This study examined the effectiveness of play-based learning strategies in improving the reading literacy of Grade 1 learners. It focused on the reading performance of learners in the pre-and post-tests before and after the conduct of direct instruction and play-based learning activities. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design was employed involving the control and experimental groups. Data were treated and analysed using frequency, percentage, ranking, and the t-test. Results revealed that both control and experimental groups initially performed at the “did not meet expectation” level with no significant difference in their reading literacy baseline. After the intervention, both groups showed improvement, with the control group reaching a satisfactory level and the experimental group attaining a fairly satisfactory level; however, no significant difference was found between the two approaches. Findings indicate that both direct instruction and play-based learning can enhance reading literacy, though neither proved superior within the study period. Challenges observed in implementing play-based learning included learners’ difficulty in following instructions, understanding task objectives, and maintaining engagement, highlighting the need for structured guidance and effective classroom management.

This study presents the first application of e-value-based false discovery rate (FDR) control to Differential Item Functioning (DIF) detection, addressing long-standing limitations of p-value-based approaches when model assumptions are violated-for example, under multidimensionality, local item dependence, or extreme sample sizes. Two comprehensive simulation studies were conducted to evaluate e-BH (the e-value analogue of BH) procedures, using K-fold and Multisplit likelihood-ratio e-values, under (a) multidimensional contamination and (b) testlet-based local dependence. Across both scenarios, e-BH consistently provided stronger and more stable control of Type I error, FDR, and family-wise error rate (FWER) than classical procedures such as Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) and Holm. Even under severe model misspecification, e-BH maintained substantially lower false-positive rates while remaining relatively competitive in terms of Type II error. A key finding concerns sample size: classical p-value methods exhibited inflation of Type I error as N increased, whereas e-BH preserved stable error control due to its model-agnostic calibration. An empirical application using Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) data further demonstrated that e-BH produces a more defensible and operationally sustainable set of DIF flags than traditional approaches. Together, these results establish e-values as a powerful and robust evidential tool for DIF detection in modern assessment contexts.

This study aims to describe and analyze the role of parents in strengtheing basic literacy in reading and writing among students of SD YPPGI Dome, Lanny Jaya Regency, Highland Papua Province. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method, with data collection techniques including interviews, observations, and documentation. The results show that parental involvement in strengthening basic literacy in reading and writing has not yet been optimal or evenly distributed. The study focuses on several aspects, including the role of parents as mentors, role models, facilitators, motivators, communicators, and providers of rewards and punishments, as well as the ssupporting and inhibiting factors and their impact on students’ basic literacy. Data analysis was conducted through data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions.The role of parents as mentors and role models remains limited and inconsistent, while their role as facilitators is constrained by minimal learning resources and environment, particularly the conditions of the honai and limited electricity. The role of parents as motivators has the strongest influence on students’ learning enthusiasm and self-confidence. Communication between parents and teachers is still insufficient and not continuous, whereas parents’ role as providers of rewards and punishments has been carried out but is not yet fully educational. The main supporting factors are direct guidance, structured learning time, and emotional support, while the inhibiting factors include parents’ busyness, parents’ educational background, limited facilities, economic and geographic conditions, and weak school–parent communication. This study contributes conceptually to family literacy practices in 3T areas, based on the socio-cultural context of Highland Papua.

Reading literacy is an essential competency that must be mastered by elementary school students, especially in facing the demands of 21st-century learning. However, students’ reading literacy skills in Indonesia are still relatively low, particularly at higher-order cognitive levels. This study aims to analyze the reading literacy skills of fifth-grade students based on cognitive process levels, namely finding information (L1), interpretation and integration (L2), and evaluation and reflection (L3) in descriptive texts. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach. The subjects were 19 fifth-grade students of SD Negeri 060886 Kota Medan. Data were collected through a written test consisting of reading literacy questions developed based on learning objectives and cognitive processes. The results showed that students achieved high performance at the level of finding information (L1), with percentages reaching up to 100%. However, their performance tended to decrease at higher cognitive levels, particularly in interpretation and integration (L2) and evaluation and reflection (L3). Some students still experienced difficulties in connecting information, understanding implicit meanings, and providing critical responses to the text. These findings indicate that students’ higher-order thinking skills in reading literacy have not yet developed optimally. Therefore, it is necessary to design more systematic learning and assessment strategies to improve students’ critical reading skills.

Teaching practices are considered critical in promoting students’ reading literacy; however, research remains inconclusive regarding the structures of effective teaching practices across countries. Using data from PISA 2018, this study explores the commonalities and differences in student-perceived teaching practices across the 16 top-performing countries and regions through hierarchical clustering analysis and social network analysis. Four patterns of teaching practices were identified: teaching-practice-oriented, teacher-oriented, student-oriented, and minimalistic approaches. Network analyses revealed strong positive correlations among practices across most countries, with the structures of these networks varying in ways that reflected their respective pedagogical foci. The results underscore the importance of teacher support, a critical factor that is strongly linked to other teaching practices and is effective in enhancing reading literacy. • Cross-cultural network analyses compared teaching practices among top-performing systems. • Four patterns were identified: teaching-practice-oriented, teacher-oriented, student-oriented, and minimalistic approach. • Strong positive correlations of all dimensions reflect effective integration of multiple teaching practices. • Teacher support is identified as crucial as it has a strong connection with other practices.

This study aims to analyze the level of reading literacy and numeracy skills of students at the Budi Luhur 1 Biah Community Learning Centre (CLC), Sabah, Malaysia, based on the Minimum Competency Assessment (AKM) standards, and to examine the relationship between demographic factors and the achievement of these competencies. This research is important considering that CLC acts as an alternative educational institution for children of Indonesian migrant workers who have limited access to formal education. This study uses a quantitative approach with a descriptive correlational design. The research subjects were 26 fifth-grade students at CLC Budi Luhur 1 Biah. Data on literacy and numeracy skills were obtained through AKM-based tests, while data on demographic factors were collected through questionnaires. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics to describe the level of student ability and correlation tests to identify the relationship between demographic factors and literacy and numeracy skills. The results of the study indicate that students' reading literacy skills are in the sufficient (proficient) category, indicating that students have been able to understand explicit information, identify main ideas, and draw simple conclusions from the text. In contrast, students' numeracy skills are in the basic category, indicating limitations in mathematical reasoning and contextual problem solving. Demographic factors did not significantly correlate with reading literacy skills, indicating that literacy learning experiences in CLC environments developed evenly. However, family characteristics significantly correlated with numeracy skills, while socioeconomic status showed a trend toward a near-significant relationship. These findings suggest that the family environment plays a crucial role in providing contextual numeracy experiences for students. This study concluded that students' literacy skills developed more effectively than their numeracy skills, highlighting the importance of the family's role in supporting the numeracy development of migrant children.

Abstract The development of reading literacy in the contemporary context, characterised by the predominance of digital technology, poses a significant pedagogical challenge. In the Slovenian higher education system, future preschool and primary school teachers are educated at the Faculty of Education, which enables developmental continuity in pedagogical approaches from kindergarten to primary school. This article reports the findings of a study involving prospective preschool and primary school teachers who participated in projects designed to cultivate digital literacy to enhance teaching efficacy through the use of digital technology. The study employed a qualitative approach. In the first phase, students reflected on their individual trajectories of reading literacy development. In the second phase, participants considered the advantages and disadvantages of developing reading literacy through digital technology, drawing on their personal experiences of learning to read and of using digital tools in pedagogical contexts.

Abstract For senior high school students studying English as a foreign language, reading comprehension is an essential ability since it promotes critical literacy development and academic preparedness. Despite the Life Today textbook's formal implementation under the Merdeka X Curriculum, few studies have rigorously investigated whether the reading comprehension questions' cognitive levels correspond with the anticipated development of higher-order thinking abilities. The purpose of this study is to examine the cognitive levels that are reflected in reading comprehension problems from the Life Today textbook for Grade XII across four different text genres. 160 reading comprehension questions from narrative, argumentative, hortatory exposition, and discussion texts were examined using the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy in a qualitative content analysis method. While Applying is subtly included into productive tasks, higher-order thinking abilities, especially Evaluating and Creating, are regularly integrated through assessment and enrichment activities, albeit in lesser quantities. Overall, the findings show that the Life Today textbook supports students' reading literacy and critical thinking abilities in accordance with the Merdeka Curriculum's learning objectives by integrating cognitive demands in an organized and systematic manner. Keywords: Reading comprehension; Life Today textbook; Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy; cognitive levels; Merdeka Curriculum

The persistent problem of low early reading proficiency among primary school students represents a global educational challenge, as evidenced by national literacy assessments and international learning poverty reports. This study examines the READI Model (Reading Engagement and Development for Initial Literacy) as an integrative pedagogical approach designed to strengthen foundational reading literacy by combining phonological instruction, learner engagement, and sociocultural support. Using a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, the study involved 90 students and 9 teachers from primary schools situated in urban, semi-urban, and rural contexts in Indonesia. Quantitative results indicated substantial improvement across key foundational reading domains, including phonemic awareness, letter–sound knowledge, reading fluency, and comprehension. These findings were reinforced by qualitative evidence highlighting adaptive teaching practices, active student participation, and strengthened school–family collaboration as central mechanisms supporting literacy development. The study demonstrates that the READI Model offers a scalable and context-responsive framework for early literacy instruction. Its integration of cognitive, motivational, and sociocultural dimensions provides important implications for literacy policy, teacher professional development, and the design of inclusive foundational literacy interventions in diverse educational contexts globally.

The moral crisis continues to be a concern for Indonesian society today. Therefore, reading literacy in elementary schools is an appropriate strategy that is not only oriented towards the ability to understand texts but also plays an important role in the formation of students' morals and character. The selection of literacy reading materials needs to be adjusted to the stage of moral development of students so that the values contained in the reading can be understood and internalized optimally. This article aims to examine the criteria for literacy reading materials based on the moral development of elementary school students based on Banten Province folklore. The method used is a literature study by analyzing the theory of children's moral development, criteria for selecting literacy reading materials, and moral values contained in Banten folklore. The results of the study indicate that Banten Province folklore has great potential as literacy reading materials that are appropriate to the moral development of elementary school students because they contain values of honesty, responsibility, hard work, courage, leadership, empathy, social concern, and religiosity. Thus, Banten folklore is relevant to be used as literacy reading materials that support character learning in elementary schools.

This study aims to analyze the strengthening of reading literacy in elementary schools through a contextual approach. The research employed a qualitative method with a case study design conducted in a fifth-grade class of a public elementary school. The research participants included the principal, classroom teacher, and students. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Data analysis followed an interactive model consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, with validity ensured through source and technique triangulation. The findings reveal that the contextual approach enhances students’ text comprehension, inferential skills, and engagement in reading activities. Connecting reading materials with students’ real-life experiences promotes deeper and more reflective meaning construction. Group discussions and authentic tasks further strengthen students’ motivation and confidence in expressing their ideas. Supporting factors include teacher readiness and a well-established school literacy culture, while constraints involve limited instructional time and diverse initial reading abilities. This study contributes by offering a contextual and practical literacy learning model to foster meaningful reading culture in elementary schools.

Limited exposure of elementary school students to local culture–based literacy has resulted in restricted understanding of Indonesia’s cultural diversity. Reading instruction in classrooms generally focuses on national textbooks and has not optimally utilized contextual story media that relate to children’s daily experiences. This community service program aimed to improve students’ cultural understanding through visual literacy mentoring using the interactive read-aloud method with culturally themed picture books from the Indonesian archipelago. The mentoring was conducted with third- and fourth-grade elementary students through four stages: needs identification with the partner school, short teacher training, implementation of interactive read-aloud sessions, and evaluation and reflection. Reading activities were carried out dialogically through pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading stages, accompanied by discussion as well as drawing and story-retelling activities.The results showed changes in student learning engagement, indicated by increased participation in discussions, the ability to identify cultural elements (traditional clothing, traditional houses, and community practices), and improved ability to retell the stories. In addition, teachers began to apply expressive reading techniques and open-ended questioning in their instruction. Therefore, culturally themed picture-book-based interactive read-aloud proved to be a practical strategy for integrating reading literacy with the introduction of cultural diversity in elementary education.

The purpose of this brief three-year research study is to assess the reading ability in English, as a foreign language (FL), among eighth-grade learners in Kazakhstan. Reading literacy plays a crucial role in the learning process and increases knowledge of human beings across academic domains (see OECD, 2018). This study examined the reading and literacy skills of eighth-grade students in secondary schools in Pavlodar. The number of participants varied during the computer-based assessment from 2018 to 2020. The instruments for data collection were online tests in English as a FL administered by the Electronic Diagnostic Assessment System (eDia) and a questionnaire with background items adapted from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (OECD, 2018). English reading tests have been previously modified and validated (see Nikolov & Csapó, 2010), although additional specific materials on the country's cultural features have been used. The reliability of the English language tests during the three-year assessment was very high, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the 8th grade in 2018 (α = 0.96), and in 2019 and 2020 (α = 0.94). The results revealed no significant gender differences in English language test performance among eighth-grade students over three years (p > 0.05). However, the small effect size of the first/native language during the three-year assessment study in eighth grade highlighted the importance of teaching reading skills in English as a foreign language for eighth-grade students in Kazakhstan.

Prior studies examining social capital and academic achievement have focused on individual countries, limiting cross-cultural generalizability. Additionally, inconsistent measurement of social capital hinders robust conclusions about its effects on student achievement. To add these problems, this study evaluates family-based social capital (FSC) within diverse cultural contexts using a two-stage analytical framework combining country-specific two-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) with meta-analyses and cultural dimension analysis, based on PISA2009 data for 14 economies, 3,420 schools and 101,370 students. Four HLM models assessed contributions of demographic characteristics and family social capital (family structure, siblings, early parental support, current parental involvement) to reading literacy. Cross-country comparisons employed Snijders and Bosker’s pseudo-R 2 , intra-class correlations, and Hedges’ Q tests. Correlation and regression analyses examined relationships between gross explanatory power of FSC and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. Results reveal family social capital significantly predicts reading achievement beyond demographic factors, with net explanatory power varying from 1% (Macao) to 7.8% (Hungary). Early parental support and nuclear families show positive associations, while sibling number exhibits negative effects, and effects specific to each country vary significantly. Hedges’ Q tests confirm significant cross-national heterogeneity for each aspect of family-based social capital. Critically, Hofstede’s Indulgence versus Restraint dimension substantially accounts for cross-national variation in FSC’s explanatory power (R 2 = 0.763). Findings demonstrate that family social capital’s impact is systematically moderated by cultural orientation, challenging universalist assumptions in Coleman’s framework and highlighting the necessity for culturally informed educational theories and context-specific policies.

This study aims to analyze the relationship between reading literacy culture and students’ learning outcomes in Social Studies among seventh-grade students at SMP Negeri 2 Mantingan. The study employed a mixed-methods approach with a correlational research design, integrating quantitative and qualitative methods to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the variables. Quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire to measure students’ reading literacy culture, while qualitative data were obtained through structured interviews and observations to explore contextual factors influencing literacy habits and Social Studies learning. Secondary data were derived from official school documents, including students’ test scores and report card records. The population of this study consisted of all seventh-grade students at SMP Negeri 2 Mantingan, totaling 33 students. Due to the relatively small population size, a total sampling technique was applied, in which all members of the population were included as research participants. Data analysis techniques included instrument validity and reliability tests, normality testing, linearity testing, and hypothesis testing using the Pearson Product-Moment correlation with the assistance of SPSS software. The results of the analysis indicated that the data were normally distributed and exhibited a linear relationship. The Pearson Product-Moment correlation test revealed a positive relationship between reading literacy culture and students’ Social Studies learning outcomes, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis (H₀) and the acceptance of the alternative hypothesis (H₁). These findings demonstrate that reading literacy culture plays an important role in improving students’ Social Studies learning outcomes. Therefore, strengthening reading literacy culture should be systematically integrated into Social Studies instruction, particularly within the framework of the Merdeka Curriculum.

The article analyzes contemporary models of pedagogical support for teachers' professional development through the lens of the andragogical approach. In the context of dynamic changes in the education system, which require continuous professional improvement from teachers, the search for effective mechanisms to support their growth becomes particularly relevant. The study examines key principles of adult learning, such as conscious autonomy, practice-oriented approach, actualization of experience, and differentiation, and their implementation in various support models. Special attention is paid to the authors' model of comprehensive support for teachers in developing students' functional reading literacy. This model integrates the diagnosis of professional deficits, individualized learning pathways, and the use of digital technologies, ensuring personalization and flexibility in the professional development process. The mechanisms of the model's implementation are presented, including a diagnostic system, invariant and variable pathways, as well as the integration of formal and non-formal education. The approbation of the model, conducted in 2020-2023 in the Central District of St. Petersburg, confirmed its effectiveness in developing teachers' professional competencies. The results of the study demonstrate a systematic transition from traditional forms of professional development to a personalized model of continuous professional growth based on andragogical principles.

The article examines the development of speech competencies—particularly coherent speech—among primary school pupils in an innovative learning environment, as well as the formation of independent and creative thinking through text-based work. As the methodological basis of the study, the didactic potential of working with texts (reading with comprehension, retelling and selective retelling, outlining, and creative text transformation) is systematized, and ways to strengthen pupils’ reasoning skills through problem-based questions and creative tasks—based on the “idea–evidence–conclusion” chain—are substantiated. The article also interprets staged lesson organization (engagement–comprehension–analysis–creative product–reflection) and criteria-based assessment (comprehension, coherent speech, argumentation, creative solution) as effective tools for identifying pupils’ developmental dynamics. The findings provide practical recommendations for primary school teachers on organizing text work in mother tongue and reading literacy lessons using innovative methods, engaging pupils in active participation, and assessing outcomes based on clear criteria.

Inferential comprehension is a critical component of upper-elementary reading literacy because it requires students to integrate explicit textual information with prior knowledge in order to construct implied meaning. However, classroom reading instruction often remains focused on literal understanding, limiting students’ opportunities to practice drawing inferences, interpreting characters’ motives, and establishing causal coherence across a text. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of dialogic read-aloud in improving fifth-grade students’ inferential comprehension. A classroom-based quasi-experimental design was employed using a pretest–posttest comparison between an experimental group and a control group. The study was conducted with Grade 5 students in two public elementary schools—SDN 006 and SDN 004 Langgini, Bangkinang. The intervention implemented dialogic read-aloud through narrative/children’s literature texts accompanied by open-ended prompts, prediction, clarification, and elaborative feedback, while the control group received conventional reading instruction. The findings indicate that students exposed to dialogic read-aloud demonstrated stronger gains in inferential comprehension than those in the control condition, reflected in improved ability to generate inferences, justify interpretations of characters’ actions, and articulate moral messages in an evidence-based manner. These results suggest that dialogic read-aloud is a promising instructional approach for enhancing higher-order reading literacy and strengthening Indonesian language instruction in upper elementary classrooms.

This article presents a practical tutorial for using the M-DIF online platform, a no-code interface designed to estimate the magnitude of Differential Item Functioning (DIF). The M-DIF approach defines DIF magnitude as the predicted difference in item difficulty between a focal group and a reference group. It integrates information from multiple established DIF detection methods together with testing-condition indicators such as group sizes and test length, providing a single continuous estimate with an accompanying uncertainty interval. To make this framework accessible to users without programming experience, we developed an interactive Shiny platform that performs magnitude estimation, visualization, and diagnostic reporting. This tutorial illustrates the platform’s core functions using a subset of data from the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Step-by-step examples guide users through uploading data, specifying groups and anchor items, adjusting visualization settings, interpreting magnitude estimates, and reviewing supplementary diagnostics. The platform offers a practical and efficient tool for researchers and practitioners who seek interpretable, magnitude-centered evidence for item review in educational and psychological assessments.

The results of the study show that. The first test showed that the average reading ability of students was in the sufficient category, with an average score of 67.75%. The category distribution showed that most students (68.75%) were in the adequate category, while only 12.5% of students were in the very good category. These findings indicate that there are general difficulties among students in understanding the content of the reading, summarizing information, and reexpressing the content of the story in a sequential manner. However, after a more targeted learning intervention, the second test showed a significant improvement with the average score increasing to 78.44%. The number of students in the very good category increased to 37.5%, and those in the good category reached 31.25%. These results show that students have literacy potential that can be developed more optimally with the right support. From the results of the interview, it is known that there are two main factors that affect students' low reading literacy skills, namely internal factors (low reading interest, lack of motivation to learn, and limitations in reading comprehension), as well as external factors (limited supporting facilities and infrastructure, lack of interesting reading materials, and lack of parental involvement). These findings confirm the importance of the role of schools and families in creating an environment that supports the growth of literacy culture.