Impacts of Parent’s Reading Habits at Home on Children’ Listening Skills

Abstract

The early childhood phase is a critical period for the acquisition of various skills. Listening skills are just as vital as speaking, reading, and writing in social life. Nevertheless, an examination of studies in the field of early childhood education reveals that research focused on listening skills necessitates further attention. This study seeks to explore the connection between the listening skills of children aged 60 to 72 months and parents’ habits of reading books to children at home. The research data, collected using the Listening Skills Evaluation Scale for Preschool Children and the Questionnaire on Parents' Reading Habits to Children at Home (abbreviated as EVOK in Turkish), was gathered through a relational survey model, which falls under quantitative research methods. The study's participant group comprises 176 parents, selected through random sampling. The data was analyzed through relationship and difference tests. The research outcomes establish a significant positive correlation between the listening skills of children aged 60 to 72 months and the reading practices of their families at home. Furthermore, the study identifies that parental education levels and economic status are statistically significant factors influencing children's listening skills. Based on these findings, the study offers recommendations to parents and other stakeholders regarding the enhancement of children's listening skills.