The effect of Library-Assisted Instruction (LAI) on reading ability and reading attitude of elementary school students in Indonesia

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Library-Assisted Instruction (LAI) that integrates subject-related reading through collaborative teaching between classroom teachers and teacher-librarians, utilizing both classroom and school libraries. A quasi-experimental design was implemented with 44 second-grade students from an elementary school in Batu City, East Java, Indonesia, divided into an experimental group (n = 22) and a control group (n = 22). The intervention was based on eight learning themes from the integrated curriculum textbook “My Daily Task,” delivered over 560 minutes across eight sessions. The experimental group received LAI while the control group followed conventional instruction. Reading ability and reading attitude were measured using adapted Korean instruments suitable for the Indonesian context. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26 with a significance level of α = .05. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in reading ability (t = 6.26, p < .001) and reading attitude (F = 28.180, p < .001) in the experimental group compared to the control group. These findings confirm that LAI with subject-linked reading enhances both reading competence and affective engagement in early elementary education.