Turkey

The Mathematics Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades

The vision of the current primary mathematics curriculum emphasizes educating students in the use of mathematics in their lives, to solve problems, share solutions and ideas, and enjoy learning mathematics.¹⁰ The principle “every child may learn mathematics” is the main focus of the curriculum, which includes many essential and contemporary teaching goals, elements of constructivism, and other teaching theories. The curriculum is based on constructivist principles, student-centeredness, and a departure from lecturing, moving instead toward understanding, exploring, and conceptualizing the essence of mathematical ideas.¹¹

The curriculum highlights the importance of a learning environment where students may research, discover, and solve problems, and where they may share and debate solutions and approaches to mathematical problems. The curriculum promotes connecting various areas of study within mathematics, as well as connecting mathematics with other subjects and disciplines. Curriculum topics were prepared according to the developmental level of students in every grade. These strategies are intended to enhance students’ active participation in learning mathematics and its principles.

Students are encouraged to engage in various activities in order to conduct research, obtain results, and discuss solutions, and to use different materials for these activities to develop their psychomotor abilities. The mathematics curriculum highlights conceptual and procedural understanding throughout primary school.¹² The curriculum emphasizes fundamental mathematical abilities (e.g., problem solving, reasoning, communication, and making connections) along with general skills (e.g., creative thinking, research-based learning, and use of technology).

In the current primary school curriculum, there are four learning areas in Grades 1 to 4: Numbers, Geometry, Data, and Measurement. While the distribution of content differs slightly for each grade, Exhibit 2 presents these learning areas and their overall content across this grade span.¹³

Exhibit 2: Mathematics Curriculum Learning Areas and Content, Grades 1–4

Learning Areas	Content
Numbers	Use numbers and digits; develop estimation and calculation skills by understanding the four arithmetic operations; associate fractions, percentages, and decimal fractions; determine relationships within patterns and apply this information to problem solving
Geometry	Develop spatial abilities; determine relationships between geometric shapes and objects; decorate with planar shapes; understand and use symmetry; use geometric tools and materials
Data	Gather, organize, and analyze data (probability is taught beginning in the fourth grade)
Measurement	Perform estimations; develop an understanding of the concepts of measurement

There are five mathematics learning areas in Grades 6 to 8 (lower secondary school): Numbers, Geometry, Measurement, Probability and Statistics, and Algebra. Exhibit 3 presents these learning areas and their respective content across this grade span.¹⁴

Exhibit 3: Mathematics Curriculum Learning Areas and Content, Grades 6–8

Learning Areas	Content
	Grade 6	Grade 7	Grade 8
Numbers	Natural numbers, integers, operations on integers, multiples and factors, fractions, decimals, percentages, rate and ratio, and sets	Operations using integers and rational numbers, rates and ratios, and consumer arithmetic	Exponential numbers, square roots of numbers, and real numbers
Geometry	Lines, line segments, and rays, angles, polygons, congruency and similarity, transformation geometry, patterns and ornaments, and geometric shapes	Lines and angles, polygons, congruency and similarity, circles and circular area, geometric shapes, transformation geometry, and patterns and ornaments	Triangles, geometric patterns and ornaments, geometric objects, geometric transformations, and projection
Measurement	Angles, length, area, time, volume, and liquids	Measuring angles, area of quadrilaterals, perimeter of circles and arc length, area of circles and sectors, surface area of geometric shapes, and volume of geometric shapes	Measuring triangles, volume of geometric objects, and surface area of geometric objects
Probability and Statistics	Probable conditions, main concepts of probability, types of events, preparing survey questions and collecting data, tables and graphs, and measures of central tendency and dispersion	Probable conditions, types of events, types of probability,tables and graphs, and measures of central tendency and dispersion	Determining possible outcomes, types of events, charts and graphs, measures of central tendency, and spread
Algebra	Patterns and relations, algebraic expressions, and equality and equations	Patterns and relations, algebraic expressions, and equations	Patterns and relations, algebraic expressions, and equality and equations