The invention provides a method and a device for calcining materials. The device has a splitting type structure comprises a burning chamber, preheating chambers, a calcining chamber, cooling chambers, a heat accumulator, a gas processing unit, a material conveying machine, a feed device, a discharge device and an exhaust gas discharging system. Material to be calcined is conveyed by the material conveying machine between the preheating chambers, between the preheating chambers and the calcining chamber, between the calcining chamber and the cooling chamber and between the cooling chambers. Smoke generated by the burning in the external burning chamber is processed by the gas processing unit, and then enters the burning chamber for calcining the material. Air for cooling lime and preheating limestone material is subject to dust removing by a cyclone separator and is preheated by the heat accumulator, and then enters the burning chamber for supporting combustion. In the invention, the fuel burning and the material calcining are separated, so that the pollution of lime products caused by harmful substances can be avoided, and the quality of the lime product can be improved. The gas is subject to dust removing and then enters the heat accumulator, thus avoiding blocking a gas channel in the heat accumulator. The material conveying machine is used for conveying the material, so that the conveying efficiency is high, and the occupied space is small.