The effect of Montessori Education Method on preschool children's acquisition of number and operation concepts

In this study, it was aimed to examine the effect of Montessori Education Method on the acquisition levels of number and operation concepts of preschool children. In addition, the number and operation concept acquisition levels of preschool children were examined in terms of gender, duration of preschool education, sibling status, mother's age, mother's education level, mother's employment status, and family socio-economic status variables. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 40 children aged 48-72 months attending the official preschool institutions affiliated to Kırklareli Provincial Directorate of National Education, 20 children being experimental and 20 children being control. The research was planned in a pre-test, post-test, control group experimental design. While the children in the experimental group received education with Montessori Education Method for 12 weeks, the children in the control group received education with the MEB Preschool Education Programme (2013). "General Information Form" and "Number and Operation Concepts Test" developed by Arnas, Gül and Sığırtmaç (2003) were used as data collection tools. Independent t test, ANOVA and Schefee test were applied to analyse the data obtained in the study. As a result of the data obtained; it was determined that the acquisition levels of Number and Operation Concepts of the children to whom Montessori education method was applied were higher than the children to whom MEB Preschool Education Programme (2013) was applied. In addition, it was determined that the acquisition levels of Number and Operation Concepts of preschool children did not change according to the gender of the child, duration of preschool education, sibling status, mother's age, mother's working status and the perceived socio-economic status of the family, but there was a change according to the mother's education level and the number and operation acquisition levels of children whose mothers graduated from primary school were higher than those whose mothers graduated from university.