Evaluation of reading comprehension performance of primary school 3rd grade students

Reading comprehension is a complex cognitive process that involves reading, understanding, processing, and remembering a text. This skill is critically important for individuals to derive meaning from what they read and to facilitate learning. Turkey's low performance in international assessments of reading comprehension necessitates the implementation of applied research in this area. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the effect of reading activities based on the PIRLS classification on third-grade primary school students' reading comprehension achievement.The study was conducted using a mixed methods design combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the quantitative dimension, a quasi- experimental design with a pre-test–post-test control group was used; in the qualitative dimension, a case study design was employed. In the quantitative part of the research, a Reading Comprehension Test based on the four cognitive levels of PIRLS was administered to students in both the experimental and control groups at the beginning and end of the intervention. Additionally, a monitoring test was used to track students' progress throughout the process.In the qualitative dimension, semi-structured interviews were conducted with students and teachers from only the experimental group, and the data were supported with classroom observations. During the intervention, open-ended questions prepared in accordance with the four cognitive levels of PIRLS were used in relation to the texts in the textbook. Student responses to the pre-test, post-test, monitoring test, and text-based questions were scored using rubric-based scoring keys and analyzed with the SPSS program.The study group consisted of 79 third-grade students attending two public schools in the Kağıthane district of Istanbul during the second semester of the 2023–2024 academic year. The quantitative findings of the study revealed a significant increase in post-test scores among the experimental group students, with the increase being greater compared to the control group. The qualitative findings indicated that students showed notable improvements not only in cognitive domains but also in affective aspects. Accordingly, it was concluded that PIRLS- based reading activities are an effective tool for improving students' reading comprehension performance. KEYWORDS: Reading Comprehension Performance, Program Evaluation, Feedback, Higher-Order Thinking Skills