Reading attitudes and preferences of primary school students going to science and art centers

This research was conducted to determine the reading attitudes and preferences of gifted students. The sample of the research consists of 58 gifted students who are studying in the 3rd and 4th grades of Yusuf Demir Science and Art Center in Kırşehir city center and Kaman Science and Art Center in Kaman district and participated in the study voluntarily. Explanatory sequential mixed methods research design, which is one of the mixed methods researches was used in the study. Quantitative and qualitative data collection tools were used together in the research. In the quantitative dimension of this research, which was designed as a mixed method research, the "Attitude Scale towards Reading Habits" and a semi-structured interview form prepared by the researcher in the qualitative dimension were applied. A special statistical program was used in the analysis of quantitative data. Data were analyzed using non-parametric analysis techniques (Mann Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis H test). At the end of the study, it was determined that the attitudes of gifted students towards their reading habits were at a high level. The reading attitudes of gifted students attending BILSEM did not change significantly in terms of gender, grade level, education level of parents, having a library at home, and frequency of reading books; It has been found that there is a significant difference in favor of those whose mothers and fathers always read books in their mothers and fathers' reading status, and in favor of those who spend 1 hour or less a day in computer and internet time. It has been seen that teachers and mothers are the most effective in gaining reading habits of students. While adventure, comedy/humor, science and invention, sci-fi/fantasy genres are the most preferred book types; detective, poetry, love/romantic and religious books are the least preferred book types. It has been observed that students prefer to buy the books they will read on their own. It was determined that the situations that prevented them from reading books were the abundance of homework and the sound environment. It is also among the findings that printed books are the most preferred reading tool. Keywords: Science and Art Center, Reading Preference, Reading Attitude, Gifted Student.