Optimizing Reading Corners as a Means of Strengthening Early Childhood Literacy in RA Darul Muttaqin Early Childhood Education Institution

Abstract

Literacy is a fundamental competency that needs to be developed from an early age as a foundation for children's language development, thinking skills, and learning readiness for subsequent educational levels. However, observations conducted at RA Darul Muttaqin revealed that the utilization of reading corners as literacy environments had not been optimized. Most reading corners functioned merely as complementary classroom facilities, had limited reading materials, and were not maximally integrated into daily learning activities. This condition contributed to children's low interest in interacting with books and participating in reading activities. This community service program aimed to optimize the utilization of reading corners as a means of strengthening early childhood literacy through mentoring activities for early childhood education teachers. The program was implemented in June 2026 and involved teachers from RA Darul Muttaqin. The implementation methods included needs assessment, socialization, training on reading corner management, assistance in organizing literacy environments, implementation of play-based literacy activities, and program evaluation. The training materials covered concepts of early childhood literacy, strategies for managing reading corners, read-aloud techniques, and the use of educational media to support literacy activities. The results indicated an improvement in teachers' knowledge and skills in managing reading corners as meaningful learning environments. Teachers successfully developed more attractive and interactive reading corners and integrated various literacy activities into classroom learning. Furthermore, children demonstrated increased interest in reading and greater engagement in literacy activities. This program demonstrates that optimizing reading corners through teacher mentoring is an effective strategy for strengthening literacy culture in early childhood education institutions.