Abstract:

The aim of this study is to evaluate the elementary mathematics education students’ mathematical language skills in terms of “patterns” from verbal and symbolic language perspectives. The sample of the study was composed of 117 students in the department of elementary mathematics and the survey method was adopted. An open-ended achievement test including 18 questions was developed and used as data collection instrument. The extent and face validity of the test was provided by experts. Research data were both quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. As a result, it was found that there is a significant difference between verbal language and symbolic language, and also symbolic language and finding pattern. It was determined that there is no significant difference between the students’ verbal language scores based on their school year. On the other hand, it was revealed that there is a significant difference between some levels of class. Also, it was determined that some participants expressed pattern’s rule by using daily language, by expressing the form of the pattern, instead of expressing it mathematically.  

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