Why Use Singapore Maths?

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2 Maths No Problem!

3 Why Use Singapore Maths? Singapore developed 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 such as Jerome Bruner, Richard Skemp, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and Zoltan Deines, Singapore maths is an amalgamation of global ideas delivered as a highly-effective programme of teaching methods and resources. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated by Singapore s position at the top of the international benchmarks and explains why their programme is now used in over 40 countries including the United Kingdom and the United States.

4 The first to introduce Singapore teaching methods to the UK The concept of teaching maths mastery using methods from Singapore was first introduced in the UK over 7 years ago. Since then they have trained thousands of teachers and helped hundreds of institutions, from small village schools to influential academy groups.

5 Chosen by the NCETM and DfE for use in the maths hub programme The NCETM and the Department for Education have chosen Maths No Problem! to supply maths mastery books and training to schools across England as part of the maths hub initiative

6 Series Consultant Dr Yeap Ban Har Dr Yeap Ban Har is one of the world s leading experts on the Singapore Method and is the technical consultant for the Maths No Problem! series. An accomplished and inspirational trainer, Ban Har spent ten years at the National Institute of Education in Singapore where he was involved in several funded research programmes in mathematics education. Ban Har was part of the team which reviewed the Singapore Maths curriculum for the revised 2013 syllabus and he teaches courses at tertiary institutions in South East Asia and North America.

7 What is Maths No Problem? Instrumental understanding vs (rote and memorisation) relational understanding (Exploration and Questioning) Problem solving needs to be at the heart of the curriculum to ensure we help children to perform at a high level.

8 Children need to build a strong understanding of the basics, also known as fluency, not speed! They also need to have productive habits of mind what do the children believe maths to be e.g. do the children check and challenge themselves.

9 Teaching Styles and Progression *Concrete (enactive/hands on) *Pictorial (Iconic/models and pictures) *Abstract (symbolic/symbols and numbers)

10 Core Areas 1. Number sense Can the children figure it out? Do they know the correct tools to do this? Have we helped them the correct hooks to remember? 2. Metacognition Can they make decisions on what to do and how to do it? Scaffold do not cement the scaffolding to the building, it simply needs to support the workers working on the building. 3. Convention The conceptions of maths that do not change: can they remember and use the hooks. It is the aim for all learners to leave the concrete behind once they have learnt the basic of any conceptions however the use of the pictorial is needed and expected to stay for life (visualisation).

11 4. Generalisation Can children make conclusions using the evidence they have? Can they see and make patterns and rules? Can they test these to see if they are correct? 5. Spatial Visualisation Can children visualise what to do or what is being described without actually doing it or having it in front them? Can they imagine before they see it? Children should always think first! Year 1 is about variation and perception variability.

12 1. Number Sense Stage 1: Counting all Stage 2: Counting on Stage 3: Counting 10

13 The Lessons There are 3 types of lesson and often all of these aspects have already been planned and included in all lessons. Type 1: Introduction of basic idea/concept. Type 2: Drill and practice with variability not repetition Type 3: Problem solving and application Through a planned chapter each concept is built up in a spiral approach, which means that many opportunities are given to practise skills and concepts but not in a repetitive way. Each day throughout a chapter a new layer is introduced.

14 Counting

15 Do we need to count them all? Can we make ten? Do we need to count them in this order?

16 Adding - Number Bonds

17 How else could we make 5? Commutativity

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19 Number Equations = means the same as

20 1 2 3

21 1 2 3

22 Number Stories Using and applying our knowledge How can you prove it?

23 Talking about numbers How do you know? How can we prove it? Are you sure? Fewer than More than Greater than Equal to

24 Level of Children 1.Approaching 2. Basic Calculation 3. Exceeding Expectation 4. Advanced (on runway) (taking off) (cruising) unusual and unfamiliar problems (Needs turbulence)

25 Challenge The most important fact to know is that every single part of the lesson allows for advanced learners to be challenged! How do you know if a learner is truly advanced? 1. Physical Model Can the child offer something from the real world to explain? 2. Visual Model Can the child draw or use something to show the calculation? (either voluntarily or on request) 3. Oral Explanation - Can the child verbally explain their answer and method? 4. Written Explanation Can the child write an explanation to their answer and method? 5. Challenge a truely advanced learner challenges themselves and looks for further opportunities to challenge themselves. They also do not just accept what others say, they question and test it. 6. How they read a written question e.g. not like a continuous paragraph but stopping, picking out the important information and making jottings, including pictures, to find answers.

26 How to read a Word Problem In a tube of Smarties there are brown, red, yellow and green sweets. How many are brown? There are 25 sweets in the tube. There are 6 yellow Smarties There are 2 less green than yellow There are twice as many red as green

27 Where are the challenge opportunities in Singapore Maths? Open anchor task - A good anchor task is easy to enter and hard to leave. Asking for more examples (can you find another example?) In focus activities to allow children to explain their findings and methods and question/test others results. Looking is not a conclusion it is a perception. Questioning throughout lesson subtle, open questions which allows children to accelerate by themselves e.g. Are you sure? How do you know? Is it correct? Prove it? (even when child offers correct answer) Turning drill activities into investigations/problem solving.

28 Further Challenge Activities Can you show me using Physical Models e.g. cubes/dienes blocks etc. Visual Models pictures and numbers. Explanations child to write an explanation for another child/alien etc. and give some examples. Story children to write a sensible story to match the problem Problem solving task e.g. reversing/missing numbers etc.

29 Support There are many ways we support children but it is important to help the children build independence so that they can become independent learners. This means our aim is to help children to be able to support themselves appropriately by choosing the best resource to help themselves from their maths pack. Teacher Support Layering When modelling and demonstrating different methods we ensure the teacher chooses the easiest option first and scribes this on the board (we model to children how to record their ideas mathematically). Use of concrete resources (maths packs) Single anchor task Belief system Modelling to children that you want more than one methods trains the children to look for more than one method. Visualisation Children who struggle need to build their visualisation skills so the teacher encourages this through asking children Can you imagine? before we show them the complete method or hold up the concrete resource

30 Ten Frame Part Part Whole

31 Around the tree and around the tree, That s the way we make a three. Number Formation Rhyme Cards Number Stairs

32 Useful Websites

33 Questions Your response is very important remember there is no wrong or right. Respond in a way that asks the class to assess the statement What calculation am I being asked to work out? What is the best method I should use? What can I use to help me if I am stuck? Imagine if. What else? How do you know? Can you prove it? Are you sure? I don t get that, can you explain it to me? Are you tricking me?

34 Questions???

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