Examination of Early Literacy Skills Development Levels in Children Aged 48-69 Months

Merve Pehlivan; Arzu Yükselen

Examination of Early Literacy Skills Development Levels in Children Aged 48-69 Months

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between early literacy skills and developmental levels in children aged 48-69 months attending preschool education. The study was conducted on 100 children attending private preschools in Istanbul, using a correlational survey design from quantitative research methods. The Early Literacy Assessment Tool (ELAS) and the Denver II Developmental Screening Test were used as data collection tools. According to the research findings, no significant relationship was found between early literacy skills and general developmental levels. Statistically significant differences were also not found in terms of variables such as gender, parental education level, and birth order; however, some sub-skills showed differences between girls and boys, parental education level, or birth order. In particular, positive correlations were found between phonological awareness and story comprehension and pre-writing skills; and between writing awareness and story comprehension and pre-writing skills. However, a low-level negative correlation was found between maternal age and pre-writing skills. In conclusion, it is emphasized that children's early literacy skills should be supported regardless of their developmental level. It is recommended that teachers incorporate more early literacy activities, that parents increase their children's interaction with books, and that fathers take an active role in family education. Future research is also advised to include larger samples from different socioeconomic levels and to utilize a variety of developmental tests.

Keywords

References

Büyüköztürk, Ş., Çakmak, E. K., Akgün, Ö. E., Karadeniz, Ş., & Demirel, F. (2018). Scientific research methods (25th ed.). Pegem Akademi.
Canibey, L. (2022). Investigation of early literacy skill levels of 48-72 months old children attending preschool education institutions. Unpublished master's project, Pamukkale University, Denizli.
Çetin, A., & Bencik Kangal, S. (2021). The impact of early literacy skills curriculum on early literacy and mathematics skills. Kastamonu Education Journal, 29(2), 514–523.
Delican, B., & Ateş, S. (2021). Development of early literacy development assessment tool. Cumhuriyet International Journal of Education, 10(1), 159–180. https://doi.org/10.30703/cije.704440
Ergül, C., Sarıca, A. D., & Akoğlu, G. (2016). Dialogic reading: An effective method to improve language and early literacy skills. Ankara University Faculty of Educational Sciences Journal of Special Education, 17(2), 193–206.
Feyman-Gök, N. (2013). Evaluation of the early literacy environment in kindergartens and the effect of the classroom environment on children's early literacy behaviors. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Ankara University, Ankara.
Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (5th ed.).
Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2012). How to design and evaluate research in education (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Frankenburg, W. K., Dodds, J., Archer, P., Shapiro, H., & Bresnick, B. (1992). The Denver II: A major revision and restandardization of the Denver Developmental Screening Test. Pediatrics, 89(1), 91–97. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.89.1.91
Gengeç, H., Güldenoğlu, B., & Kargın, T. (2022). Variables affecting early literacy skills: Socioeconomic level and home literacy. Pamukkale University Faculty of Education Journal, (55), 1–28. George, D. & Mallery, P. (2010).
SPSS for windows step by step: A simple guide and reference 17.0 Update. 10th Edition, Pearson. Hair, J.F., Risher,
J.J., Sarstedt, M. & Ringle, C.M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31, 2-24.
Karaman, B. G. (2013). Development, validity and reliability study of an early literacy skills assessment tool. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Gazi University, Ankara.
Karaman, G., & Aytar, A. G. (2016). Development of the early literacy skills assessment tool (ELSAT). Mersin University Faculty of Education Journal 12(2), 516–541. https://doi.org/10.17860/efd.02080
Kargın, T., Güldenoğlu, B., & Ergül, C. (2017). Early literacy skills profile of kindergarten children: Ankara sample. Ankara University Faculty of Educational Sciences Journal of Special Education, 18(1), 61–87.
Kısaoğlu, Ş. Y., & Çetin, A. (2023). The relationship between self-regulation and early literacy skills of 5-6 year old children. Ana Dili Eğitimi Dergisi, 11(2), 328–345.
Lee, J. A. I., & Otaiba, S. A. (2015). Socioeconomic and gendergroup differences in early literacy skills: A multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis approach. Educational Research and Evaluation, 21(1), 40–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803611.2015.1010545
Özen-Altınkaynak, Ş. (2014). The effect of a family-based literacy preparation program on children's literacy preparation skills. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Ankara University, Ankara.
Pallant, J. (2020). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Şenol, F. B., & Turan, F. (2023). Self-regulation, early academic competence, and early literacy in children: An examination according to socioeconomic risk status. Pamukkale University Faculty of Education Journal, 57, 51–73. https://doi.org/10.9779/pauefd.1025776
Tanju-Aslışen, E. H., & Hakkoymaz, S. (2020). Review of postgraduate thesis studies conducted in the field of early literacy: A content analysis. Journal of Mother Tongue Education, 8(4), 1483–1498.
Yalaz, K., Anlar, B., & Bayoğlu, B. (2009). Denver II developmental screening test: Turkish standardization. Developmental Child Neurology Association Publications.
Yılmaz-Demirel, Ö., & Yaman, A. (2023). Investigation of early literacy skills of preschool children in terms of different variables. RumeliDE Journal of Language and Literature Studies, (33), 604–615. https://doi.org/10.29000/rumelide.1285336
Yumuş, M. (2018). The effect of shared book reading software change experiences on infants' language development and early literacy efficiency (Thesis No. 509135) [PhD Thesis, Hacettepe Univercity].

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Child Development Education

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Merve Pehlivan ^*
Türkiye

Arzu Yükselen
Türkiye

Publication Date

June 24, 2026

Submission Date

February 20, 2026

Acceptance Date

May 17, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 2 Number: 2

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA52FN26JH

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Pehlivan, M., & Yükselen, A. (2026). Examination of Early Literacy Skills Development Levels in Children Aged 48-69 Months. Journal of Child Development and Education, 2(2), 92-101. https://izlik.org/JA52FN26JH

AMA

1.Pehlivan M, Yükselen A. Examination of Early Literacy Skills Development Levels in Children Aged 48-69 Months. JOCDE. 2026;2(2):92-101. https://izlik.org/JA52FN26JH

Chicago

Pehlivan, Merve, and Arzu Yükselen. 2026. “Examination of Early Literacy Skills Development Levels in Children Aged 48-69 Months”. Journal of Child Development and Education 2 (2): 92-101. https://izlik.org/JA52FN26JH.

EndNote

Pehlivan M, Yükselen A (June 1, 2026) Examination of Early Literacy Skills Development Levels in Children Aged 48-69 Months. Journal of Child Development and Education 2 2 92–101.

IEEE

[1]M. Pehlivan and A. Yükselen, “Examination of Early Literacy Skills Development Levels in Children Aged 48-69 Months”, JOCDE, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 92–101, June 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA52FN26JH

ISNAD

Pehlivan, Merve - Yükselen, Arzu. “Examination of Early Literacy Skills Development Levels in Children Aged 48-69 Months”. Journal of Child Development and Education 2/2 (June 1, 2026): 92-101. https://izlik.org/JA52FN26JH.

JAMA

1.Pehlivan M, Yükselen A. Examination of Early Literacy Skills Development Levels in Children Aged 48-69 Months. JOCDE. 2026;2:92–101.

MLA

Pehlivan, Merve, and Arzu Yükselen. “Examination of Early Literacy Skills Development Levels in Children Aged 48-69 Months”. Journal of Child Development and Education, vol. 2, no. 2, June 2026, pp. 92-101, https://izlik.org/JA52FN26JH.

Vancouver

1.Merve Pehlivan, Arzu Yükselen. Examination of Early Literacy Skills Development Levels in Children Aged 48-69 Months. JOCDE [Internet]. 2026 Jun. 1;2(2):92-101. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA52FN26JH