Mathematics in kindergarten: teachers’ perception and practices for children with autism and typical development

Mathematics education from a young age is a great advantage for its later development. One factor that influences mathematics instructional methodology is teacher perception of the subject. The present study examined mathematics perception and teaching practices of 30 kindergarten teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 39 kindergarten teachers of children with typical development (TD). Data were collected through a semi-structured interview that elicited feedback on their perception of the importance of teaching mathematics to their children, and elicited descriptions of mathematical teaching activities they conducted. A qualitative data analysis approach was used. The main research findings identified that while all teachers perceived early childhood mathematics instruction as very important, each group emphasized different reasoning. However, in describing their mathematics teaching activities, both groups inadequately conveyed the full range of mathematical content required by the curriculum. Additionally, both groups differently described three teaching practices: (a) diverse learning opportunities (b) providing adaptations, and (c) higher-order thinking tasks. These research findings aid the future development of educational intervention programs for kindergarten teachers of children with ASD and TD by identifying mathematical content and teaching methodologies that need greater mastery and expression by these groups.