Mind mapping as a new method that supports readiness for primary school

Özgül Polat,Nevra Atış Akyol

doi:10.5937/istrped2102431p

Abstract

In the changing and developing world, the methods and approaches which promote learning experiences of individuals develop at the same pace. If such methods are integrated into the education system as an alternative to traditional teaching methods, it will enrich the learning experience for children and provide teachers with an opportunity to reach more children. As part of this, the research aims to use the mind mapping method to develop school readiness skills of preschoolers. This study was designed with a quantitative research procedure and was planned using a quasi-experimental design. The working group for the study was made up of 44 children, of which, 21 belong to the experimental group and 23 the control group. For the first step of the study, teachers were given mind mapping training and later the children in the experimental group were subjected to mind mapping applications in 22 themes (school, numbers, shapes, our healty, cooperation, emotions, nature…), comprising 7 large group and 15 individual mind mapping applications. The mind map theme of the week was covered every day in that week's program. As a result of the study, a significant difference in scores for school readiness skills between the experimental and control groups was revealed for all sub-dimensions in favour of the experimental group. The study indicates that the mind mapping technique applied with the children in the experimental group supports their readiness for primary school considerably.

Highlights

Any investment in children in early childhood, which is the most fruitful period in terms of development and learning, enriches their academic and social life, enabling them to become successful individuals with a sense of meaning and responsibility within society
The support and education needed for children should be given in early childhood which is critical for their development
For any qualified preschool education to be offered to children, it needs to support learning skills which use methods and

Summary

Introduction

Any investment in children in early childhood, which is the most fruitful period in terms of development and learning, enriches their academic and social life, enabling them to become successful individuals with a sense of meaning and responsibility within society. The support and education needed for children should be given in early childhood which is critical for their development. For any qualified preschool education to be offered to children, it needs to support learning skills which use methods and techniques that will make learning easier. There are various studies that utilise current methods and techniques which are thought to strengthen the school readiness level of children. Such support programs are the preschool education practices enriched with comprehensive art education (Brown et al, 2018), the programmes for the development of self-regulation skills Children have different individual features and interests, diversification of the methods used in education raises the likelihood of reaching all children

Objectives

Methods

Results