The relationship between primary school students’ reader self-perception and reading comprehension skills

Abstract

Reader self-perception, that is one of the basic elements of the reading motivation, is a notion how many to find adequate oneself as a reader. To know the students' reading self-perception levels at primary school is essential to develop reading comprehension skill. This study aimed to ascertain the relationship between primary school students’ reader self-perception and their reading comprehension skills. The study was conducted in line with the correlational survey model. The sample group consisted of a total of 382 students, 194 girls and 188 boys, studying in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades of a public school. As a data collection tool in the research; The "Reading Comprehension Test", which was prepared separately according to the grade levels, was used to measure the reading comprehension skills of the students, and the "Reader Self-Perception Scale" was used to determine the students' perceptions of reading. T-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient were used in the analysis of the data.The results showed that female students’ reader self-perception levels were higher than those of male students, and that the fourth-grade students had the highest reader self-perception level, when the grade levels were compared. In addition, a weak, positive, and significant correlation was found between primary school students’ reader self-perception levels and their reading comprehension skills. Based on the results of the study, some suggestions are presented.