The effects of educational toys in learning

of mathematics concepts for educable intellectually disabled students

in preschool setting

Atefeh Dabiry1 and Adibeh Barshan2

Allame Tabatabaie University, Iran (; )

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of educational toys in learning of mathematics concepts for educable intellectually disabled students in preschool setting. To investigate the affect of the toys 20 female students were chosen randomly and divided into control and experimental groups. The sample was chosen from the preschools for children with intellectual disabilities. In this study we used 9 educational toys for instruction, and 18 items in test were researchers made. Groups were compared with T test. Pretest and post-test comparison between tow groups showed significant difference between students who taught with educational toys and control group who didn’t receive any instruction by means of educational toys. These findings indicate educational toys effect in learning of mathematics concepts for educable students in preschool level.

Introduction

In the survey of preschool education and mathematics educational aims, one of the aims is preparing children for entrance into elementary school (Torkaman, 1369, p142-3). The Quantitative concepts which include counting of basic numbers starts at an early stage of childhood. Harmonious plays for counting numbers begins at age of from two or three years old (Tansaz, 1373, p92). Children especially those who are in the first years of elementary school will learn different matters and concepts by engaging and working with objective and touchable things and materials directly. Working with words and other symbols won't be the means of learning for children at this age (Seif, 1384). Clear-sighted education believes that one of the students problems and their non tendency to math fields is applying unsuitable educational methods and not using the necessary educational tools, aids and materials, must be used to assist (Torkaman, 1382, p3). So, in this stage nonverbal methods to help child learning and education of preschool setting must more emphasize to play and children education as a principle (Samadi,1384). Play could be include activities inclined to aim, as well as can combine play with a lesson activity, relationship accruing on play will link with that lesson and child would like lesson (Tabrizi, 1383, p23). It is probably easiest to start with straightforward situations where you are specifically intending to play with the child and get used to applying certain underlying principles (Riddick, 1981, p10).

This study, with due attention to the role of play and toy in children learning, considers two subjects:

· Necessity of learning power training and role of amusements and educational toys in educable intellectually disabled children.

· Applying more and more form of toys and play in the education for educable intellectually disabled students.

Use of objective and touchable materials among them toys for education is a method that encourages learning to occur rapidly. Also, the use of this method leads to learning among educable intellectually disabled children. Some of the children don't have the necessary mental or cognitive readiness for learning of mathematics concepts. For example, children who go to school precociously or children with borderline intelligence quotient may not acquire the or the prerequisites necessary skills as ability of discrimination less or more, different measures and shapes for perception of mathematics concepts (Seifnaraghi and Naderi, 1381, p54). Piaget believe children learn better by repeating with the environment that they live. Because for example they will first conceptualize and then, will earn verbal actions. Therefore, the best method of teaching is to stimulate and reinforce disabled children to objective and obvious reaction with learnable matters and materials (Moghaddasi, 1378, p50).

Hypothesis

1. There isn't significant difference between learning some mathematics concepts in students who were taught with toys and those who didn't receive any instruction.

2. There isn't significant difference between learning of up(on) concept in students who were taught with scarecrow, picture of tree and resilient doll and those who didn't receive any instruction.

3. There isn't significant difference between learning of down(under) concept in students who were taught with scarecrow, picture of tree and resilient doll and they those didn't receive any instruction.

4. There isn't significant difference between learning of inside(in) concept in students who were taught with bag, pencil-case and tortoise and those who didn't receive any instruction.

5. There isn't significant difference between learning of outside(out) concept in students who were taught with bag, pencil-case and tortoise and those who didn't receive any instruction.

6. There isn't significant difference between learning of right concept in students who were taught with puppet, stuff shoe and mobile bear and those who didn't receive any instruction.

7. There isn't significant difference between learning of left concept in students who were taught with puppet, stuff shoe and mobile bear and those who didn't receive any instruction.

Method

In this study hemi experimental method is used. As there were limitations in selection and division of subjects and manipulation of experimental situation, it was not possible for the researchers to select randomly students and divide them into experimental and control group. Therefore, in situation where there it wasn't possible for selection and division of subjects to be done randomly, researchers applied design of basis ending with control group and non use of random selection which is one of the hemi experimental methods for experimental research.

Statistical Population

In this study, statistical population includes all of 347 educable intellectually disabled students who were in preschool setting in Tehran.

Statistical Sample and Manner of Selection

Two exceptional elementary schools were chosen randomly from statistical population and 20 females were divided randomly into two groups of experimental and control (each group consists of 10 persons) as a statistical sample. The minimum calendar age of subjects in experimental group was 7 years and 10 months and the maximum age was 11 years and 9 mounts (average = 10 years and 3 months), the minimum calendar age of subjects in control group was 7 years and 6 months and the maximum age was13 years and 2 months (average = 10 years). The IQ level of these into two groups was between 50 and 70 (average = 60).

Procedure

At first, as teaching concepts, a story was narrated for experimental group's students. In teaching up-down and inside-outside concepts can be taught synchronous opposite concept can be taught, because many children's daily activities relate to up-down and under-in concepts and they deal with them pragmatically. Therefore, if the two concepts were introduced together, it won't create any problem for the child’s learning. Thus, at first a story was narrated about up and down concepts and then toys were used from toys for teaching these concepts. Also the inside –outside concept acted like up and down concept. But since right and left concepts are the most difficult concepts for teaching opposite in preschool setting, their teaching was performed separately with one week interval. So at first a story was narrated about the use of right concept. The teaching of this concept was accomplished with the use of toys after one week left concept was acted on.

The methods which had have the most use in teaching of mathematics concepts in preschool consists of experimental methods and objective observation, composition and plays and question and response. Therefore, the use of touchable materials, for example toys must be considered in teaching mathematics concepts for intellectually disabled students.

Data Analysis Method

This study used descriptive statistic for classification, summarizing and preparing tables, and used inferential statistic (T test) to analyze information and test hypotheses.

Tools

In this cards that were prepared by researchers were used to gather data, to probe up-down, inside-outside and right-left concepts, and to probe each of concept were considered three cards and ending 18 cards were given to subjects. (For instance, refer to Appendix 1.)

Content validity for researchers-made test confirmed by experts group and also it's reliability earned 0/079 by using test retest method.

Necessary toys were prepared by researchers for teaching the mentioned concepts that were used materials includes scarecrow, picture of a tree and resilient doll for teaching up-down concept, and bag, pencil-case and tortoise for teaching inside-outside concept, and puppet, stuff shoe and mobile bear for teaching right-left concept. (For instance, refer to Appendix 2.)

Findings

The statistical test that was used in data analysis for average significance was independent T-test. Descriptive findings of this study include distribution of sample persons, age and intelligence of subjects and the survey hypothesizes into experimental and control groups that come in Table 1.

Table 1. Distribution of sample persons, age and intelligent on the basis of experimental and control groups

Intelligent
Quotient / Maximum age / Minimum age / Average / Percent / Number / Statistical measures
Subjects
50-70 / 9 / 11 / 10 / 7 / 10/3 / 50 / 10 / Experimental
2 / 13 / 6 / 7 / 10 / 50 / 10 / Control

Just as the table shows, in this study each of the experimental and control group consists of 10 persons and the minimum calendar age of subjects in experimental group is 7 years and 10 months and the maximum age is 11 years and 9 months with an average 10 years and 3 months. The minimum calendar age of control group is 7 years and 6 months and maximum age is 13 years and 2 months with an average 10 years. The intelligence quotient in each of groups is between 50 and 70.

Table 2 shows the result of hypothesis about the effects of teaching with toys in learning of mathematics concepts. Considering that calculated t 4/9 with df 18 and level of error able probability 0/05 is more than table t (Table t with df 18 and level of error able probability 0/05 equal to 1/96), there is a significant difference between the two averages. The above findings show that the learning of mathematics concepts in students who were taught with educational toys (average = 3/3) is better than the students who didn't receive any instruction (average = 1/2).

Table 2. Comparison between experimental and control groups in mathematics concepts

Calculated t / Standard error of average / Standard deviation / Average / Number / Statistical measures
Subjects
4/9 / 0/71 / 2/2 / 3/3 / 10 / Experimental
0/82 / 2/6 / 2/1 / 10 / Control

Table 3 shows the result of hypothesis about the effects of teaching with scarecrow, picture of a tree and resilient doll in learning of up (on) concept. Considering that calculated t 2/1 with df 18 and level of error able probability 0/05 is more than table t, there is a significant difference between the two averages. The above findings show that the learning of up (on) concept in students who were taught with scarecrow, picture of a tree and resilient doll (average = 3) is better than the students who didn't receive any instruction (average = 1).

Table 3. Comparison between experimental and control groups in up(on) concept

Calculated t / Standard error of average / Standard deviation / Average / Number / Statistical measures
Subjects
2/1 / 0/15 / 0/48 / 3 / 10 / Experimental
0/10 / 0/31 / 1 / 10 / Control

Table 4 shows the result of hypothesis the effects of teaching with scarecrow, picture of a tree and resilient doll in learning of down (under) concept. Considering that calculated t 2/4 with df 18 and level of error able probability 0/05 is more than table t, there is a significant difference between the two averages. The above findings show that the learning of down (under)concept in students who were taught with scarecrow, picture of a tree and resilient doll (average = 4) is better than students who didn't receive any instruction (average = 0).

Table 4. Comparison between experimental and control groups in down (under) concept

Calculated t / Standard error of average / Standard deviation / Average / Number / Statistical measures
subjects
2/4 / 0/16 / 0/51 / 4 / 10 / Experimental
0 / 0 / 0 / 10 / Control

Table 5 shows the result of hypothesis about the effects of teaching with bag, pencil-case and tortoise in learning of inside (in) concept. Considering that calculated t 1 with df 18 and level of error able probability 0/05 is more than table t, there isn't significant difference between the two averages. The above findings show that the teaching with bag, pencil-case and tortoise didn't effect on increase the scales of inside (in) concept.

Table 5. Comparison between experimental and control groups in inside (down) concept

Calculated t / Standard error of average / Standard deviation / Average / Number / Statistical measures
Subjects
1 / 0/13 / 0/42 / 2 / 10 / Experimental
0/14 / 0/47 / 2 / 10 / Control

Table 6 shows the result of hypothesis about the effects of teaching with bag, pencil-case and tortoise in learning of outside (out) concept. Considering that calculated t 2/01 with df 18 and level of error able probability 0/05 is more than table t, there is a significant difference between the two averages. The above findings show that the learning of outside (out) concept in students who were taught with scarecrow, picture of a tree and resilient doll (average =/04) is better than students who didn't receive any instruction (average = 0/2).