Examination of the relationship between preschool children's independent learning behaviors and competitive styles with early literacy skills

The main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between preschool children's independent learning behaviors and competition styles and early literacy skills. The population of the study consisted of 5-year-old children attending official independent kindergartens affiliated to the Ministry of National Education and kindergarten classes affiliated to primary and secondary schools in Elazığ provincial centers in the 2023-2024 academic year. The sample of the study consisted of 107 children, 58 girls and 49 boys, attending kindergarten. The sample was formed by using the purposive sampling method, which is one of the non-random sampling methods. In the study, "Personal Information Form" developed by the researcher, "Early Literacy Test for Preschool Children (EROT)" to assess children's early literacy skills, "Independent Learning Behaviors Scale (3-5 Years)" to assess independent learning behaviors, and "Preschool Competition Scale" to determine competition styles were used. The data were analyzed using the package program. According to the results of the study, it was concluded that gender, mothers' and fathers' education level, family structure and perceived family income level had an effect on independent learning behaviors. In addition, it was found that there was a significant difference in the sub-dimensions of competition styles according to gender, number of siblings, mother's education and employment status, father's education and employment status, family structure and perceived family income level. In addition, gender, number of siblings, mother's education and employment status, father's education and employment status, family structure and family income levels were found to be related to early literacy skills subtests. According to the findings of the study, it was found that there was a positive relationship between receptive and expressive vocabulary knowledge and independent learning behaviors, task-oriented competition, and dominance maintenance hierarchy, but competition focused on others was found to be related to expressive vocabulary knowledge, while the relationship with receptive vocabulary knowledge was not significant. It was found that independent learning behaviors were related to general naming skills, but the relationship between competition styles and these skills was not statistically significant. In addition, it was found that independent learning behaviors, task-oriented competition, and dominance maintenance hierarchy were related to function knowledge, letter knowledge, and phonological awareness knowledge skills, whereas these skills were not related to others-oriented competition. Finally, independent learning behaviors and all competition styles were found to be related to listening comprehension skills. Keywords: Preschool Education, Early Literacy, Competition Styles, Independent Learning Behavior