Preschool Children's Verbal Problem Solving Skills and the Types of Verbal Problems That Teachers Present to Children

This research aims to investigate the verbal problem solving skills of preschool children in mathematics according to the type of problem and the type of unknown in the problem; and to determine the perspectives of the teachers about the implementation process of these problems. The mix method was used in this study. The sample consisted of 50 preschool children and 6 preschool teachers of these children. In the research, the data were collected by using a problem solving test and a semistructured interview form. The data were obtained via individual interviews with children and teachers. According to the results of the research, it was concluded that in all type of problems the children were found to be more successful at separation, joining, part-whole problem types than comparison problem types. It was concluded that it was easier for children to answer the problems with ending unknown than the problems with initial unknown and change unknown. In the result of the interviews with teachers, it was revealed that most of the teachers did not use comparison problem type and the problems with initial unknown. It was determined that most of the teachers were not aware of all types of problems.