From sounds to sentences: A longitudinal study of phonological and emergent literacy predictors of early writing in Turkish children

This longitudinal study examines how preschool children’s phonological awareness and emergent literacy skills relate to their early writing performance in first grade. Conducted within the context of a transparent Turkish orthography, the study aims to identify early cognitive-linguistic correlates of subsequent writing development. A total of 97 children (aged 66–77 months) from preschools in a socioeconomically diverse Turkish district were followed over two academic years. In the first year, participants were assessed using the LAP-3 Early Literacy Subtest and the Phonological Awareness Test to measure their emergent literacy and phonological skills. One year later, their writing performance was evaluated using a validated sentence construction assessment. Non-parametric statistical tests and correlation analyses were conducted to examine developmental variations and relationships among the variables. Results revealed statistically significant correlations between early writing performance and both phonological awareness (r = .46, p < .01) and emergent literacy (r = .32, p < .01). Specific sub-skills such as syllable segmentation, rhyming awareness, and letter-sound correspondence showed the strongest associations with writing performance. These skills did not differ significantly by age or gender. The findings highlight the foundational role of preschool phonological and emergent literacy skills in early writing development. This study contributes empirical data from a transparent orthography. Given the correlational design, these findings should be interpreted as evidence consistent with developmental literacy theories rather than as confirmation of causal or predictive mechanisms; they emphasize the importance of early identification and instructional support in preschool settings to promote future writing success.