The relationship between students' reading culture levels and their reading comprehension and written expression skills

Reading is a skill that is developed starting from the preschool period and will be needed by the individual throughout human's life. The transformation of the reading skill from a requirement into an unnoticed action in daily life and an internalized skill depends on the acquisition of a reading culture by the individual. An individual reaches the "reading culture" by going through the stages of "visual reading period, basic literacy skills, reading habits and critical reading". It is thought that understanding what one reads fully and completely and being able to express oneself in writing in accordance with the purpose is also related to the reading culture. In this study, it is aimed to determine the relationship between students' reading culture levels and their reading comprehension and written expression skills achievements. This research was conducted according to the "relational screening model". The population of the study is secondary school 6th grade students in Sivas city center. The sample of the study consists of 6th grade secondary school students studying in schools that are mostly selected with the (maximum) diversity sampling method. The data required in the study were obtained with the "Reading Culture Scale, Reading Comprehension and Written Expression Assessment Tool, Written Expression (Composition) Skill Assessment Tool". The data were analyzed on the computer. As the reading culture level of the students increased, it was determined that their reading comprehension skills, reading comprehension power, written expression skills, general total achievements of reading comprehension and written expression skills and written expression (composition) skill achievements also increased at various levels. Girls have achieved a higher average than boys at all levels. The level at which all students achieve at least the average value is critical reading. The level at which the highest average is obtained according to all socio-economic groups is the basic literacy skill. Accordingly, it can be deduced that the 6th grade students participating in the sample are at the basic literacy level. Students in the middle socio-economic group achieved the highest average at all levels.