Examination of first grade mathematics performance of children in risk group in terms of mathematical skills in preschool

The aim of this study is to examine the first-grade mathematics performance of children in the risk group in terms of early mathematics skills in preschool. The study group of this research, in which the longitudinal scanning model was used, consists of 270 children studying in the kindergartens of the primary school in the city center of Uşak in the 2021-2022 academic year. In the study, data were collected using the Mathematical Thinking Skills Evaluation Tool and Achievement Test in the Number Domain of Mathematics Course for Elementary School Students. The Mann Whitney-U Test was used to determine whether the scores obtained by the children in the Achievement Test in the Number Domain of Mathematics Course for Elementary School Students differ according to whether they are in the risk group in terms of early mathematics skills. When the results were examined, it was seen that the scores obtained from the Achievement Test in the Number Domain of Mathematics Course for Elementary School Students differed significantly in favor of the children who were not in the risk group. Spearman-Brown rank correlation coefficient was calculated to determine whether there is a relationship between children's early math skills and their math performance at the end of the first grade. When the results were examined, it was determined that there was a positive and significant relationship between the scores obtained from the numbers and operations subtests of the Mathematical Thinking Skills Assessment Tool and the mathematics performance at the end of the first grade. Finally, hierarchical regression analysis was used to determine whether children's early math skills predict math performance at the end of the first grade. The results show that early math skills are a strong predictor of first-grade math performance. The findings obtained because of the analyzes were discussed based on the literature, and it was stated that early mathematics skills predicted first-grade mathematics achievement and were one of the most important indicators of future mathematics difficulties.