The PASS Model in Early Reading Instruction for Elementary School Students in Sorong Regency

Objective: This study aims to examine the application of the PASS (Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive Processing) Model in early reading instruction for elementary school students in Sorong Regency. The model is grounded in neuropsychological principles that consider students’ cognitive processes in learning. Its implementation is deemed crucial to addressing the challenges faced in remote and linguistically diverse regions like Sorong, where conventional reading instruction often fails to meet learners' needs. Method: This study employed a qualitative descriptive approach complemented by a case study method. The research was conducted in several elementary schools across Sorong Regency during the 2024/2025 academic year. Participants included first and second-grade teachers and students, selected purposively based on school accessibility and reading proficiency levels. Data collection was conducted through classroom observations, teacher interviews, and document analysis related to teaching materials and student assessments. The analysis focused on how the components of the PASS model were applied and how they influenced students' reading development. Results: The findings revealed that the PASS model helped improve students' early reading abilities by aligning instruction with their cognitive processing styles. Teachers reported increased student engagement and better comprehension when lessons incorporated planning strategies, focused attention, and both simultaneous and successive processing tasks. For example, students showed improved ability in identifying story sequences, interpreting text picture relationships, and maintaining focus during reading activities. The model also allowed for more inclusive teaching strategies, particularly for students from non-Indonesian-speaking backgrounds. Although the approach is still in early stages of implementation in the region, preliminary outcomes indicate its positive potential in overcoming contextual reading challenges in remote schools. Novelty: This research offers a novel perspective by introducing the PASS cognitive processing model as a reading instruction framework in a multicultural, multilingual region of Indonesia. Unlike conventional phonic based methods, the PASS model emphasizes mental functions and learner-specific strategies, making it adaptable to diverse educational contexts. The study contributes new insights into how cognitive-oriented instruction can enhance foundational literacy, especially in underserved areas like Sorong, where educational innovations are urgently needed.