How does pre-school children learn verbal problems regarding addition and substraction? Researcher-teacher action research

This research was conducted in a researcher teacher action research design to examine how verbal problems related to addition and substraction could be taught to preschool children through large groups, small groups, and individual activities. The research consists of three consecutive cycles. A large group mathematics activity was used in the first cycle, a small group mathematics activities was used in the second cycle and an individual mathematics activities were used in the third cycle. After each cycle was conducted, the cycle was evaluated with regards to the researcher and the child. Additionally, a verbal problem test was used as a pretest and posttest in order to determine whether there was a significant difference in the verbal problem solving skills regarding to addition and substraction of children. The results obtained were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. 15 pre-school children and their teachers enrolled in the kindergarten of a primary school affiliated with the Ministry of National Education from the village of Yüreğir in the province of Adana and participated in the research. The teacher is also the researcher itself. Research data were gathered through the qualitative data collection methods of interviews and observations through documents. Content analysis was performed with an inductive view of the obtained data. In the research process while the action plan of the researcher was being applied, behaviors and discourses that support learning, operate the problem-solving steps, and restrict learning have emerged. During the application of mathematical activities for verbal problem solving, it has been determined that the researcher has experienced some problems stemming from themselves and external factors. Many of these problems have been solved by the researcher's own solutions in action research. It was concluded that the large group, small group and individual activities that the researcher used in the process contributes to the development of the mathematical verbal problem solving skills of pre-school children. In addition, the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test revealed that children had a significant difference in verbal problem solving skills. At the end of the research process, it was concluded that verbal problems related to addition and substraction can be applied in the pre-school period.