Investigation of 6th Grade Students’ Metaphorical Perceptions of Four Operation Concepts

The purpose of this study is to determine the metaphorical perceptions of 6th grade students regarding the concepts of four operations. For this purpose, the study was conducted using the phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods. The study group of the research, which was conducted in the second semester of the 2024-2025 academic year, consists of a total of 121 volunteer sixth grade students studying at a public school in the city center of Batman. The convenience sampling method was used to select the students. A form consisting of questions aimed at creating metaphors regarding the concepts of four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) was used as the data collection tool. The data obtained were analyzed using the content analysis method. In the analysis phase, firstly the metaphors developed by the students were determined and divided into categories. Metaphors produced for the concept of addition; increase/growth, storage/accumulation, gain, integration/togetherness; metaphors produced for the concept of subtraction; destruction, separation, disassembly, physical loss, consumption; metaphors produced for the concept of multiplication; mechanical, natural, folding, economy, physical interaction, social; metaphors produced for the concept of division; physical fragmentation, fair distribution, separation, grouping are categorized under common themes. The operation that produced the most metaphors was subtraction, while the operation that produced the fewest was division. Students generated metaphors based on the salient features of the concepts in their minds. It was observed that they developed metaphors for different meanings of the four operations, but some meanings were more prominent in the metaphors. It was concluded that the students were able to connect the metaphors they developed to daily life