Reading outputs differ according to the sociocultural fundamentals of readers (Kristiina et al., 2014); however, the attitude towards reading habit and acquisitions from reading habit are universal and develop as independent from the culture the individuals live in (Broeder and Stokmans, 2013).

Attitudes and beliefs of teachers are the most determinative factors while making decisions related to how they will carry on their duties (?en, 2013; Warren-Kring and Waren, 2009; Hall, 2005). Attitudes related to reading and learning among these have the quality that will reflect directly to the teaching profession performance indicators.

Attitude towards reading can be defined as positive or negative affective reaction (Broeder and Stokmans, 2013) acquired for individuals’ actualizing the reading habit in their free time independent from an external factor (Hughes-Hassel and Lutz, 2006). Logan and Johnston (2009) qualified attitude towards reading as a systematic of affective reactions taking students away from reading or directing them towards reading, and associated attitude with actualizing or not actualizing the reading action. Kara (2009) interpreted attitude towards reading as a cognitive, affective, perceptive, and behavioural reaction acquired for learning.

Although a high level of correlation between attitude and behavior is expected among these (?nceo?lu, 2004, p. 151), research of Petscher (2010) proved that attitudes towards reading underwent an inversely proportional change, decrease was noticed in positive attitudes as the class degrees increased,  and the correlation between success and attitude towards reading has been disappearing gradually. Kush and Watkins (1996), and Logan and Johnston (2009) obtaining similar findings indicated that girls developed more positive attitudes rather than the boys in terms of the gender variable, and maintained   their  attitudes.  Sallaba?  (2008)  and  Ba?c? (2010) also found similarly that the correlation between attitudes towards reading and reading outputs were in favour of girls.

There are several scientific studies indicating that attitudes towards reading had an important role upon acquiring reading habit, and success during both academic and business life (K?rm?z? Susar et al., 2014; Broeder and Stokmans, 2013; Keskin, 2013; Warren-Kring and Waren, 2009; Kaniuka, 2009; Chua, 2008). However, there have also been several studies that proved no correlation between reading habit with positive attitudes or academic success (Vehovec et al., 2014; Pecorari et al., 2012; Petscher, 2010; Siah and Kwok, 2010; Y?lmaz and Benli, 2010; Odaba? et al., 2008; Tel et al., 2007). Unwillingness towards reading if not assigned and the reasons why the attitudes towards reading do not redound on reading (Kanmaz and Saracalo?lu, 2012; Pala and Y?ld?z, 2012; Ba?c?, 2010; Balc?, 2009; Chua, 2008; Roberts and Wilson, 2006; Atay, 2004; Bozkurt and Serin, 2003) are often attributed to the fact that who decides what to be read in and out of school, overlapping quality of what to be read and what liked to be read, whether the social environment has the reading habit and the value attributed to reading (Broeder and Stokmans, 2013; Conradi et al., 2013; Y?lmaz and Benli, 2010). However, this positive affective reaction towards reading (Mckenna and Kear, 1990) not only actualizes through the effect of aforementioned variables but also can be provided to be acquired and maintained through positive reading experience individuals acquire within a program (Davis, 2010). The studies revealing the necessity for maintaining the acquired attitudes as well as developing attitudes proved the weakness of attitudes towards reading as the level of class increased in all educational grades (Kush and Watkins, 1996; Petscher, 2010). The study of Warren-Kring and Waren'in (2009) among the studies analyzing the sustainability and perfectibility of attitudes indicated a significant increase in post-test scores of pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards reading rather than the pre-test scores. Gardiner (2001) accepting the determinant in expectation of positive attitudes’ concluding in reading as the result found that attitudes towards reading formed and directed itself through the quality of reading products. Chua (2008), similarly, mentioned that positive attitudes towards reading could be developed through positive outputs of a reading program and reading habit could be provided such. There are several studies proving the relationship of reading products such as academic success, vocabulary, thinking, and creativity with the attitude towards reading as being different from Gardiner (Susar et al., 2014; Vehovec et al., 2014; Kanmaz and Saracalo?lu, 2012; Karabay and Kay?ran, 2009; Martínez et al., 2008; Schofield and Start, 1977)   and  these  also  indicated  a  positive  correlation between these products and attitude towards reading. 

Attitudes towards any activity’s decreasing or increasing success and performance according to attitudes towards the relevant activity is also available for learning. Whereas positive attitudes contribute upon learning performance, negative attitudes decrease success (?en, 2013; Altunsoy et al., 2011 Kara, 2009). The studies analyzing the factors in developing and changing the attitudes towards learning indicated that these attitudes differed according to socio-cultural background of participants, their various expectations, perceptions and experiences (Anghelache, 2014); their performance, success and education on relevant field (Abdalrahim et al., 2011); their participating in programs organized for improving and maintaining of developed attitudes (Coppens et al., 2014; Seewooruttun and Scior, 2014; Pansu, Lima, & Fointiat, 2014; O’Brien et al., 2014; Tan et al., 2011); and the process in the same learning grade as in attitudes towards reading (Altunsoy et al., 2011b). As in attitudes towards reading, the co-change between success and attitude in attitudes towards learning had a positive correlation rather than being a reason or result of each other.

Urea (2012), investigating the relation between teaching style of the teacher and students attitudes towards reading, found that the teacher who designed a confident learning environment created a cooperative learning atmosphere where the teachers favouring an aggressive teaching environment led to a competitive learning environment. Such studies dictate experimental studies which do not neglect any confounding variable to decipher cognitive and emotional codes of academic achievement. However, aforementioned and partly conflicting findings could be explained. Because attitudes create only one of the various cognitive, affective and somatic factors active in success and performance (Anghelache, 2014).

The problem statement

The fundamental problem of the research was determined as “How is the effect of BRM upon attitudes of students towards learning and reading habit?” within the framework of this fundamental problem, the sub-problems below were determined.

Sub-problems

In this research designed as semi-experimental, answers to the sub-problems below were sought:

- In pre-application, is there a significant difference in attitudes of students towards learning and reading habit in terms of their gender?

- In post-application, is there a significant difference in attitudes of students towards learning and reading habit in terms of their gender?

- Is there a significant difference between pre- and post-applications?

Process order

The present study was carried out using quasi-experimental design (The one group pretest-posttest design). Both in pre-test and post-test, two similar scales were applied to the same student at the beginning and at the end of the study. The researcher tried to determine how BRM affected the attitudes of pre-service teachers towards learning and towards reading habit. Silent reading was performed for 30 minutes during 10 weeks in lessons in order to determine the effect of BRM upon attitudes of students towards learning and reading habit with 3^rd grade students of Ad?yaman University, Faculty of Education, Elementary Education Social Sciences teaching department; subsequently the subject was discussed through large discussion method for 10-15 minutes, and short evaluations were made in class. In 2013-2014 academic year, eighty-nine pre-service teachers attended these courses. Following examining certain works, which comply with the objectives of the course, in terms of content, form of presentation, language and expression, suitability to the audience and fluency, “Emotional Communication and Body Language” by Orhan Erdem was chosen as co-decision of experts of Turkish Language and Literature, sociology, communication, curriculum design and Turkish Language Teachers.  In this study, the researcher examined how the independent variable as BRM affected the dependent variables as learners’ attitudes towards learning and towards reading habit.

Population and sample

The population of the study included 89 students who had efficient communication lesson in 2013-2014 academic year and attended to the courses mentioned above. Aforementioned students included 3^rd grade students studying at Ad?yaman University, Faculty of Education, Elementary Education Social Sciences teaching department. From the total sample, 31 of the participant were female and 58 were male pre-service teachers.

Data collection and analysis

In the research, two scales were used for data collection. The first scale was “Attitude Scale towards learning” developed by Kara (2010) including 40 items, and it was for determining the attitudes of individuals towards learning. Attitude scale towards learning was a Likert type scale and included for sub-dimensions as attitudes towards the nature of learning, expectations from learning, openness to learning, and worries against learning. The second scale was “Attitude Scale towards Reading Habit” developed by Balc? (2009) and Gömleksiz (2004); it was revised, included 30 items and was for determining the attitudes of individuals towards reading habit. Attitude scale towards reading habit was a Likert type scale and included six sub-dimensions as love, habit, necessity, desire, effect, and benefit of reading. In both scales, five-point grading scale was used as I agree: 5, I partly agree: 4; I have no opinion: 3; I disagree: 2; I totally disagree: 1. The replies to negative questions were recorded in reverse from I totally disagree (1) to I totally agree (5). In attitude scale towards learning, 11 negative expressions,  and in attitude scale towards reading habit 9 negative expressions  were coded reversely. Reliability and validity test results obtained from those two scales performed to the pre-service teachers as pre-test and post-test are shown in Table 1. As could be seen in Table 1, it was concluded that both scales were valid and reliable in post-application as well as in the pre-application. 

Analyzing Data

The data obtained through performing aforementioned scales to the study group were evaluated in SPSS 20.00 program (Statistics Packages for Socials Sciences), and the evaluations were made according to independent and dependent group t-test of obtained findings. Moreover, in order to determine the relationship between pre-application and post-application, Pearson Correlation coefficient was determined. 

Results related to first sub-problem

The results of independents sample t-test related to the first hypothesis as ‘In pre-application, is there a significant difference in attitudes of students towards learning and reading habit in terms of their gender?” are shown in Table 2.

As could be seen in the table, differences were observed between the average scores of students participated into the research in terms of their attitudes towards learning and reading, and in terms of their gender. According to the independent group t-test results performed in order to determine whether these afore-mentioned differences were significant or not, female students had significantly higher scores rather than the male students in terms of being willing to reading (X_female=13.41, X_male=12.44, t=-2.117, p<0.05). In other words, female students were noticed to be more willing rather than male students in terms of reading habit.

Results related to second sub-problem

The results of independents sample t-test related to the hypothesis as ‘Is there a significant difference in post-

application of scales in terms of gender?” are shown in Table 3.

In post-application, as could be seen in the table above, it was concluded that there were significant differences in both sub-dimensions in terms of gender. In post-application, it was determined through independent group t-test (t_etki= -2.654; t_yarar = -3.073; p<0.05) that the differences observed between effect and benefit sub-dimensions of female students and male students were significant (X _{etki female}=18.80, X _{etki male}=17.68; X _{yarar female}=38.45, X _{etki male}=35.68). These results reveal that female students believed in effect and benefit of BRM more than male students, which is statistically significant. In other words, BRM was more beneficial for female students. BRM affected female students more positively than the male students.

Results related to third sub-problem

The results of dependent samples t-test and Pearson Correlation Coefficient related to the third hypothesis as ‘Is there a significant difference between pre- and post-application?” are shown Table 4.

When the table is analyzed, it was noticed that there were significant differences between the pre-application and post-application in score averages of anxiety about learning, Expectations from Learning, Openness to Learning, Love, Desire and Benefit sub-dimensions. BRM caused a significant decrease at anxiety about learning sub-dimension of pre-service teachers, and this caused students to have less worry while learning a subject (X_{anxiety about learning pre} = 32.67; X_{anxiety about learning post} = 30.33; p<0.05). On the other hand, BRM provided significant increase at Expectations from Learning (X_{expectations from learning pre} = 37.69; X_{expectations from learning post} = 39.60; p<0.05), Openness to Learning (X_{openness to learning pre} = 46.65; X _{openness to learning post} = 48.78; p<0.05), Love (X_{love pre} = 27.98; X_{love post} = 29.77; p<0.05), Desire (X_{desire pre} = 11.78; X_{desire post} = 13.80; p<0.05) and Benefit (31 X_{benefit pre} = 36.56; X_{benefit post} = 38.35; p<0.05) sub-dimensions. According to this, lecturing through reading book provided Expectation from Learning and Openness to Learning increased significantly.

In terms of reading habits, lecturing a course through BRM caused students to love reading more, being more willing to reading books and believing that reading books is a beneficial activity. In other words, lecturing a course with BRM provided positive develop-ment in attitudes towards learning and reading habit that were important aspects for training individuals.

When Pearson Correlation Coefficient values found in order to correctly interpret the changes observed between score averages in pre and post-applications were analyzed, no correlation was found between Nature of learning, Habit, Necessity and Effect. Significant correlations were found in all other sub-dimensions. However, whereas some of these correlations were at a low  level  despite  their  significance  (Expectations  from learning, openness to learning, Love, Desire and Benefit), anxiety about learning sub-dimension proved BRM as beneficial and efficient with its medium level significance. In other words, BRM was seen to increase students’ expectations from learning, openness to learning, love for reading book, willingness to read and believing that reading   books   is   beneficial;   and   to  decrease  their anxiety about learning. 

The results of this research carried out to determine how the courses lectured through large group discussion method for 10-15 min at the end of silent reading during the first thirty minutes of the course during ten weeks upon students’ attitudes towards reading and learning affected were discussed below.

In pre-application, female students were noticed to be more willing than the male students in terms of reading habit. Kristina et al. (2014) expressed that reading habits of individuals differed according to their socio-cultural properties and this supported the result of the research. Moreover, Arslan et al. (2009) carried out a research upon analyzing the attitudes of students studying at vocational school related to reading, and found that attitudes of female students towards reading more positive rather than the male students, and this result was interpreted to be arisen from the difference of emotional and developmental needs between females and males.  In a similar study, Kush and Watkins (1996) and Logan and Johnston (2009) expressed that females had more positive attitudes rather than males at a significant level. It is beneficial to analyze this result in two sides. The first one revealed the necessity for directing students to written materials in performing activities, seminars, and extracurricular activities for developing reading habits.  The second one necessitated that attitudes of female students towards reading should be transformed into a more functional structure in their daily lives. As mentioned by Yalç?nkaya (2007), reading provides opportunity for individuals to discover themselves and actualize their potential. When academic benefits of reading were considered besides its psychological and social benefits, using of BRM in courses should be encouraged. Providing students to have the habit of taking support from books in learning is an important role of reaching profession.

In post-application, in “effect” and “benefit” sub-dimension of reading BRM was determined to differ in favor of female students according to gender variable. In other words, BRM was perceived as more positive by female students. In studies carried out by Bozpolat (2010), Kush and Watkins (1996) and Logan and Johnston   (2009),   it   was   concluded  that  attitudes  of female students towards reading a book was more positive rather than the male students.  Using BRM as an efficient method for all students can be provided through the activities for acquiring students reading habit in native language and literature teaching at schools as of childhood period.  

BRM provided pre-service teachers to have decrease at anxiety about learning. This result is an important one that should be efficient in business and daily life as well as education. Decrease of anxiety affecting the quality of learning negatively through BRM was one of the important outputs of BRM. Through BRM providing obstacles in learning of individuals to decrease, the ability of adapting into life conditions emerged after technological improvements will be facilitated.  BRM provided a significant increase at Expectations from Learning, Openness to Learning, Love, Desire, and Benefit sub-dimensions of pre-service teachers, and this provided students to be more advantageous to be in their adult life (Chotitham and Wongwanich, 2014; K?rm?z? et al., 2014; Broeder and Stokmans, 2013; Keskin, 2013; Warren-Kring and Waren, 2009; Kaniuka, 2009; Chua, 2008). Because attitudes were not rapidly changing properties for individuals’ fulfilling their profession, positive attitudes of students developed through this method can be fundamental for their success and happiness during lifelong learning process. In this sense, BRM’s developing positive attitudes in pre-service teachers, and its causing decrease at properties damaging human psychology such as anxiety revealed the importance of BRM. Furthermore, as mentioned by some researchers (Kanmaz and Saracalo?lu, 2012; Pala and Y?ld?z, 2012; Ba?c?, 2010; Balc?, 2009; Chua, 2008; Roberts and Wilson, 2006; Atay, 2004; Bozkurt and Serin, 2003) unwillingness of students towards reading revealed the necessity of popularizing the courses trained with BRM. 

At the end of the research, significance of correlations between the sub-dimensions of attitudes proved BRM as a beneficial and efficient method. When results of previous researches were considered (Susar et al., 2014; Vehovec et al., 2014; Kanmaz and Saracalo?lu, 2012; Karabay and Kay?ran, 2009; Martínez et al., 2008; Schofield and Start, 1977), BRM should be expected to be in a relationship with other skills such as academic success, thinking, and creativity. In this sense, further researches can be carried out upon efficient use of BRM in other courses. Because whereas positive attitudes increase learning performance of students, negative attitudes decrease success (?en, 2013; Altunsoy et al., 2011; Kara, 2009).

The authors have not declared any conflict of interests.