Development of a Self-Efficacy Scale for Supporting Early Literacy Skills

Abstract

The aim of this study is to develop a measurement tool for self-efficacy perception to support early literacy skills. In the study, an item pool of 60 items was created by considering the relevant literature. The form was presented to the field experts who had studies in the relevant fields, and 5 items in the item pool of the scale were removed from the scale in line with the expert opinions. After taking expert opinions, the 60-item form was filled in by 493 pre-school teacher candidates at Sivas Cumhuriyet and Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa Universities. Before the analysis, extreme, deviating, missing or erroneous values were corrected. As a result of the corrections made, validity and reliability studies were carried out in line with the responses from 467 students. As a result of the exploratory factor analysis, it was determined that the scale consists of 40 items and 6 sub-dimensions. The form consisting of 40 items and 6 sub-dimensions explains 65.10% of the total variance. These dimensions are named as Visual Reading, Listening / Monitoring, Phonological Awareness, Print Awareness, Basic Writing Skills and Assessment of Progress in accordance with the literature. As a result of the confirmatory factor analysis, it was determined that the fit indices of the 6-factor structure were within acceptable limits. The Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient for the whole scale is 0.96, and the Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient for the sub-dimensions is between 0.84 and 0.91. As a result of these findings, it was revealed that the scale measures the self-efficacy perception to support early literacy skills in a valid and reliable way.