Thesis Type: Doctorate
Institution Of The Thesis: Gazi University, Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Sınıf Öğretmenliği Bilim Dalı, Turkey
Approval Date: 2019
Thesis Language: Turkish
Student: BARIŞ ESMER
Supervisor: Mustafa Ulusoy
Abstract:
Reading comprehension is a complex process. Theoretical models of reading
comprehension might help teachers and researchers understand these complexities.
Because models can point to variables that make the largest contributions to reading
comprehension. In the present study, we examined the direct and indirect relations among
three text genres of reading comprehension (narrative, informational and postmodern),
silent and oral reading fluency, reading engagement, reading self-concept, and students’
response to picture books. Furthermore, we address the mediating role of reading
engagement and children’s’ responses to picture books on reading comprehension. For this
purpose, 3 structural equation models specifying to the narrative, informative and
postmodern texts have been developed. The sample consists of 349 4th grade Turkish
elementary school students in public schools in Ankara. The data were collected with
narrative, informative and postmodern reading comprehension tests, Cloze Tests, Silent
Fluent Reading Tests, Reader Response Prompts, The Informal Reading Inventory,
Multidimensional Fluency Scale, and The Reading Self-Concept Scale. Data were
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collected from 12 picture books, 4 of which were specified to each text type. Data were
analyzed with SPSS 22 and AMOS 22. The results showed that (a) narrative, informative
and postmodern silent and oral reading fluency have positively, moderately and
significantly related, and reading fluency (oral and silent) and reading self-concept poor
and significantly related (b) all models (narrative, informational and postmodern reading
comprehension)had an excellent fit, (c) Total amount of variance explained in reading
comprehension was 76%, 71%, and 81% for narrative, informational and postmodern
model, respectively, (d) silent reading fluency was the best predictor of narrative and
postmodern reading comprehension and uniquely and directly related to; and reading
engagement made the largest contributions to informational text comprehension, (e) oral
reading fluency made the largest contributions to reading engagement in all text types, (f)
reading engagement was the best predictor of students’ responses to informative and
postmodern texts and oral reading fluency made best contributions to response to narrative
text, (g) oral reading fluency indirectly affected reading comprehension via mediating role
of reading engagement in all text types, (h) reading engagement completely mediated the
relations of oral reading self-concept to reading comprehension in narrative text, (i)
students’ responses completely mediated the relations of oral reading fluency to reading
comprehension in postmodern text (j) reading fluency, reading engagement and selfperception,
and reader responses have largely effect size on reading comprehension in
three text types.
Key Words: Reading comprehension, oral reading fluency, silent reading fluency, reading
engagement, reader responses, reading self-concept, structural equational modeling,
mediation role