Development of Early Literacy in Special Education in Türkiye: Current Challenges and Future Directions

This study aims to examine the current situation and the literature on supporting the early literacy skills of children with special needs in Türkiye, to identify the difficulties encountered, to suggest effective intervention strategies, and to develop practice recommendations to guide teachers and families. Within the scope of the research, the traditional review method was used. The study analyzed the general profiles of the studies conducted in the field of early literacy in Türkiye, common themes among the findings, difficulties encountered, and intervention methods. The study included 36 studies focusing on early literacy skills of preschool children between 2014 and 2024. These studies included hearing impairment, language/speech disorder, visual impairment, Down syndrome, learning disability, autism spectrum disorder, developmental disability, severe and multiple disabilities, intellectual disability, and gifted groups. The data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method, and content analysis was performed using NVivo 14 software. The findings of the studies were determined, and similar findings were grouped under themes and interpreted with an inductive approach. The research findings reveal the roles of teachers and families in supporting the early literacy skills of children with special needs in Türkiye, the lack of materials, and the limitations of the strategies used in education. In light of the findings, it is important to improve early literacy skills; among these strategies, interactive book reading, play-based activities, strengthening family involvement, and interventions that support phonological awareness are presented as examples.