An action research for the development of elementary teachers' ideas about early algebra

Arithmetic and algebra are structurally different from each other. The structural differences cause students to experience difficulties in problem solving, generalizing, and using and making sense of symbols and letters during their advancing from arithmetic to algebra. Before commencing algebra teaching, students should learn the differences between arithmetic and algebra. Referring to the literature, it is seen that early algebra has a key role in learning these differences and eliminating the difficulties that students experience. In addition, teachers' knowledge and practices is very important for the development of students' algebraic thinking. In this research, it is aimed to reveal the elementary teachers' ideas about early algebra and to determine the effects of teaching activities, carried within the scope of early algebra, on the students' success and the elementary teachers' ideas about early algebra. This research has been designed as an action research. In the research it has been tried to reveal the elementary teachers' awareness about early algebra by means of an early algebra awareness scale and a semi-structured interview form. At the same time, fourth grade elementary school students' early algebraic achievement was measured via an early algebra achievement test. Within obtained data, an action research based on the activities of early algebra teaching was carried out with a fourth grade elementary school teacher. As a result of the research, it has been found that elementary school teachers have limited knowledge about early algebra and that practices within the scope of early algebra positively affect the ideas of elementary school teachers about early algebra. Furthermore, the activities made within the scope of early algebra enhance the success of the fourth grade elementary school students.