This document discusses extensive reading for children. It notes that Indonesian preschools and kindergartens currently focus more on "CALISTUNG" activities than book reading. This corresponds with unsatisfactory reading achievement on PIRLS assessments. The document outlines benefits of reading activities like reading aloud and shared reading for children's language development. It proposes extensive reading as an alternative, where children have wide access to comprehensible texts. Extensive reading is suggested to benefit students of all ages, including preschoolers. The document provides examples of book flood projects, book loans, and reading corners to facilitate extensive reading in early years classrooms.

1. EXTENSIVE READING FOR
CHILDREN
MARIA TEODORA PING

2. CURRENT CONDITION
• Heavier focus on ‘CALISTUNG’ in Indonesian preschools &
kindergartens as the main literacy activities; less frequent
book reading activities
• A not satisfactory achievement on reading literacy as
reflected by the results of PIRLS 2011 (Indonesia was one of
the bottom four countries with the average score of 428; the
PIRLS Scale Centerpoint was 500)

3. READING FOR CHILDREN
• Book reading activities are beneficial for children’s
language development (cf. Bus, van Ijzendoorn and
Pellegrini, 1995; Hargrave and Sénéchal, 2000; Zevenbergen
& Whitehurst, 2003)
• Reading activities for children:
- Reading aloud
- Shared reading
- Interactive reading
- Dialogic reading

4. ANOTHER POTENTIAL
ALTERNATIVE?
EXTENSIVE READING!

5. EXTENSIVE READING IN EYL CLASSES: WHY?
• “Extensive reading method in which pupils are given wide
access to large quantities of comprehensible input, may just
be the right antidote for our pupils’ learning problems”
(Renandya, 2007)
• Extensive reading can possibly “work for students of all ages
from preschoolers to university students” (Jacobs & Farrell,
2012); “Preschoolers can use their memories and imaginations
to re-read books that have been read to them and they can use
wordless picture books to create their own stories” (Jacobs &
Farrell, 2012)
• Frequency of book reading in the home is related to
preschoolers’ language skills (cf. Mason, 1980; Payne,
Whitehurst, & Angell, 1994; Wells, 1985; Wells, Barnes, & Wells,
1984)

6. Extensive Reading in EYL Classes: Ideas and
Practices
• “Book Flood” Project
Providing students with sustained regular reading
opportunities
The Fiji Book Flood Project: Sustained regular reading by Grade
4 and 5 students accelerated the development of second
language proficiency in reading and listening

7. Extensive Reading in EYL Classes: Ideas and
Practices
• “Book Loan”
• Children get to pick a book in preschools to take home and
to read with their parents (Deunk, 2011)
• The purpose of having children borrowing books in
preschool is to make books available, to let children read
with their parents regularly and, eventually, to encourage
families to visit the library (van der Pennen, 2001)
Examples:
- Bookstart Program in UK
- Boekenpret in Dutch preschools

8. Extensive Reading in EYL Classes: Ideas and
Practices
• Extensive Dialogic/ Interactive Book Reading Corner
Picture Credit:
http://frogsbeesundertheseas.blogspot.com/2011/06/classroom-
themes-ocean.html

9. Picture credit:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Poster-The-Parts-
of-a-Reader-Boy-240731