About YLAI : The Vision dan Mission

Yayasan Literasi Anak Indonesia

YLAI is a non-profit organization that aims to develop a reading culture, and a love of reading for elementary school-aged children throughout Indonesia. YLAI provides training on innovative reading methodologies, and provides specific support for the implementation of a strong Indonesian reading program in primary school classes. This support includes the provision of quality reading books, learning support materials, and teacher guides for use in classrooms and libraries in Indonesia. YLAI also works with children’s book writers and illustrators, assisting with their skill development to meet the need for innovative and enriching experiences through literacy.

YLAI’s Vision

As an informal training center, YLAI provides training for teachers, educators, principals, and prospective teachers to ensure that children will become independent readers for life by developing reading skills and a love of reading.

YLAI works closely with the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Research and Technology and the Regional Education Office to develop literacy programs in schools with innovative teaching practices in the classroom.

Currently, YLAI is implementing classroom-based reading programs, classroom libraries, and school libraries for primary schools in Indonesia.

YLAI’s Mission

Support changes to the methodology of literacy practices used to teach reading and writing in primary schools in Indonesia. Share with schools in Indonesia the latest pedagogy in best teaching practices in literacy from around the world. Support the development of classroom and school libraries.

YLAI’s Work Approach

Promoting Primary School Literacy

YLAI continues to increase cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Culture, Research and Technology – RI to support policies and programs that promote crucial early literacy skill development.

Increasing Access to Children's Reading Materials

YLAI encourages the use of recognised quality reading books and good teaching practices aimed at enriching children’s Indonesian language skills through reading and writing. YLAI continually develops a variety of children’s reading materials that are culturally relevant and appropriate for the age and reading ability of children in the early grades.

Applying Effective Assessments

Assessment, not only as a means to track and rank student achievement, is also an important daily practice to improve teaching and learning. A learning environment is established in which teachers regularly use formative assessment to identify the needs of individual learners, target instruction and improve its effectiveness.

Advocating for Training with a Systems Approach

YLAI advocates a systems approach in all training programs to support changes in literacy practices in schools. There are many components that determine the quality of literacy education and have an impact on student learning outcomes.

Improving Learning Environment

The diagram depicts the school system and various factors that affect the improvement of student literacy.

Teacher Professional Learning

Improving student learning through teacher professional learning strengthens and improves the teaching of reading and writing in the early grades.

Implementing Integrated Learning

Teachers’ knowledge is developed with expertise and national and international research-based input. Their focus is on combining content knowledge (subjects) with teaching strategies (pedagogical knowledge).

Effective teaching and learning strategies include:

Level-appropriate level-adjusted guided lessons, inclusive and relevant to the local context.
Lessons that support the development of students’ reading comprehension, critical thinking and other higher-order reasoning skills.
Lessons that link the classroom learning to real-world application.

Implementing Student-Centered Active Learning

Students engage with a book and interact with each other to answer questions. Often in pairs or in small groups, they ask questions, discuss, explain in guided reading programs. The teacher guides and assists the learning process.

Implementation of Monitoring and Evaluation

YLAI recognizes the importance of measuring the effectiveness of its programs in the field, through:

Collection of baseline and endline data as defined by program partners.
Diagnostic assessments that measure individual student progress in reading comprehension and vocabulary mastery.
Collection of qualitative data through observation, interviews, and case studies.

Development of a Reading Culture for Children

In summary, the availability of reading materials alone is not enough for most children to develop and maintain literacy skills. Skilled instruction by a trained teacher is required, including instruction that promotes reading comprehension. A daily and continuous allocation of time dedicated solely to reading both inside and outside of school is required.

Ongoing assessments to target children’s needs should occur. And finally all of this requires skilled principal leadership to monitor classroom programs and provide ongoing professional development opportunities.