Perspectives of Early Mathematics Implementation among Malaysian Public Preschool Teachers: Issues, Challenges, and Way Forward

Abstract

This study explored the perspectives of Malaysian public preschool teachers regarding the implementation of early mathematics curriculum. The purpose of this qualitative research was to identify and analyse the issues, challenges, and potential recommendations to enhance early mathematics teaching practices in Malaysian preschools. In order to support data collected from open-ended questionnaires from 398 public preschool teachers, semi-structured interviews and observations on seven preschool teachers were conducted to gather triangulated insights on their early mathematics implementation practices. Findings highlight the importance of addressing issues, challenges, and suggestions on four key themes upon data analysis, including early mathematics curriculum, its implementation, the need for appropriate and digital teaching aids, as well as necessity for continuous professional development. Recommendations for fostering effective teaching practices in early mathematics classrooms in line with learners’ needs in the 21^st century for Malaysian preschoolers were proposed to further improve the scenario of early mathematics implementation in Malaysian preschools.