The relationship between preschool teachers' knowledge of mathematical development, mathematics anxiety, beliefs and children's early mathematics ability

This investigation was conducted with the aim to examine the relation between preschool teachers' knowledge of mathematical development, mathematics anxiety and beliefs, and children's early mathematics ability. The sample set consists of 30 preschool teachers for ages five that were working at preschool education institutions of mid-socio-economic level in Hatay's central regions in 2016-2017 school year and 300 preschool children. In forming the sample, first, the preschool teachers for ages five-six that work at preschool education institutions of mid-socio-economic level were determined. 30 teachers out of the 60 teachers that were determined were selected by simple random sampling. 4 of the 30 teachers that were selected were unable to continue to participate in the study due to several reasons. The simple random sampling was repeated and 4 of the 30 teachers who were not selected in the first sampling were selected in order to be substituted for the 4 teachers that could not continue to be a part of the sample set. 10 children from each teachers classroom in the sample set were selected by simple random sampling and were added to the sample set. The data collection tools that were used in the investigation are Teacher and Children General Information Forms, The Knowledge of Mathematical Development Survey, Math Anxiety Scale-Revised, Beliefs Survey and The Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition (TEMA-3). The data of preschool teachers were collected in November and December of 2016-2017 school year; while the data of the selected children were collected in April and May of 2016-2017 school year by the investigator by interviewing the children individually in a quiet room at school. The data were primarily analyzed by descriptive statistics and normality test. The Pearson coefficient of correlation was used in order to analyze the relation between the teachers' scores in The Knowledge of Mathematical Development Survey, Mathematics Anxiety Scale, and Belief Survey; and the children's scores in The Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition (TEMA-3). Regression analysis was used for determining to what extent the teachers' knowledge of mathematical development, mathematics anxiety, and mathematical belief predict the early mathematics ability of children. A positive meaningful relation was detected between the teachers' scores on The Knowledge of Mathematical Development Survey and the children's scores in The Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition (TEMA-3). However, no meaningful relation was detected between teachers' scores on Mathematics Anxiety Scale and children's scores in The Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition (TEMA-3). Also, there was a positive meaningful relation between teachers' scores on Belief Survey and children's scores on The Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition (TEMA-3). In addition, while the teachers', mathematics anxiety do not predict children's early mathematics ability in a meaningful way it was observed that teachers' knowledge of mathematical development and teachers' mathematical beliefs predict children's early mathematics ability in a meaningful way. Keywords: Preschool education, knowledge of mathematical development, mathematics anxiety, mathematical belief, early mathematics ability.