UNS – Indonesia already has a National Literacy Movement (GLN) program which aims to improve the reading interest of Indonesian. Due to the same mission, Graduate School of English Education Department Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta along with Extensive Reading (ER) Foundation and ER Association of Indonesia held Extensive Reading Workshop on Tuesday (3/7/2018) in Postgraduate Hall of FKIP UNS. The invited speakers at the event were Rob Waring as the Chairman of the ER Foundation from Notre Dame Sheisin University Japan; Willy A Renandya as the executive board member of ER Foundation from National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University Singapore; and Yuseva Iswandari as the chairman of ER Indonesia Foundation from Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta.
Graduate school of English Language Education UNS along with Extensive Reading (ER) Foundation and ER Indonesia Association held Extensive Reading Workshop on Tuesday (3/7/2018) in Postgraduate Hall of FKIP UNS.
Representing the Dean of FKIP UNS, the lecturer of English Education Department UNS Nur Arifah Drajati opened the workshop and conveyed her hope that UNS could become the center of Indonesian literacy. The materials of the workshop were the definition and the implementation of ER delivered by Willy. The doctor from Indonesia who is currently working in Singapore explained that ER has the same concept with GLN in Indonesia. Starting from the simple and interesting books, the students can be stimulated to keep reading. This is how to build the habit of students reading interest.
“Reading is the best learning method. Beginning with reading, the ability of students’ English skill (listening, writing, and speaking) will be well-integrated,” Willy said.
Rob Waring, Chair of the Extensive Reading Foundation from Notre Dame Sheisin University Japan
At this event, Yuseva had the opportunity to promote the association of ER Indonesia to all participants in order to join the foundation. It aims to attract more concerned figures in increasing the literacy in Indonesia. Before closing the event, Rob explained the importance of ER and the reasons for the establishment of ER, such as low interest on reading, the assumption that reading was boring, limited in English textual knowledge, and lack of motivation. humas.red-uns / Ath / Dty