Purpose: Since nowadays study is one of the most important tools of human communication with the world around us, advanced systems not only encourage individuals to study the textbook, but also lead them to free book reading; However, a comparison of statistics of the amount of free book reading shows that the status of study in our country is lower than other developed countries. Having wrong reading habits and a lack of access to books is among the deterrents to free book reading. Therefore, the main problem of this study is whether free book reading skills affect reading habits, attitudes toward reading, and academic achievement of high school male students.
Method: This research was carried out by using a half-experimental design consisting of a pretest-posttest on an experimental group and a control group. The statistical population included all male students studying at the Shohadaye Solan School of Hamadan city in the 2017-2018 academic year, numbering 98 students. To select the sample, from all grades, the seventh grade was selected by the purposeful sampling method. The number of students in this grade was 40 and two classes were randomly selected as the experimental and control groups. The study questionnaires included Palsani and Sharma's (1982) study habits questionnaire with a retest reliability of 0.88 and criterion-dependent validity of 0.74 (FereidouniMoghadam and Cheraghian, 2009), and questionnaire of researcher-made attitudes toward reading with the Cronbach's alpha of 0.83. The construct validity of the questionnaires showed the high fit of the model of the research. Academic achievement was also measured by the total grade point average of the students. The first-semester grade point average was used as a pre-test and the second-semester grade point average was used as a post-test. The free book reading skills were taught to the experimental group during 11 sessions (each one lasting 60 minutes) in eleven consecutive weeks and the control group did not receive any training. At the end of the training course, a post-test was performed in both groups. The data was analyzed by using an analysis of covariance using SPSS software version 22.
Findings: The results of analysis of covariance indicated that free study has a positive effect on the students' reading habits (F = 7.08, P < 0.05), students' attitudes toward reading (F = 13.61, P < 0.05) and their academic achievement (F = 10.84, P < 0.05).
Originality/value: Findings showed that free book reading skills had a significant effect on students 'reading habits, students' attitudes toward reading, and their academic achievement. Free book reading makes students' minds more active by raising their level of thinking. Thus, they will be able to learn the lessons better. Based on the results of this research, the effect of training free book reading skills can be further examined by considering the educational conditions in each grade, findings can also be used in order to enrich the programs related to academic achievement in schools.