Utilizing scaffolding strategies in teaching pre-numeracy skills in an inclusive education setting

This study investigates how the teacher used scaffolding strategies in teaching pre-numeracy skills (seriation skills, pattern generating skills and understanding consistency) among preschool children in an inclusive education setting. The study also explored challenges faced by the teacher while teaching and how she overcame them. The qualitative study used observations and semi-structured interview questions to collect the data. Purposive sampling was used to choose five preschool children and a pre-school teacher from a private school in Selangor as sample of the study. Two instruments were used to collect the data namely observation checklist and semi-structured interview questions. The researchers did six classroom observations to collect the qualitative data on how the teacher used the scaffolding strategies to teach the pre-numeracy skills (seriation skills, pattern-generating skills, and understanding consistency). The researchers also conducted face-to-face interviews with the teacher on the challenges faced by her while teaching and how she solved them. Results from the observations indicated that the teacher used various scaffolding strategies to enhance the children’s pre-numeracy skills namely seriation skills, pattern generating skills, and understanding consistency. In addition, the children’s performance improved when the teacher used the scaffolding strategies. The teacher also faced many challenges while teaching namely children get confused, the teacher has to be patient and cool, children not paying attention, lesson preparation and getting suitable materials. This study has crucial pedagogical implications because it sheds some light on how to use the scaffolding strategies in teaching pre-numeracy skills in an inclusive education setting.