Singapore Maths Parent Workshop Introduction to Singapore Maths

Aims of the session What is Singapore Maths? Why Singapore Maths and Maths No Problem? How we teach Maths What is Maths Mastery? What is the CPA approach? What is the bar model?

What is Singapore Maths? Maths – No Problem, is an approach to teaching maths developed in Singapore. Singapore established a new way of teaching maths following their poor performance in international league tables in the early 1980’s. The Singapore Ministry of Education, decided to take the best practice research findings from the West and applied them to the classroom with transformational results. Based on recommendations from notable experts, Singapore maths is a combination of global ideas delivered as a highly-effective programme of teaching maths. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated by Singapore’s position at the top of the international benchmarking studies and explains why their programme is now used in over 40 countries including the United Kingdom and the United States.

Why Singapore Maths?

Why Singapore Maths and Maths No Problem? Problem solving is at the heart of mathematics. The focus is not on rote procedures, rote memorisation or tedious calculations but on relational understanding. Children are encouraged to solve problems working with their core competencies, such as visualisation, generalisation and decision-making. In summary: Singapore consistently top the international benchmarking studies for maths teaching. It is a highly effective approach to teaching maths based on research and evidence. It builds children’s mathematical fluency without the need for rote learning. It introduces new concepts using Bruner’s Concrete Pictorial Abstract (CPA) approach. Pupils learn to think mathematically as opposed to reciting formulas they don’t understand. It teaches mental strategies to solve problems such as drawing a bar model.

Why Singapore Maths and Maths No Problem? Children will have a greater conceptual understanding of number and calculation. They will be able to visualise and generalise more readily due to a more in-depth understanding. Struggling learners will be fully supported through accessing concrete equipment and use of visual models to support understanding. Confident learners will be challenged through exposure to unfamiliar problems, development of reasoning skills and by exploring multiple ways to manipulate numbers and solve problems. All learners will access teaching of content which matches the expectations of the curriculum in England and be supported further, if needed. The resources match the expectations for formal written methods set out by the Government, alongside greater understanding.

How we teach Maths at Cliff Lane Concepts merge from one chapter to the next. Chapters are then broken down into individual lessons. Lessons typically are broken into three parts and can last one or more days. Children master topics before moving on. The three parts to a lesson are: Anchor Task – the entire class spends time on a question guided by the teacher. The children are encouraged during this time to think of as many ways as possible to solve the question as possible. Guided Practice – practice new ideas in groups, pairs or individually guided by the teacher. Independent Practice – children practice on their own. Once children have mastered the concept, they use their reasoning and problem solving skills to develop their depth of learning.

What is Mastery?

What is Mastery?

What is Mastery? Whole class move through topics at broadly the same pace Slower pace leads to greater progress Students are given time to think deeply about the maths and really understand concepts Differentiation through depth rather than acceleration Teaching maths for mastery is a key plank of the Government’s education reforms and is reflected in the 2014 English national curriculum for mathematics. The NCETM, Department for Education and OFSTED have all endorsed this evidence-based approach which is a key part of the work within the Maths Hubs Programme. Factual- I know that Procedural- I know how Conceptual- I know why e.g. If a child knows their tables up to 12 x 12 but when asked what 12 x 13 is they look blank- not mastery. They do no have the fluency to make connections Mastery is the depth of learning. Not just understanding how to do something and then moving on. It’s fully understanding the concept and being able to apply it in a range of contexts.

What is the CPA approach? The approach is based on recommendations from notable experts such as Jerome Bruner, Richard Skemp, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky and Zoltan Dienes. Children and adults find maths difficult because it is abstract. The CPA approach helps children learn new ideas and build on their existing knowledge by introducing abstract concepts in a more familiar way. Concrete Pictorial Abstract

What is the CPA approach? Concrete- this is the ‘doing’ stage, using concrete objects to model problems. e.g. if a problem is about adding up four baskets of fruit, the children might first handle actual fruit before progressing to handling counters or cubes which are used to represent the fruit. Pictorial- this is the ‘seeing’ stage, using representations of the objects to model problems. e.g. building or drawing a model makes it easier to grasp concepts they traditionally find more difficult as it help them to visualise the problem. Abstract- this is the ‘symbolic’ stage, where children are able to use abstract symbols to model problems.

What is the CPA approach? Although the CPA approach is presented as three distinct stages, it is important to go back and forth between each representation to reinforce concepts Children will use a variety of manipulatives in their classroom to encourage them to represent problems in a variety of ways This approach is followed through the school all the way to Year 6 Concrete manipulatives have been seen to be ‘childish’ or ‘distracting’ but by removing these too soon, children find it difficult to grasp abstract concepts

What is the bar model? Bar model uses the CPA sequence when teaching certain maths topics.

What is the bar model?

What is the bar model?

What is the bar model?

What is the bar model?

What is the bar model?

What is the bar model?

Thank you If you have any further questions or queries please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s class teacher or myself Our calculation policy can also be found on the school’s website which outlines the CPA approach for the four operations