Developing comprehension levels and reading motivation of the 8th grade students by reading engagement model

In this study, it was examined how the comprehension levels and reading motivation of the 8th grade students, could be improved by Reading Engagement Model.The study was conducted through action research among the qualitative research methods. In order to choose the study group, criterion sampling, one of the purposeful sampling methods, was used. The research was carried out in the 8 A Turkish Lesson in Tevfik Memnune Gültekin secondary school which belongs to Ministry of National Education, in the district of Battalgazi in the province of Malatya. There were 35 students in class. In the study Reading Engagement Model was used. The data of the study were collected through video records, semistructured interviews, researcher diaries, student diaries, reading motivation questionaire, reading engagement index, reading comprehension tests, cloze test via quantitative and qualitative data collection tools. A total of three tests were applied in the study process (in the beginning, in the middle and in the end). Both expository and narrative texts were used in each test and the test results were analyzed according to the text types. In the analysis of quantitative data, the SPSS for Windows package program was used. In the analysis of qualitative data, Content analysis method was used. The data obtained have been discussed in line with the related literature. According to the study results, it was found out that the Reading Engagement Model applied to the students were effective in developing reading comprehension levels and reading motivation of the students. There are several suggestions in parallel with the results that gained from the study. Key Words: Reading Engagement Model, reading comprehension levels, reading motivation