Investigation of geometry skills of 5-7 years old children

In this study, it was aimed to examine geometric skill levels of children in the specified age group in terms of age and gender. The sample, which is designed in quantitative research scope and line with survey model, consists of 5-7 year-old children (333 five-year-old, 210 six-year-old and 211 seven-year-old) attending pre-schools and first grades in Istanbul. Data were obtained by "Personal Information Form" and "Early Geometry Skills Test". As a result of the research, it was determined that age make a difference in geometry skills of the children while the gender variable makes no difference. It was identified that 5-7 year-old children do not have any difficulty in distinguishing typical samples of the shapes; but in the shape selection task, they are affected by atypical and non-valid examples. It was also determined that besides visual matching children make matches related to the simple properties of shapes, too. As a result of the findings, evidences for the existence of the pre-recognitive and syncretic level, which Clements et al (1999) put forward, was obtained.