The Effect of Peritextual Reading on Listening Skills of Preschool Children

This study examines the effect of peritextual reading on preschool children's listening skills. A quasi-experimental design with a control group was employed, using pre-test and post-test measures. The study included 65 preschool students aged 4 to 6 years, with 35 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. The Listening Skills Assessment Scale for Preschool Children was used to measure listening skills. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0, applying independent and dependent sample t-tests and non-parametric tests where necessary. Findings indicate that peritextual reading significantly improves preschool children's listening and cognitive behavioral skills. However, no statistically significant effect was observed on their social behavioral skills. These results suggest that peritextual reading activities can be an effective tool for enhancing listening comprehension and cognitive engagement in preschool education. Peritextual reading contributes to the development of preschool children's listening skills, which are foundational for their overall language development. Educators should incorporate peritextual reading into early childhood education to improve students’ listening comprehension and cognitive engagement. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term effects of peritextual reading on various language skills.