The role of the school in acquiring reading culture

Purpose of this study is to determine what kind of a role school components have in acquiring the reading culture in the primary school period. Accordingly, school components are discussed as physical facilities of school, classroom teachers, school administrators, and counselors. The study was conducted using ethnographic case study that is one of the qualitative research models. Initially, the school where the study was conducted according to the purpose of study was determined. The study was conducted at a primary school in Osmangazi district of Bursa in 2019-2020 academic year. School administrators, guidance counselor, and classroom teachers employed in this study are natural participants of this study. Research data was collected through long-term observation in the school and interviews with participants based on the determined study calendar. Research data was analyzed through continuous comparison of the codes and themes obtained from the interviews and observation notes. According to findings of the study, the strongest factor that support reading culture in school during the primary school period is classroom teachers. Believes of teachers towards reading was discussed under two headings being student-centered and content-centered, however direction of belief some teachers have towards reading could not be determined. It was established that teacher believes towards reading also reflected on reading applications. It was observed that such differences in application positively or negatively affected will and motivation primary school students have for reading. In this study one of the teachers with student-centered reading belief positively came forward compared to other teachers with reading applications and influence over students the teacher adopted. It was determined that students actively participated in reading applications conducted by this teacher in the class and that such applications carried students to the level of critical literacy. Interviews with school administrators and teachers employed in the school where the research was conducted showed that the school did not have a continuously operating school library due to physical inadequacies. In addition, the school library could not serve functionally during the academic year due to being locked. Besides, it was determined that the lack of factors that encourage students to take books from the library, due to reasons such as the lack of classification and list of the books in the library, and the absence of a librarian reduced the functionality of the library. On the other hand, the alternative reading space that the guidance counselor created in his room with his personal effort provided a more functional environment than the library, being always open to children. According to findings of the study, it was not possible to establish a comprehensive environment of common reading culture due to the indirect effect school administrators had on acquisition of reading culture. In addition, while the school library could be an important component in terms of the physical facilities of the school in acquiring reading culture, its inability to serve functionally prevented this. It was concluded that among the school components it was only believes and practices of primary school teachers towards reading that directly affect the reading status of the students. In line with the results of the study, some recommendations were made for policy makers, school administrators, teachers and researchers in order to improve the role of the school in acquiring reading culture.