Abstract:

Developed mathematical preliteracy in preschool children is an important prerequisite not only for successful mastery of mathematics at the beginning of school attendance, but also for many situations in everyday life. The environment in which a child's mathematical ideas can develop is, in addition to the family, primarily the kindergarten.
Mathematical concepts that develop in preschool education can be divided into five main areas. They are geometry in plane and space, basic set manipulations, the area of multiplicity, logical and combinatorial thinking, algorithmic thinking. The authors are more deeply interested in children's geometric ideas. A broader research project Geometry in Preschool Education (GPPE) was conceived. Geometry in preschool education includes the following topics:
• Orientation in plane and space,
• Geometric shapes in plane and space (solids)
• The whole and its parts
• Similarities and symmetry
• Basics of measurement
The contribution will present partial results of the pedagogical experiment Geometric shapes in the plane and in space, specifically the part focused on the active use of geometric terminology. The following research questions were formulated:
Q1: What is the knowledge of preschool children in the area of geometric terminology?
Q2: Do preschool children distinguish between planar and three-dimensional shapes?
Q3: Do preschool children distinguish the same properties/ (or different properties) of different geometric shapes?
The pedagogical experiment was implemented in 2023, in a state kindergarten. 52 children between the ages of 3 and 7 took part in the experiment. Due to the nature of the experiment, the interview method was chosen in conjunction with qualitative reflection. All the children involved cooperated willingly. During group work, natural cooperation between younger and older children was evident. The conducted experiment confirmed that children of preschool age have knowledge of geometric shapes in a plane and in space. Age-appropriately, they begin to use correct geometric terminology. The level of knowledge depends not only on age, but especially on the stimulating educational environment in kindergarten and family. The findings will be reflected in the undergraduate training of future kindergarten teachers. The obtained data also provide suggestions for further research investigations.

Keywords:

Kindergarten, mathematical literacy, geometry, terminology.