Ebeveynlerin Çocuklara Evde Erken Okuryazarlık ve Kütüphane Kullanma Alışkanlıkları Kazandırmaları: Güvenirlik ve Geçerlik Çalışması
Bilgi toplumuna bireyler yetiştirmek ve yaşam boyu öğrenmeyi desteklemek için erken çocukluk döneminde okuryazarlık becerilerinin kazandırılması kritik bir gerekliliktir. Ebeveynler, okul öncesi eğitimciler ve çocuk bakımında rol alan bireyler (bakıcılar, büyükanne ve büyükbabalar) bu süreçte önemli bir sorumluluk üstlenmektedir. Çocuk kütüphaneleri, erken okuryazarlık becerilerinin desteklenmesinde kilit bir rol oynarken, çocukların akademik başarılarının temelleri de bu dönemde atılmaktadır. Bu bağlamda araştırma, üç temel amaca odaklanmaktadır: Ebeveynlerin, ev ortamında çocuklarına erken okuryazarlık becerileri kazandırma sürecindeki deneyimlerini değerlendirmek; kütüphane hizmetlerinin, 3–6 yaş aralığındaki çocukların erken okuryazarlık gelişimine katkısını incelemek; ebeveynlerin, çocuklarına erken okuryazarlık becerileri kazandırma sürecinde kütüphane kullanma alışkanlıklarını ölçmek. Bu amaçlar doğrultusunda geliştirilen Evde Erken Okuryazarlık ve Kütüphane Kullanma Alışkanlıkları Ölçeği (EEOKAÖ), ebeveynlerin hem ev hem de kütüphane ortamında çocuklarının erken okuryazarlık becerilerini destekleme süreçlerine dair tutum ve davranışlarını değerlendirmeyi hedeflemektedir. Ölçek geliştirme süreci belirli aşamalara dayanmaktadır. İlk olarak, literatür taraması yapılarak erken çocukluk dönemi gelişim gereksinimleri ve mevcut ölçekler incelenmiştir. İkinci aşamada, uzman görüşleri doğrultusunda ölçeğin madde havuzu oluşturulmuş, ardından ölçme ve değerlendirme yöntemi belirlenmiştir. Dört alt boyuttan oluşan EEOKAÖ, geçerlik ve güvenirlik analizleri sonucunda son halini almıştır. EEOKAÖ, ebeveynlerin hem evde hem de kütüphane ortamında çocuklarının erken okuryazarlık becerilerini destekleme süreçlerini değerlendiren kapsamlı bir ölçme aracı olarak geliştirilmiştir.
Fostering literacy skills during early childhood is a critical requirement for raising individuals who can thrive in the information society and embrace lifelong learning. In this process, parents, preschool educators, and caregivers (including babysitters and grandparents) bear significant responsibility. Children’s libraries play a key role in supporting early literacy skills, while also laying the foundation for children’s future academic success. In this context, the study focuses on three main objectives: to evaluate parents’ experiences in fostering early literacy skills at home; to examine the contribution of library services to the early literacy development of children aged 3–6; and to measure parents’ library use habits in the process of supporting their children’s early literacy development. In line with these objectives, the Home-Based Early Literacy and Library Use Habits Scale (HELLUHS) was developed to assess parents’ attitudes and behaviours related to supporting their children’s early literacy both at home and in library settings. The scale development process was carried out in several stages. First, a literature review was conducted to examine the developmental needs in early childhood and the existing measurement tools. In the second stage, an item pool was created based on expert opinions, followed by selecting appropriate measurement and evaluation methods. The scale, composed of four sub-dimensions, was finalised following validity and reliability analyses. The HELLUHS was designed as a comprehensive measurement tool to evaluate how parents support their children’s early literacy skills in both home and library environments.
Early literacy skills play a critical role in children’s cognitive, linguistic, and academic development. Research indicates that literacy experiences acquired at an early age have a direct impact on children’s educational trajectories and lifelong learning abilities. Literacy skills are not only fundamental to individual success but also serve as essential components of societal development. Therefore, the quality of literacy opportunities provided during early childhood is of paramount importance.
In this process, not only parents, teachers, and caregivers who support children’s literacy development but also institutional structures contributing to early childhood education play a crucial role. Libraries provide children with opportunities to engage with books, thereby fostering language development, enhancing access to reliable information, and contributing to the establishment of a reading culture. In particular, children’s libraries and library services designed for early age groups offer an essential environment that encourages children to recognise, explore, and use information resources.
However, there is a need for a comprehensive and reliable assessment tool to measure the quality of early literacy experiences that parents provide in the home environment, as well as their library usage habits. In response to this need, the Home-Based Early Literacy and Library Use Habits Scale (HELLUHS) was developed as an original instrument designed to evaluate parents’ participation in early literacy activities with their children and their habits regarding library use.
The developed scale aims to evaluate how frequently parents engage in book reading activities with their children, the extent to which they incorporate interactive activities such as storytelling and word games, and how actively they utilise library services. Furthermore, it facilitates an analysis of parents’ library usage habits as a means of supporting their children’s learning and the ways in which they benefit from these services. In this way, the relationship between early childhood literacy development and library use can be systematically examined.
By employing HELLUHS, the impact of parents’ literacy activities at home on children’s development can be substantiated with concrete data. Consequently, policies can be developed to enhance the integration of library services into early childhood education. In this context, this scale is considered a significant tool for better understanding the role of early literacy and library services in child development and for formulating strategies to enhance this process.
This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the scale developed to determine the early literacy skills provided by parents to their typically developing children aged 3-6 years in the home environment and their library usage habits. The study was conducted using a survey design, a subtype of quantitative research methodology. The scale developed for this research was administered to parents both online and in print. In this context, the study sought to identify the extent to which parents and their children possess the early literacy components included in the scale. Additionally, parents’ library usage habits were investigated.
The study employed probability sampling and purposive sampling methods. The research sample consisted of parents of 500 typically developing children aged 3 to 6 years residing in the Çankaya district of Ankara, Turkey. Data were collected using two instruments: a Demographic Information Form and the Home-Based Early Literacy and Library Use Habits Scale (HELLUHS). The scale comprised 36 items, while the Demographic Information Form included 8 questions.
The collected data were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Through these analyses, validity and reliability tests were conducted using SPSS and AMOS software, and the findings are presented in tables. To determine the factor loadings of the items in the developed scale, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed. All analyses were conducted on data obtained from 389 parents with typically developing children aged 3-6 years.
The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure was found to be .85, and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity yielded a significant result (χ² = 528.74, p = 0.00), indicating the suitability of the data for factor analysis. The results of the EFA revealed that the scale had a four-factor structure, with eigenvalues greater than 1. The first factor accounted for 23.24% of the total variance, the second factor 21.40%, the third factor 17.65%, and the fourth factor 15.47%.
To determine the reliability of responses to the 36-item Early Literacy and Library Perception Scale, the Cronbach’s Alpha internal consistency coefficient was calculated (see Table 2). The overall reliability coefficient of the scale was found to be .901, indicating high internal consistency. Considering the strengths, weaknesses, and overall content of the developed scale, it is assumed to be a qualified instrument for measuring early literacy and library usage habits in the home environment within the national context.