Evaluation of preschool teachers' chess learning and teaching experiences

Abstract

Chess, which is a game of intelligence and sports that has been played for centuries, is increasingly important, and many countries are trying to popularize it as an educational tool or sport in schools. In this qualitative study, preschool teachers' experiences of learning the game of chess, their evaluations of these experiences, their teaching practices in preschool classes after learning the game, their self-evaluation, and educational support needs were investigated based on the opinions of teachers. The study was carried out with 12 preschool teachers determined by purposive sampling method in the spring term of 2020. The study was conducted face-to-face with a semi-structured interview form. The descriptive analysis method was used in the analysis of the data obtained from the interviews. The participants believed that they needed educational support in teaching chess. The results will be useful in terms of organizing preschool chess teaching program content and practices in a way that will form the basis for the game. Keywords: Chess; learning; preschool; teacher activity; teaching experience.