Abstract:

The main purpose of this study is to determine the effects of socio-economic level (SEL) and home literacy on the early literacy skills of 60-72 months old children. Two hundred thirty-five children attending pre-school education in the city of Gaziantep and their mothers were included in the study. Children's performances regarding early literacy skills were obtained in the study using the "Early Literacy Test (ELT)", information related to their SELs with the "Family Information Form", and information on home literacy activities with the "Home Literacy Practices Scale (HLP)". ELT implementations were carried out in a designated room or classroom in the children's schools. Telephone interviews conducted with mothers acquired information regarding SEL and home literacy activities. The study's data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis H tests and calculating the Spearman-Brown Rank Differences Correlation Coefficient. The findings indicated that SEL created a significant difference in children's early literacy skills and that children, particularly from low SEL, were in the risk group regarding early literacy skills. Furthermore, they showed that the activities carried out in the home environment are influential in the development of early literacy skills and that the qualitative activities and opportunities provided in the home environment are significant for good early literacy development.

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