Abstract:

The aim of this study is to identify the opinions of mathematics teachers about the causes of the difficulties that students experience in relation to the zero concept and to examine solutions to solve these difficulties. In the study, the method of study was used. The participants of the study consist of a total of 6 math teachers, including 3 primary and 3 secondary math teachers. The data was collected through interviews with these teachers. In these interviews, two semi-configured scenario-type interview questions were used where the concept of zero was addressed. In the process of creating the scenarios, a test was developed and implemented in which the notion of zero is addressed in different contexts in order to reveal the points where students are challenged and misleading. As a result of the analysis of the data obtained from this test, the scripts were structured by determining the points the students were very difficult to find. The findings of the study have found that teachers generally can determine the student's understanding of the zero concept and that they can interpret the causes of these concepts from different perspectives but have difficulty developing solutions to solve the student's difficulties and conceptual errors. This is an indication that the teachers of mathematics do not have sufficient knowledge to teach mathematics in the context of the knowledge of recognition of the student. In addition, it has been revealed that primary mathematics teachers express more and more different opinions about their understanding of the zero concept, according to secondary mathematics teachers. This research has shown that some mathematical teachers have a lack of mathematical knowledge in their nature, similar to the challenges of students. At the end of the study, it was presented suggestions for the future research on the subject as well as for the training of the teachers of math in service.

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