other reward is certificate. According to[11], the use of tangible reward like certificate
is often utilized to increase reading. In NBBS, certificate is usually given for the super
reader. Super reader is the name for the students who reading more than 15 minutes in
every day throughout holiday. They will obtain 3 points in every reading. If the students
read more than 15 minutes routinely, they will be given the Super Reader Certificate. It is
given after long holiday in the middle of semester or the end of semester.
A study was conducted by [12] about rewards for reading in the level of elementary
students. The objectives of their study referred to the predictive model of rewards and the
identification of reward predictors for reading motivation. Based on the result on their
research, after they control for pre-reward reading motivation, sex, and grade, and
combined with the reward variables (intangible and tangible rewards (prizes of token,
certificate, food), reward expectancy) significantly improved the prediction of post-reward
intrinsic reading motivation, extrinsic reading motivation, and global reading motivation.
From the result, it can be said that the use of certificate as a reward gives positive influence
for students’ reading habit.
3.4 Class Reward

The Class Reward is the reward given by the teacher who in charge in the class. It depends
on the teacher what kind of rewards would be given to the students. Usually, the teacher
gives free time as the reward. Every class has to have 500 points in a week. If the class
successes in achieving the point, the students will obtain the free time as the reward from
the teacher. The free time is usually given for 10 minutes for playing in the playground.
This reward has been applied by the teacher in NBBS. Teaching reading needs a big
teacher’s effort which cannot be separated from the technique used in the teaching process.
A study was conducted by [6] in terms of technique of teaching reading for boosting
English literacy for those who in the first grade of elementary school. The result has
showed that there are two major reading techniques implemented such as phonic approach
and the whole language approach in order to improve the students’ English literacy. The
two techniques are complimenting each other and found to be effective to improve the
students’ literacy not only in reading but also in speaking. The students are always happy
and cheerful in the classroom because the approaches implemented bring joyful learning in
the classroom.
3.5 Free Play Time

Free Play Time is a reward given by teacher for the students who gain the point of reading
which accordance with teacher-students agreement. This reward can be the additional time
for playing in the classroom, playground or in the creativity room. It also can be a time for
watching film. All of the free time are given depend on the teacher creativity.

Motivating the students to read leads to success outside of the classroom. The rewards
above is given depend on the teacher who in charge in the class. With these efforts, it is
evident that the students’ literacy improves and they exhibited great enthusiasm in their
reading and studying literacy in the classroom

Conclusion
Those efforts can be done by the teacher in improving students’ reading habit. The use of
rewards can be a motivation which leads them to be successful in reading. Students who
become good readers are more likely to become productive and eclectic. Some studies have
proven that a good reader will be broad-minded. In fact, every student is different. Some
may need support to push them by an extrinsic reward and some may do not really need and
simply enjoy reading by her own desire. The role of teacher can support students’ reading
habit by creating positive efforts, such as using point-written in reading rocket chart for
appreciating the students in reading, using chip, certificate, class reward, and free play time
for supporting students’ reading habit.

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