Effect of orientation and preparation programs on first grade literacy readiness, ideas of teachers on the application

This research aims to show the effect of orientation and preparation programs on first grade student?s literacy readiness. Thus, listening, speaking, literacy readiness, writing readiness, visual perception and attention of students (ages between 61 and 78 months) were analyzed by techniques such as observation, interview and document analysis. In addition, first grade student?s literacy readiness were analyzed by different variables (socio-economic status, pre-school education, starting age, educational status of parents). Participants of this research were from primary schools (of National Education Ministry) of Sivas city center in 2012 - 2013 education seasons. Research includes 93 first grade students (of different socio-economic status) from 3 different schools .28 of them were from low socio-economic status, 32 of them were from middle-class and 33 of them were from high socio-economic status. Sample group was chosen according to stratified sampling method. In order to show the effect of orientation and preparation programs on first grade literacy readiness, pretest-posttest model without a control group was used. In order to understand the listening, speaking, reading readiness, writing readiness, visual perception and carefulness ; ?Student information form?, ?Metropolitan Readiness Test? ?Literacy Readiness Control List? ?Writing Skills Gradual Scoring Key? ?Listening Skills Control List? were used at the beginning and at the end of the orientation and preparation program (of 3 months) .In order to show student?s success in the programs applied in Orientation and Preparation Applications Program, scoring key and ?Activity Tracking Chart? (prepared by the researcher) were used. In order to understand teachers? perspective on listening, speaking, literacy readiness, writing readiness, visual perception and carefulness of students, ?Teacher Perspective Form? were used. We learned at the end of the program that Orientation and Preparation program affected students? listening, speaking, reading readiness, writing readiness, visual perception and carefulness positively. Literacy readiness pretest points are in favour of students who joined preschool programs. There is not an important difference according to gender and father?s educational background. There is an importance difference according to mother?s educational background and the age of beginning of education. According to the first grade teachers, there is not enough education about orientation and preparation programs. Teachers? perspectives on the suitability of orientation and preparation programs to the students? development conditions, conditions of the classes; given information about the program and problems occurred during the application were expressed in the deduction. There are different advices to the researchers, teachers, professionals and families in order to develop students? listening, speaking, reading readiness, writing readiness, visual perception and carefulness. These advices were developed according to the results of the research.