Assessment of early literacy skills in preschool children

This study aims to assess the early literacy skills of preschool children. The research was conducted using the relational research model, one of the quantitative research methods. The study group consisted of 217 children aged 60-72 months who were enrolled in kindergarten classes of primary schools and independent preschools affiliated with the Provincial Directorate of National Education in Istanbul. The data collection tools used in the study were the "Early Literacy Test (EROT)" and the "Early Literacy Skills Assessment Questionnaire - Teacher Form (EOBDA-ÖF)." The research data were found to be normally distributed, and analyses were conducted in accordance with the sub-objectives. The findings indicated that children demonstrated sufficient performance in receptive vocabulary, letter knowledge, and functional knowledge. However, a significant portion of preschool children performed below the expected level in expressive language, general naming, phonological awareness, and listening comprehension skills, suggesting a need for additional support in these areas. Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation was found between EROT and EOBDA-ÖF scores. Additionally, early literacy skills of preschool children did not significantly differ based on gender, age range, duration of preschool education, maternal employment status, parental age range, or number of siblings. However, according to teachers' evaluations, significant differences were observed based on school readiness, family structure, self-reported socio-economic status, and parental education level.