Unlocking the Path to Academic Excellence: Unraveling the Impact of 480 Class Hours in Improving Reading Ability for Lecturers

Andjarwati  Sadik; Sitti  Sahraeny; Muhammad Ridha Anugrah Latief

doi:10.31849/utamax.v5i2.10446

Andjarwati Sadik Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia
Sitti Sahraeny Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia
Muhammad Ridha Anugrah Latief Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31849/utamax.v5i2.10446

Keywords: Academic Reading Skills, Academic Staff, TOEFL, IELTS, Higher Education

Abstract

This study seeks to explore the readers' ability experienced by adult learners who attended IELTS preparation courses at the Language Centre Hasanuddin University. It aims at measuring their progress through reading class. The respondents were 44 out of 50 lecturers from 18 different universities in the eastern part of Indonesia, both public and private, sponsored by the Directorate of Higher Education of the Republic of Indonesia. They attended 240 sessions which equaled 480 class hours for three months. The data were collected from the IELTS pre-test, progress-test, mid-test, and post-test. The progress test was given ten times during the preparation. By the end of the course, the participants sat for the real IELTS test administered by IALF Bali. They were also given a self-assessment questionnaire (20 questions) using a Likert scale ranging from "strongly agree to strongly disagree." Besides, the researchers also conducted direct observation as they were the teachers of Reading in their class. Based on the result of all instruments used in this research, the finding indicates that most of the respondents' reading ability is improving.

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Author Biographies

Andjarwati Sadik, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia

Andjarwati Sadik is an esteemed member of the English Department at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Hasanuddin in Makassar, Indonesia. She holds an array of impressive educational accomplishments, including a Bachelor's degree (Dra.) in Higher Educational Administration from Universitas Hasanuddin, a TEFL Postgrad Diploma from Washington State University, USA, a Master's degree (M.Ed.) in TESOL from Sydney University, and a Doctoral degree from Universitas Hasanuddin. Throughout her academic journey, her unwavering focus has been on the research area of English Language Teaching,

Sitti Sahraeny, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia

Sitti Sahraeny is an esteemed faculty member in the English Department at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Hasanuddin, situated in Makassar, Indonesia. With a wealth of experience spanning several decades, she has served as a dedicated lecturer since 1994.

She earned of Master of Applied Linguistics from the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia, and now she currentl pursuing her Doctoral degree in the English Language Study Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Hasanuddin. With her dedication to academic excellence and her vast experience in teaching, she continues to inspire and shape the future of English language education.

Muhammad Ridha Anugrah Latief, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia

Muhammad Ridha Anugrah Latief is a dedicated faculty member at the English Department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia. He holds a Master's degree in Translation Studies from the esteemed English Language Study Program at Universitas Hasanuddin. His primary research revolves around the domains of English and Indonesian Translation, reflecting his passion for cross-cultural communication. Furthermore, he actively contributes to the field as a proud member of the Association of Indonesian Translators (Himpunan Penerjemah Indonesia).

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Unlocking the Path to Academic Excellence: Unraveling the Impact of 480 Class Hours in Improving Reading Ability for Lecturers

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