Ecological Theory in Early Literacy Assessment: A Preschool Teacher-Focused Scale (ETELAS-PT)

Early literacy development in preschool is shaped by children’s individual skills and environmental contexts, including classroom practices, family routines, peer relationships, and cultural influences. While children’s engagement with literacy is embedded in daily interactions, most assessment tools remain focused on child outcomes, providing limited information about teachers’ practices and their engagement with the ecological theory that supports early literacy development. Based on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory, this study developed the Ecological Theory Early Literacy Assessment Scale (ETELAS-PT) to assess preschool teachers’ practices and awareness related to supporting children’s early literacy development within an ecological framework. Scale development involved a literature review, analysis of existing early literacy assessment instruments, and teacher interviews. The items were refined through expert review and pilot testing with nine teachers. The resulting instrument was administered to 221 preschool teachers (96.8% female; 56.9% with ≥10 years of experience) in public and private institutions. Psychometric analyses revealed a four-factor structure: Mesosystem, Exosystem, Macrosystem, and Chronosystem, with 25 items. Factor analysis showed high sampling adequacy (KMO = 0.894) and significant sphericity (χ2(300) = 3727.006, p < 0.001), with the four-factor structure explaining 64.35% of the total variance. Confirmatory analysis demonstrated an acceptable model fit (CMIN/df = 2.241; RMSEA = 0.069; SRMR = 0.075; CFI = 0.909; IFI = 0.910). The scale showed high internal consistency (α = 0.923; ω = 0.932). By identifying the ecological dimensions important to both early literacy development and preschool teachers’ practices and awareness, the ETELAS-PT provides a psychometrically supported tool that could be used for professional support as well as contextualized approaches towards early literacy practice in preschool.