Examination effects of Montessori method on children?s concept acquisition, social adaptation, and fine motor skills

The main purpose of this research is examining the effect of Montessori education approach on 4-6 years old children?s concept acquisition (school readiness, direction/position, self/social awareness, texture/material, quantity and time/sequence), social adaptation (communication, daily living, socialization and motor skills) and fine motor skills.As a method of this research was preferred pre-test/ post-test, experimental and control group. Pre-test/post-test was carried out to examine effect of the Montessori education on 4-6 years old children who are experimental group and control group was formed to compare effect of Montessori education on experimental group. Sample of research was conducted 4-6 years old 24 children who were educated with Montessori education at Gazi University Faculty of Vocational Education Department of Child Development and Education Application Preschool and 4-6 years old 24 children who were educated at Ankara University Application Preschool and Child Club where MoNE?s curriculum was carried out. For the first experiment, curriculum which contains aims of learning of Montessori education was applied on experimental group from 2008 September to 2009 January and MoNE?s curriculum was applied on control group at the same time. In addition to for the second experiment, sensory education was applied with sensory material which contain in Montessori education approach on experimental group from 2009 January to June and MoNE?s curriculum was applied on control group at the same time.For acquisitions of children?s concepts such as school readiness, direction/position, self/social awareness, texture/material, quantity and time/sequence, Bracken Basic Concept Scale-Revised, for adaptive behavior of children such as communication, daily living, socialization Vineland II Adaptive Behavior Scales and for children?s fine motor skills Observing Form of Fine Motor Skills were used as data collecting instruments.Comparing both groups for pre-test and post-test mean score which obtain from Bracken Basic Concept Scale-Revised results show that statistical differences were found between experimental and control group and these differences were in support of experimental group. There are differences between children who were obtained education from Montessori approach and MoNE?s curriculum in school readiness, direction/position, self/social awareness, texture/material, quantity and time/sequence areas. Result of statistical analysis show that there are differences between children who were obtained education from Montessori approach and MoNE?s curriculum in communication, daily living, socialization and motor skills areas. There are also differences found between children who were obtained education from Montessori approach and MoNE?s curriculum in fine motor skills areas.Finally, results show that Montessori education approach has positive effects on children?s acquisition of concepts, social adaptation and fine motor skills.