The relationship of science achievement with reading comprehension, graphic reading, problem solving perceptionsin middle school 7th grade students

Our age is at the center of rapid change and development; and human beings are affected either positively or negatively by these developments and changes. Science is important in understanding these developments and changes; and finding solutions to the problems that arise. This importance has led to many researches on the science achievement and science related issues. The aim of this search is to investigate the relationship between science achievement and reading comprehension, graphic reading and problem solving perceptions in middle school seventh grade students. Survey model was used in the study and the sample of the study was selected with the convenience sampling method. The sample consists of 251 seventh grade students of a public secondary school affiliated to Çayırova District Directorate of National Education in Kocaeli. Since the data could not be collected from 12 students who could not be present at the school on the days when the tests and scales were applied, these students were excluded from the research and the data were obtained from 239 students. The data were obtained by using the provincial first semester central exam science achievement scores, graphic reading skills test in science, 7th grade reading comprehension test and problem solving scale for children. The collected data were analyzed using PASW Statistics 18.00 package program. Descriptive analysis, Pearson product moment correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were used for data analysis. According to the findings of the study, 37.2% of the students had a science achievement score of 75 and above. On the other hand, it was concluded that most of the students in the 7th grade reading comprehension and graphic reading skills test scored zero points and had problems in these fields. When the findings obtained from the problem solving scale for children were examined, it was observed that the students' perception of problem solving skills was high. Correlation analysis findings showed that science achievement scores, perceptions regarding problem solving skills and sub-dimensions, reading comprehension and graphic reading skills were positively related. Moreover, reading comprehension, graphic reading, perceptions regarding problem solving skills and self-control were predictors of science achievement. When the results obtained in the study are evaluated, it is seen that the students who have high perception of problem solving skills, reading comprehension and graphic reading skills have high science achievement. Keywords: Science achievement, Secondary school students, Problem solving perceptions, Graphic reading skill, Reading comprehension skill.