DEVELOPMENT OF NUMBER SENSE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: AN INVESTIGATION OF TEACHERS' CLASSROOM PRACTICES

Abstract

In this article, we aim to investigate how Number Sense is developed in the teaching practices of Early Childhood Education teachers within the classroom context. The research is field-based, adopts a qualitative approach, and follows the research-training modality. The research context was an extension course focused on teacher education, carried out in 2025 in the municipality of Tangará da Serra, involving teachers who work with Pre I and Pre II classes. For data production, an online questionnaire was applied via Google Forms, from which responses were obtained from 125 participants. For interpretative analysis, Content Analysis was used, according to Bardin  (1977), Rodrigues  (2019), and Rodrigues  and Brito AJ (2025). This process allowed the identification of three categories of analysis: Category of Analysis I – Guiding Aspects of the Learning and Development Process of Children, Category of Analysis II – Valuing Multiple Languages, and Category of Analysis III – Teaching Resources. The results show that the development of Number Sense in Early Childhood Education occurs through the intentional integration of language, concrete action, playfulness, and social interaction in meaningful contexts of children’s daily lives.