Teacher Knowledge in Early-Grade Mathematics: Comparing Early Career and Pre-Service Teachers in Ghana

This study focuses on the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of pre-service and in-service early-grade mathematics teachers, contributing to the ongoing discussion on PCK.The Mathematics Pedagogical Content Knowledge Instrument (MPCKI) was used to collect data from forty pre-service and in-service early-grade teachers in Ghana.The higher PCK scores observed among pre-service teachers suggest that current teacher education programmes in Ghana effectively provide a solid theoretical foundation.However, the challenges reported by early-career teachers indicate a need to bridge the gap between theory and practice.Therefore, teacher education programmes should incorporate more practical, classroom-based experiences to better prepare teachers for the realities of Ghanaian classrooms.The results indicate that pre-service early-grade teachers have a higher level of PCK for teaching mathematics and suggest that preservice teachers may be better equipped to effectively communicate mathematical concepts and enhance learners' mathematical thinking than their early-career counterparts.The findings underscore the importance of robust teacher preparation programmes in developing pedagogical content knowledge which is crucial for effective mathematics instruction in the early grades.