Examining reading cultures of pre-service teachers: A case study from an education faculty in Turkey

Abstract

In this study, it has been intended to examine reading cultures of pre-service teachers depending on multiple variables. The study group of this research consists of 377 pre-service teachers who are studying in fourth grade at Turkish Education, Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Primary School Mathematics Education, Computer and Instructional Technologies, Fine ArtsMusic Education, English Education, and Special Education departments during the fall semester of 2017-2018 education year. “Reading Culture Scale”, which was formerly developed by the researchers, was carried out in order to designate the reading culture of pre-service teachers. With reference to the produced statistical analyses, the total average point on reading culture of pre-service teachers, who had attended the study, was found as medium. When variables affecting reading cultures of pre-service teachers were examined, a significant difference was observed in the variable of gender, and female pre-service teachers were identified to have higher average points in RCS comparing to male pre-service teachers. There are significant differences in RCS total points of pre-service teachers as regards to the variables of membership to the library, owning a bookcase, having a habit of reading. It has been designated that pre-service teachers with membership to the library, owning a bookcase and having a habit of reading had more RCS total average points than others. Through outcomes of this study, status evaluation, concerning reading cultures of pre-service teachers, had been conducted; and several suggestions were made upon adopting a reading culture to an individual with the aim of future studies.