A study on the outcomes of Montessori education in China

Montessori education has been acclaimed as one of the best methods of training students. Despite its widespread, little is known about Montessori education and its effects in mainland China. This research aims to spur more research on Montessori education outcomes in China. A quasi-experimental method was applied in this study, to compare the executive function (EF) development of children who had attended Montessori preschool to their non-Montessori peers. The study used a behavior rating inventory of executive function, second edition (BRIEF2) Parent Form to compare parents' observations of their child's executive functions (EF). Parents of Chinese elementary-aged children (6-8 years old) at the time of the study of both Montessori and non-Montessori preschool backgrounds participated in the survey. According to the results, children of Montessori preschool backgrounds had some statistically significant better-scored EF indexes than their non-Montessori peers. While the remaining indexes were not statistically significant, mean scores were still better for children who had attended Montessori preschool overall. Keywords: Educational software; executive function; Montessori; perceptions; teacher.