Abstract:

This study aims to investigate Turkish teachers’ attitudes towards reading habits and learning in terms of several variables. This quantitative study utilized a relational screening model. The participants consisted of 241 Turkish teachers serving in schools located in a city in the eastern part of Turkey. The attitude scale regarding reading habits and the attitude scale about learning were administered to the participants. Their attitudes towards reading habits and learning were examined in terms of gender, teaching experience, higher education institution they graduated from, education level, and job satisfaction level. The results revealed that male teachers loved reading more and their reading habits and expectations from learning were higher, compared with female teachers. In addition, teachers with one to five years and 16-20 years of teaching experience had significantly higher scores than those with other years of experience. Moreover, teachers had similar attitudes towards learning and reading habits in terms of the faculty they graduated from. Also, while the teachers with high job satisfaction believed in the necessity of reading books more, the teachers with undergraduate degree believed more in reading and had less anxiety about learning. As the attitudes towards reading habits increased, expectations from learning and openness to learning increased and the nature of learning was better understood. Also, it was concluded that anxiety about learning decreased as attitudes towards reading habits increased. Based on these result, seminars and conferences must be organized by experts in the field regularly in order to increase teachers’ awareness in necessity to read books. Another suggestion is to design teachers’ room in schools to include mini library, a reading corner or reading chair.

Keywords: