Examination the number sense of primary scholl teacher candidates

The aim of this research is to determine the number sense level and strategies that used by primary school teacher candidates in problems involving the number sense. This research, which was designed on the basis of qualitative research method, was designed in the case study pattern. The study group of the research consists of 157 third and fourth primary school teacher candidates who are studying in Kastamonu University, Faculty of Education, Department of Primary Education in 2018-2019 academic year. As a means of measurement, the Number Sensation Test, which consists of questions about four different components of number sense, was used. The findings were analyzed using descriptive analysis, one of the qualitative analysis methods. As a result of the study, it has been determined that primary school teacher candidates' used number sense strategies less than rule based strategies. But, this ratio differs according to the number sense components that was based in study. The "meaning of numbers" was found the highest component in percentage of using number sense strategies of the primary school teacher candidates. The "making flexible transactions and judging the plausibility of the result" was found the lowest component in percentage of using number sense strategies of the primary school teacher candidates. In line with the findings of the research, some suggestions were made to increase the knowledge of teacher candidates about number sense and performance of using number sense.