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Singapore Math
  
The Singapore
Math story
"Singapore Math"
The term, "Singapore Math", came into
use in the U.S.A. around the year 2000 when US academics, homeschoolers, schools
and the media started
referring to our books as Singapore Math. The term Singapore Math is not
used in Singapore, where they just use the term maths (what other math would
they be using!) In 2001, we incorporated our company under the name
SingaporeMath.com Inc.
Primary Mathematics Series
The term "Singapore Math", as used in
the U.S.A. and Canada generally refers to the Primary
Mathematics series. The Primary Mathematics Series was first published
in 1982 and was the only series used in Singapore primary schools up till 2001.
Primary Mathematics was written by members of a project team put together by the
Ministry of Education, Singapore.
Primary Mathematics U.S.
Edition
- Is this the most popular Singapore
Math series used in the U.S.A.?
Yes.
The
Primary Mathematics series is the most popular Singapore program used in
the U.S.A. homes and schools.
|
Series description
The
Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition series of elementary math textbooks
and workbooks is meant to be part of a system of learning in which adult
supervision and independent practice go hand in hand. The main
feature of this series is the use of the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract
approach.
The students are provided with the necessary learning experiences
beginning with the concrete and pictorial stages, followed by the
abstract stage to enable them to learn mathematics meaningfully.
This approach encourages active thinking process, communication of
mathematical ideas and problem solving. This helps develop the
foundation students will need for more advanced mathematics.
Practice exercises are
designed to provide the students with further practice after they have
done the relevant workbook exercises. Review exercises are
provided for cumulative reviews of concepts and skills. All the
practice exercises and review exercises are optional exercises.
The color patch
is used to invite active participation from the students and to
facilitate oral discussion. The students are advised not to write
on the color patches.
Above extract
from Preface of Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition (reproduced with the
permission of the publishers).
******************
Primary Mathematics Teacher Guides
provide, in both flexibility and detail, a clear framework for the Primary
Mathematics textbooks. Each lesson is accompanied by numerous activities
which expand and reinforce the concepts for that lesson and which are
designed to fit both teachers who wish to adapt lessons to their own
classroom situation, and teachers who desire easy-to-follow, effective
teaching strategies. Through the notes to the teacher and the
detailed objectives for each learning task in the text and activity in the
guide, these Teacher Guides help teachers to fully understand the purpose
and concept behind each set of problems, both within the context of the
unit and the context of the overall curriculum. The teacher's guide contains
answers for the textbooks and workbooks.
******************
The Home Instructor's Guide is
meant as a guide for instructors using Primary Mathematics when teaching
one student or a small group of students. It contains notes to the
instructor, answers to the textbook learning tasks, practices, and
reviews, answers and solutions to the workbook exercises and reviews, and
optional activities, games and discussions to use in presenting the
concepts. The pages in the appendix may be reproduced for
individual use. A suggested schedule is included, using textbook
practices and reviews for review rather than as they appear in the
textbook.
This guide is
divided into sections. Each section can be considered a lesson and
may contain:
 | concepts being
taught in that section |
| notes to the
instructor |
| activities
using manipulatives |
| discussion
questions or other activities pertinent to the concepts being learned |
| suggested
games to reinforce concepts |
| corresponding
coursebook pages and learning tasks for the lesson, to be discussed
with the student |
| answers to the
learning tasks |
| answers to the
corresponding workbook exercises |
| solutions to most textbook and
workbook problems
|
Above extract from Preface of
Home Instructor's Guide (reproduced with the permission of the
publishers).
******************
The Answer Key Booklet
contains answers for Primary Mathematics
textbooks and workbooks.
PMAK1-3 -
This answer key booklet contains answers for Primary Mathematics textbooks
and workbooks from Primary 1 through Primary 3.
PMAK4-6 -
This answer key booklet contains
answers for Primary Mathematics textbooks and workbooks from Primary 4
through Primary 6.
Note: Answers or answer
keys are found in the teacher's guides and home instructor's guides.
If you are purchasing these guides, you may not need the answer key
booklets.
******************
The
Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition curriculum is published in semester sets.
Two semester sets make one year of study (eg.1A and 1B are for one year of
Primary 1). The following are
available for each semester of Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition series :
| 1 textbook |
| 1 workbook |
| Teacher's Guides for 1A, 1B,
2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B. Other levels will follow. |
| Home Instructor Guides for 2A
- 6B. |
| Answer key booklet for 1A-3B
and 4A-6B. |
Supplementary
books - Please note that we carry a selection of supplementary
mathematics titles. These supplementary titles are useful for
students who need extra practice beyond those provided in the coursebooks
and workbooks.
Fun CD-ROMs
are also available for this series. Users of the Primary Mathematics
U.S. Edition Series can use our CD-ROMs
chart to guide them to the appropriate section of the CD-ROMs.
******************
Our
special thanks to Richard Askey, Professor of Mathematics (University of
Wisconsin, Madison), Yoram Sagher, Professor of Mathematics (University of
Illinois, Chicago), and Madge Goldman, President (Gabriella and Paul
Rosenbaum Foundation), for their indispensable advice and suggestions in
the production of the Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition.
|
 Our
recommendation:
Primary Mathematics
U.S. Edition is
ideal for both classroom and home use for 1st - 7th grades. This
is the most popular primary math series used by schools and
homeschoolers in the U.S. and Canada.
Recommended for those who want a solid, basic math
program with a proven track record and an emphasis on concept
development, mental techniques, and problem solving. This is
primarily a direct instruction program but students are given several
approaches for solving problems and are encouraged to discuss ideas and
explore additional methods.
Teacher's Guides are best
suited for classroom use. Some school teachers use the Home Guides
too, because there are solutions in the Guides.
Home Guides are best
suited for home use.
|
- How many books/sets are used in the
program?
The Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition Series consists of twelve sets - two
sets at each grade level. These two sets represent the first and second
semester of each level. Each set consists of 1 textbook and 1
workbook.
To
Order.
- Do we need both the textbook and the
workbook?
Yes, you do. Learning tasks and activities (class work) are present in the
textbook, and exercises (independent work) are present in the workbook.
- Are
answer keys available for the U.S. Edition series?
Yes. Answer
keys booklets are available for all the textbooks and workbooks. These
come in separate booklets - one for Primary 1-3 and one for Primary
4-6. Answers or
answer keys are found in the teacher's guides and home instructor's
guides. If you are purchasing these guides, you may not need the
answer key booklets.
- Are Teacher's Guides available for
the U.S. Edition series?
Yes. Teacher's Guides 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A
and 4B are available. Targeted dates for Teacher's Guides: 5A -
June 2005, 5B - July 2005.
- What
other teacher resources are available for
the U.S. Edition series?
Home
Instructor's Guides for 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A and 6B are
available and can be used with both the 3rd and U.S. editions.
- What is the difference between the
Primary Mathematics Teacher's Guides and Home Instructor's Guides?
The difference is shown in the summary
chart below:
| Teacher's
Guides |
Home
Instructor's Guides |
| To use in
implementing Primary Mathematics in a classroom situation. |
To use in
implementing Primary Mathematics with one or a few students. |
| Currently
available for 1A-4B. All levels anticipated to be available by
summer 2005. For use with the U.S. edition of Primary Mathematics.
1A, 3B, 4A and 4B can be used with both U.S. and 3rd editions.
1A-1B published by the Rosenbaum Foundation. Later levels are
published by Singaporemath.com. |
Currently
available for 2A-6B. For use with the U.S. edition and 3rd
edition of Primary Mathematics. Published by Sonlight Curriculum. |
| One guide for
each semester. |
One guide for
each semester. |
|
Levels 1A-1B have a teaching activity
sequence listing the activities from the guide and the corresponding
textbook and workbook pages. There are 68 activities in 1A and 54 in
1B.
Levels 2A and up have a unit plan for
each unit in the text divided up into sections which list the
objectives to be covered for each section and the corresponding
activities from the guide, pages from the textbook, and exercises
from the workbook. There are a total of 80 sections with 1-3
activities each.
|
Each guide
has a weekly schedule for 17-18 weeks which lists the unit and
section from the textbook to be covered that week and corresponding
lessons from the guide and exercises from the workbook. There are
2-5 lessons for each week. The additional days of the week are left
for the textbook and workbook reviews. |
| Levels 2A and
up contain notes to the instructor for each chapter from the text
explaining the mathematical concepts for that chapter and how it
fits in with the rest of the curriculum. |
Each lesson
or section contains notes to the instructor explaining the
mathematical concepts for that lesson and how the it fits in with
the rest of the curriculum. |
|
Objectives and materials are listed
for each chapter. Levels 1A-1B also lists key words. Levels 2A and
up also give objectives for each activity. The main activity in
levels 2A and up for each of the 80 sections is generally a 30-40
minute teaching/class activity involving demonstration, class
participation and discussion, and learning tasks from the textbook.
Additional activities include group activities or games to reinforce
the concepts and which can be used that day or any succeeding day
for review.
|
Objectives
are given for each lesson. The lesson consists of several teaching
activities introducing the concepts from the text, primarily using
concrete objects at the lower levels and sometimes including games,
followed by the tasks from the textbook, and sometimes followed by
additional suggested games or activities to reinforce the concepts
or to practice math facts. There are occasional optional enrichment
activities and additional instruction on mental math strategies. |
| Has an answer
key (but no solutions) to all textbook learning tasks, practices and
reviews, and workbook exercises and reviews. |
Has answers
to all and solutions to most textbook learning tasks, practices and
reviews and workbook exercises and reviews. |
| |
Levels 2A-4B
have additional mental math exercises for practice in math facts and
mental math strategies. |
Do you have placement tests for
Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition Series?
Yes. Please go to Placement
tests.
Do you have sample pages
of the U.S. Edition for review?
Samples.
Do you have contents of the U.S.
Edition for each level?
Contents
of Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition for each level.
Do you have a scope and sequence
chart for this series?
Yes. Please go to Scope
and Sequence.
How do I know where to place my
child?
Please make use of placement
tests, sample
pages and contents
to help with your decision making. We also have a forum where you can
share similar concerns. Click here for a quick
guideline to placement.
Are there any tutoring services for
the Primary Mathematics Series?
QuestationMath.com,
a Singapore based e-learning provider offers online math tutoring by highly
qualified Singapore tutors. Parents who do not have the time, or who
are looking for interactive help in teaching Singapore math may find this
new service a valuable supplement.
Can we use the Primary Mathematics
Series for enrichment?
Yes. Please refer to enrichment
for more information.
We plan to start using Singapore Math
- which edition should we use?
If you are new to the program, we suggest you start
with the U.S. Edition. The addition of customary measurement chapters
and the use of U.S. currency in the U.S. Edition make this series complete
and teachers will no longer need to find supplements for these areas.
Future teacher's guides and manuals will be written based on the U.S.
Edition. We also have quick
guide for new users.
We are currently using Primary
Mathematics 3rd Edition - should we switch to the U.S. Edition?
We strongly encourage you to switch if you have not
already purchased books for all the levels. Whatever is found in the
3rd edition is in the U.S. Edition. The addition of customary U.S.
measurement instruction, and the use of U.S. currency in the U.S. Edition
make this series complete and teachers will no longer need to find
supplements for these areas.
Would there be any reasons for
current users to stay with the 3rd Edition?
If you were planning to re-use the course
book with another child, and only need additional workbooks, it would be a
good reason to stay with the 3rd Edition. Please look at our U.S.
Edition content page to see what additional units were added to each
level. This information may be helpful for you in deciding whether or not to
replace your existing books with the U.S. Edition books.
Canadian customers who prefer British spellings, and do not mind pictures
and denominations of Singapore currency used in the 3rd Edition may want to
stay with the 3rd Edition. (Please note that the metric system material
found in the 3rd Edition has not been removed from the U.S. Edition).
Where can I find more practice
exercises?
We have supplement books for Primary 1-6 that provide ample practice
exercises (answers provided). These books are written in accordance
with the Primary Mathematics syllabus, and can be used with both Primary
Mathematics 3rd Edition and Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition.
Will there be U.S. editions of
supplementary books?
Yes, these are now available. FAQ.
Do you carry manipulatives?
We carry manipulatives
for homeschoolers and manipulatives
for schools.
What if I encounter
problems when we have already started using these books?
You are welcome to visit our forum
for online help.
Can we use our existing 3rd Edition
coursebook with the new workbooks?
You can, but there will be some discrepancy in
workbook exercise numbers in the go-to workbook exercise flags in the 2A, 3B
and 6B textbooks. Exercise 28 from the 3rd edition has been combined
with Exercise 27. A new exercise on customary measures was inserted
into the 2A workbook. Four extra exercises on customary measures were
inserted into the 3B workbook. Extra exercises on division by a
fraction were inserted in the 6B workbook.
How
did the Primary
Mathematics U.S. Edition come about?
This is the story .....
| Why did we
produce a U.S. Edition based upon Primary Mathematics?
The Primary Mathematics series was
written in 1982 by the Primary Mathematics Project Team,
appointed by the Curriculum Planning and Development Division
of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore. Over the past
twenty years, this series has been identified with excellence
and achievement in Singapore's primary school mathematics
curriculum, culminating in Singapore students' success in the
1995, 1999 and 2003 TIMSS (Trends for International
Mathematics and Science Study) studies. |
Although
new series have appeared in Singapore in recent years, they are
not projects undertaken by the MOE itself. While the
contents of the new series are almost identical to that of the
Primary Mathematics series, the
new series lack consistent and coherent incremental
development of some concepts. Three of the six new series
have not made it past the third year (Primary Three) of
publication.
We have also consulted with top
mathematicians in the U.S. who have been advocating 'back to
basic" mathematics over the past two decades. They
appreciate the concepts developed in the Primary Mathematics
series, and without exception endorse it over the new series.
This is the strongest argument that convinced us to go with the
Primary Mathematics series for adaptation to a U.S. Edition.
In
addition, the
opening of the math book market in Singapore is not the result
of changes to the basic mathematics curriculum, but instead a
reflection of a move toward national education. As a result, the
latest math series in Singapore all contain more in the way of
culture specific elements, making them less suitable candidates
for adaptation.
To
Order To
Order Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition.
| Which text
is the U.S. Edition based on?
The U.S. Edition is based on the 3rd
(latest) Edition of the Singapore Primary Mathematics Series.
The teaching methods and concepts used in the 3rd Edition have
not been changed nor modified in the U.S. Edition.
|
| Is the
U.S. Edition approved by the Ministry of Education of
Singapore?
Yes. The U.S. Edition is published
with the approval of the Ministry of Education of Singapore.
|
| Were any
of the existing chapters removed from the 3rd Edition?
No. None of the existing chapters
were removed. None of
the existing metric measurement materials were removed.
|
| In the
production of the U.S. Edition, what kind of changes were made
to the original Primary Mathematics Series?
The following changes were made to the
3rd Edition of Primary Mathematics:
Cosmetic Changes: Most
(but not all) of the local names and terms used for people,
food and things have been changed. Some of the pictures
have been changed.
Examples: Mrs Raju to Mrs. Gray, Chengfa to Jordan,
pupils to students, biscuits to cookies, fishball to meatball,
petrol to gas, spectacles to glasses, revision to review,
breadth to width, coursebook to textbook.
Spelling Changes: British
spellings were changed to American spellings.
Examples: colour to color, neighbour to neighbor, programme to
program, centre to center, practise to practice, metre to
meter, litre to liter.
Conventional Changes:
|
|
On
salutation - Mr and Mrs changed to Mr. and Mrs.
|
|
On
time - 11.00 changed to 11:00 (Singapore does not use the
colon when writing out time).
|
|
On
numeral in figures - 56 700 changed to 56,700 (Singapore does
not use the comma in numerals).
|
|
On
numeral in words - "two thousand, one hundred and sixty
three" changed to "two thousand, one hundred sixty
three" (in keeping with the latest convention in the
U.S.A.)
Currency Changes:
|
| All Singapore
currency has been replaced with U.S. currency (click
to view sample). |
| Terms like '$10
note" have been changed to "$10 bill".
Package Changes: Instead
of having two workbooks for each semester, we combined
workbooks Part 1 and Part 2 into one workbook.
Example: 2B will consist of one 2B textbook and one 2B
workbook (instead
of one 2B textbook and two 2B workbooks - one 2B Part 1 and
One 2B Part 2).
|
| In the
production of the U.S. Edition, what kind of additions
were made to the original Primary Mathematics Series?
The following additions
were made to the 3rd Edition of Primary Mathematics:
U.S. customary measurements:
1. Whole sessions of learning tasks on weight, length and
capacity were added to the following levels:
 | Primary 2A:
Weight and Length (click
to view sample) |
| Primary 2B:
Capacity (click
to view sample) |
| Primary 3B:
Weight, Length and Capacity (click
to view sample) |
2. Primary
Math 5A textbook includes conversions within the
standard U.S. measurement system, and some additional problems
involving unit conversions.
Note:
None of the existing metric measurement materials from
the 3rd Edition were removed. U.S. customary measurement
materials were added.
Division of Fractions: The
chapter on "Division of Fractions", included in the
2nd Edition of Primary Mathematics but not the 3rd Edition,
now re-appears in 6B of the U.S. Edition.
Review and workbook exercises:
1. Primary 2B, 3B, 5A, 5B, 6A and
6B textbooks will each have an additional review exercise (on
U.S. customary measurements - weight, length and capacity).
2. Primary Math
3B workbook will have four extra sets of exercises on U.S.
customary measurements. Primary Math 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B
and 6B workbooks will have a few extra problems (added at the
end of the workbook) on U.S. customary measurements and
currency.
|
| Were any
of the existing teaching methods found in the original Primary
Mathematics Series changed?
No. The strength of the Primary
Mathematics Series teaching methods lies in their strikingly
clear, simple explanations of math concepts. None of
these was changed.
|
| How were
the U.S. customary measurement materials incorporated into the
existing metric measurement materials?
1. In Primary 2 and 3, U.S.
customary measurement is taught in separate sessions which are
devoted only to the introduction of the U.S. customary
measurements. We have chosen not to mix the teaching of
the two measurement systems in the same session for the
following reasons.
| to avoid
confusing the students. |
| to avoid
cluttering the existing pages on metric systems. |
| to make the
U.S. customary measurement sessions optional for Canadian
users. |
2. In the upper
primary levels (Primary 4 and up), both metric and U.S.
customary measurements are used in the learning tasks,
reviews, and exercises.
For problems other than conversion of measurement, Canadian
users can change the US customary unit to a metric unit
without affecting the concept being addressed in the problem.
|
| We wish to acknowledge
the following individuals for their valuable academic
contributions to the success of the Primary Mathematics U.S.
Edition: |
|
I came across a web site that claims
that Primary Mathematics is outdated, and that the Primary Math series is
not as good as the new series. What does this mean?
These are usually sites that are run by individuals who do not have any
access to the Primary Mathematics books. They apparently feel that it
is better for them to say that the books are outdated, than to acknowledge
the fact that they are not authorized distributors and have no relationship
with the publishers, and hence no access to books that are only available to
official distributors. The same individuals will also be giving
inaccurate facts about the Singapore Math. We suggest that you write
to the publishers
to verify "facts" presented on these sites. You can also
write to the publishers
to verify if any of these "bookstores" are authorized
distributors. Please also look at Singapore Math Story for more
information about changes in Singapore math curriculum from 1981 through
2001.
back to top
Primary Mathematics 3rd
Edition
- How many books/sets are
used in the program?
The Primary Mathematics 3rd Edition Series consists of twelve sets - two
sets at each grade level. These two sets represent the first and second
semester of each level. The 1st through 4th grade sets consist
of 1 textbook (also known as coursebook) and 2 workbooks. Each
5th and 6th grade set consists of 1 textbook and 1 workbook.
To Order.
- What is the difference between
Primary Mathematics 3rd Edition and U.S. Edition?
Please see table
for detailed information. Please also look at the story of the Primary
Mathematics U.S. Edition.
- Can we use our existing 3rd Edition
coursebook with the new workbooks?
You can, but there will be some discrepancy in
workbook exercise numbers in the go-to workbook exercise flags in the 3B and
6B textbooks. Four extra exercises on customary measures were inserted
into the 3B workbook. Extra exercises on division by a fraction were
inserted in the 6B workbook.
- Is Primary Mathematics the only
primary mathematics program used in Singapore?
The Primary Mathematics Series was the only series used from 1982 through
2000. Starting from January, 2001, there are now six new primary-level
series in the Singapore market. Some of the new series did not
make it past Primary 2 and 3 levels, and have already been discontinued in
Singapore. Only primary one through five levels of these new series
are currently in print. The Primary
Mathematics Series is the series that helped put Singapore on top in
international testing.
- Will you discontinue the current
Primary Mathematics Series?
We will continue to carry the current Primary
Mathematics Series (3rd Edition).
- Does SingaporeMath.com Inc plan to
carry the new series?
The Primary Mathematics Series has proven to be very effective and is the
program upon which Singapore's reputation in international testing was
established, so we plan to continue carrying this series. In fact, we
now have an U.S.
Edition of the Primary Mathematics series. We are also carrying two new
series - My Pals Are
Here! Maths and Shaping
Maths.
- What is the difference between the
Primary Mathematics and other new series?
Please see table below.
- Do you have a placement
test for the Primary Mathematics Series?
Placement tests are
available for Primary 1A through 6B. The same tests can be used
for the Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition.
- Do you have sample pages
for review?
Yes. Please go to Samples
for Primary Mathematics 3rd Edition.
- Do you have contents for each level
listed?
Yes. Please go to Contents
for Primary Mathematics 3rd Edition.
- Do you have a scope and sequence
chart for this series?
Yes. Please go to Scope
and Sequence for Primary Mathematics 3rd Edition.
- How do I know where to place my
child?
Please make use of placement tests, sample pages and contents to help with
your decision making. We also have a forum
where you can share similar concerns.
- Do we need both the textbook and the
workbook?
Yes, you do. Learning tasks and activities (class work) are present in the
coursebook (textbook), and exercises (independent work) are present in the
workbook.
- Are the textbooks and workbooks
consumable ?
The workbooks are meant to be consumable, and the textbooks are not meant to
be consumable. If a child prefers to work more independently and does not
like copying problems, you may wish to use the textbook as a consumable,
although there is not much space alongside the textbook exercises for the
child to show his/her working. Working space is provided in the
workbook exercises.
- Are there practice exercises in the
textbook ?
Yes. There are some practice exercises at the end of each new concept
learned. However, the bulk of practice exercises are in the workbooks.
- Where can I find more practice
exercises?
We have supplement
books for Primary 1-6 that provide ample practice exercises (answers
provided). These books are written in accordance with the Primary
Mathematics syllabus, and can be used with both Primary Mathematics 3rd
Edition and Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition.
- Do the Primary Math 3rd
Edition books come with answer keys?
There are no answer keys for grades 1 thru 4. Textbooks for grades 5 and 6
have answer keys in the back.
- Do you provide answer keys?
Answer
keys are available at our website for Primary Mathematics 3rd Edition.
Answer
key booklets for Primary Mathematics 3rd Edition are also available for
all the textbooks and workbooks in two booklets - one for Primary 1-3
and one for Primary 4-6.
Answers or answer keys are found in the teacher's guides and
home instructor's guides. If you are purchasing these guides, you may
not need the answer key booklets.
- Do the Primary Math 3rd
Edition books come with Teacher's Guides?
Teacher's
Guides for levels 1A,1B, 3B, 4A and 4B are now available. Future
Teacher's Guides will be written for both the U.S. and 3rd Edition.
- Besides the Teacher's
Guides, are they any other teaching aids?
Home
Instructor's Guides for 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A and 6B are
available.
- Are there any tutoring services for
the Primary Mathematics Series?
QuestationMath.com,
a Singapore based e-learning provider offers online math tutoring by highly
qualified Singapore tutors. Parents who do not have the time, or who
are looking for interactive help in teaching Singapore math may find this
new service a valuable supplement.
- What if I have more
questions about using these books?
Please visit our forum
and post your questions and concerns.
- Do you carry manipulatives?
We carry manipulatives
for homeschoolers and manipulatives
for schools.
- What if I encounter
problems when we have already started using these books?
As long as you have purchased the books from SingaporeMath.com or from one
of our partners, you are welcome to visit our forum
for online help.
- Where can I find more
information about Primary Mathematics Series?
Please visit our web pages about Primary
Mathematics 3rd Edition or Primary
Mathematics U.S. Edition.
back to top
New Series
- Who wrote the Primary
Mathematics series?
The Primary Mathematics Series was first published in 1982 and was the only
series used in Singapore primary schools up till 2001. Primary
Mathematics was written by members of a project team put together by the
Ministry of Education, Singapore.
- How many new series are
there?
The following new series were published to eventually replace Primary
Mathematics in Singapore. The new series are :
- My Pals Are Here! Maths (60+%
adoption rates in Singapore schools)
- Shaping Maths (20+% adoption rates in
Singapore schools)
- In-Step Mathematics.
- Mathematics in Action.
- Active Primary Maths (did not continue
into Primary 4)
- i-Maths (did not continue into
Primary 3, was replaced by In-Step Mathematics),
- Thinking Maths (did not continue into
Primary 4).
- Who publish these new series?
The new series are published by different publishers. However, the two
top-selling series, My Pals Are Here Maths! and Shaping Maths, are published
by Marshall Cavendish (formerly known as Times Media) - the same
publishers who publish the Primary Mathematics Series. Active Primary
Maths is also published by Times Media. ( It did not continue into Primary 4
because the publishers have decided to concentrate their efforts on My Pals
Are Here! Maths and Shaping Maths)
- How are these new series
faring in Singapore?
Schools administrators and teachers have access to all the new series, and
it is up to the schools to decide on the series to adopt for their
mathematics curriculum. Adoption of these series vary from over 60%
down to less than 5%. (There are about 200 primary schools in
Singapore). Some series did not continue publication through the
higher levels because they were not approved (for those levels) by the
Ministry of Education, Singapore.
- Why are you selling
Primary Mathematics when they are so many new series used in Singapore?
Primary Mathematics has been around for over twenty years and has a proven
track record. Students from Singapore who scored well in the 1995 TIMSS,
1999 TIMSS and 2003 TIMSS were using the Primary
Mathematics series. We have also consulted with several
professors (who were advocating "back to basics" mathematics) in
the U.S. and they have unanimously agreed that the new texts lack the
in-depth teaching of the original Primary Mathematics series. The
original Primary Mathematics series were, after all, written by members of a
team put together by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore. Teachers
were also invited to test the material and to provide useful insights and
suggestions. The new series are written by authors hired by the
publishers. It would have been very easy for us to carry just the new
series, for the same publishers who publish the Primary Mathematics Series
also publish both the top selling new series. But our mission is to
make available the best mathematics books from Singapore - and at this point
in time, the Primary Mathematics Series, with its proven record, is still in
the lead. We even got approval from the Singapore MOE to publish a U.S.
edition of the Primary Mathematics series so that we could add in some
material (US measurement) requested by our US customers, as well as include
some material from an earlier edition (2nd edition). Meanwhile, we are
monitoring the results of the new series. After all, mathematics
education is not about the latest 'new thing'.
- Which series is the most
popular with schools and homeschoolers in the U.S. and Canada?
The Primary Mathematics Series is the most popular series used in both
schools and homes.
Schools usually start using this series after reviewing the books, and after
talking to other school users. Some school users attend Singapore
mathematics conferences. Many of these conferences are held by
academics who are driven by their confidence in the Primary Mathematics
Series.
Homeschoolers in the U.S. and Canada are a discriminating bunch, and
although the new series are easily available at our store, most of them
inevitably end up using the Primary Mathematics Series. Many of them
have come back with very positive feedback about the program.
- What is the similarity
between the new series and Primary Mathematics?
The contents are pretty similar for the levels already published (Primary
1-5 are in use in Singapore, Primary 6 will be available in late 2005). Both
the Primary Mathematics series and the new series are based on the 1999
reduced syllabus. (However, with the Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition,
a chapter on division of fractions that was "reduced" was added
back).
- What are the differences between the
new series and Primary Mathematics?
The new series are written by different authors hired by the publishers.
Hence the methodologies used for teaching the same concepts will vary
between series (i.e. the differences are not limited to pictures, names and
color schemes). For more information, please see table
below. Three initiatives were also introduced - National Education (to
develop citizenship skills and values in the Singapore context), Information
Technology (to bring hardware and software technology into schools. However,
for the new primary math series, the IT content is found only in the
teacher's CD ROMs. It is not mentioned in the textbooks or workbooks, as the
IT materials are not reviewed by MOE), and Critical and Creative Thinking
(to infuse thinking skills).
- Why are they phasing out
Primary Mathematics?
It is the MOE's decision to "open up" the textbook market in
Singapore. Three initiatives were also introduced - National Education
(to develop citizenship skills and values in the Singapore context),
Information Technology (to bring hardware and software technology into
schools. However, for the new primary math series, the IT content is found
only in the teacher's CD ROMs. It is not mentioned in the textbooks or
workbooks, as the IT materials are not reviewed by MOE), and Critical and
Creative Thinking (to infuse thinking skills).
- How can we make up for the three
initiatives that are missing in the Primary Mathematics series?
On National Education - these are citizenship skills and values in the
Singapore context. As such, they are not relevant to students outside
of Singapore.
On Information Technology - the IT content is not in the textbooks/workbooks
of the new series. There is no difference between the Primary
Mathematics series and the new series. Students in the U.S. and Canada
are exposed to IT in many other aspects of their academic career and it is
not essential that they learn it from a math book.
On Critical and Creative Thinking - these come
in the form of harder problems at the end of the chapters in the new series
(hence there are less "regular" practice problems in the new
series). Primary Mathematics does contain some similar harder problems
problems in the textbook practices, just not under a separate heading.
Additional harder problems are found in supplementary books such as Primary
Mathematics Intensive Practice, Primary
Mathematics Challenging Word Problems and the Brain
Maths series.
- Is SingaporeMath.com Inc replacing
Primary Mathematics with MPH Maths or Shaping Maths?
We have no intention of replacing Primary Mathematics. Primary
Mathematics has been around for over twenty years and has a proven track
record. All the new series are in their initial phase of use, and from
the start we did not expect some of them to make it past the lower primary
levels. Instead, we will continue to offer Primary Mathematics rather
than promote the new series in the U.S./Canada markets. However, we do
offer MPH
Maths and Shaping
Maths (the two top-selling new series in Singapore) as an alternative
for customers who would like to have the latest books used in Singapore.
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My
Pals Are Here! Maths Series
- Is MPH Maths the most
popular new series being used in Singapore?
Yes, it is. It has the high adoption rate by schools in Singapore
(over 60%). This series also has extensive teaching aids and resources.
- How many books/sets are
used in the program?
MPH Maths Series consists of two sets at each grade level. These two
sets represent the first and second semester of each level. Each set
consists of 1 textbook (also known as pupil's book) and 2 workbooks (also
known as practice books). Only 1st through 5th grades are
available now. 6th grade books will be published in December 2005.
To
Order.
- Are your books the
latest editions?
MPH Maths Series was first published in the year 2001 and only one edition
is in print.
- What is the difference
between the Primary Mathematics and My Pals Are Here! Maths Series?
The Ministry of Education (Singapore) wrote the text for Primary
Mathematics. As with all the new series currently used in Singapore
for Primary 1 through 5, MOE drafted the syllabus and the publishers
interpreted and wrote the text for MPH Maths Series. Please
see table below. As with all
the new series, MPH Maths emphasizes infusion of IT (use of CD-ROMs and
computer related resources) and national education (references to Singapore
as the homeland and inclusion of important dates and events).
- Do you have a placement
test for the MPH Series?
Placement tests are
now available for Primary 1A through 2B.
- Do you have sample pages
for review?
Yes. Please go to Samples.
- Do you have contents for
each level listed?
Yes. Please go to Contents
.
- How do I know where to
place my child?
Please make use of placement tests, sample pages and contents to help with
your decision making. We also have a forum where you can share similar
concerns.
- Are the books written in
English?
Yes. English is the medium of instruction in Singapore. We also
have a glossary for
names and terms not commonly used in the United States.
- Do we need both the
textbook and the workbook?
Yes, you do. Learning tasks and activities (class work) are present in the
coursebook (textbook), and exercises (independent work) are present in the
workbook.
- Are there practice
exercises in the textbook ?
There are some work problems but most of the exercises are in the practice
books.
- Where can I find more
practice exercises?
We have supplement
books for Primary 1-6 that provide ample practice exercises (answers
provided).
- Do the books come with
answer keys?
No. Teacher's Edition for the coursebooks and practice books are
available. All answers are provided in the TE. There are no
answer keys for the enrichment and reteach books.
- Do you provide answer
keys?
No. Teacher's Edition for the coursebooks and practice books are
available. All answers are provided in the TE.
- Do the books come with
Teacher's Guides?
Yes. Teacher-assist Packs are available for all levels.
- What if I have more
questions about using these books?
Please visit our forum
and post your questions and concerns.
- Do you carry
manipulatives?
We carry manipulatives
for homeschoolers and manipulatives
for schools.
- What if I encounter
problems when we have already started using these books?
As long as you have purchased the books from SingaporeMath.com or from one
of our partners, you are welcome to visit our forum
for online help.
- Where can I find more
information about Series?
Please visit our web page about MPH
Maths.
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Shaping
Maths Series
- How many books/sets are
used in the program?
The Shaping Maths Series consists of two sets at each grade level.
These two sets represent the first and second semester of each level.
For 1st grade, each set consists of 1 textbook (also known as coursebook)
and 1 activity book. For 2nd through 5th grades, each set
consists of 1 textbook (also known as coursebook) and 2 activity books.
- Are your books the
latest editions?
Shaping Maths was first published in the year 2000 and only one edition is
in print.
- What is the difference
between the Primary Mathematics and Shaping Maths series?
Please see table below.
- Do you have a placement
test for the Shaping Maths Series?
Placement tests for
Primary Mathematics and Shaping Maths will be the same for the lower grades.
- Do you have sample pages
for review?
Yes. Please go to Samples.
- Do you have contents for
each level listed?
Yes. Please go to Contents.
- How do I know where to
place my child?
Please make use of placement tests, sample pages and contents to help with
your decision making. We also have a forum where you can share similar
concerns.
- Are the Shaping Maths
books written in English?
Yes. English is the medium of instruction in Singapore. We also
have a glossary for
names and terms not commonly used in the United States.
- Do we need both the
textbook and the activity book?
Yes, you do. Learning tasks and activities (class work) are present in the
coursebook (textbook), and exercises (independent work) are present in the
activity book.
- Are there practice
exercises in the textbook ?
There are some work problems but most of the exercises are in the workbooks.
- Where can I find more
practice exercises?
We have supplement
books for Primary 1-6 that provide ample practice exercises (answers
provided).
- Do the Shaping Math
books come with answer keys?
No.
- Do you provide answer
keys?
Not currently.
- Do the Shaping Maths
series come with Teacher's Guides?
Yes. There is a Teacher's Resource for each level (cover both
the A and B sets).
- What if I have more
questions about using these books?
Please visit our forum
and post your questions and concerns.
- Do you carry
manipulatives?
We carry manipulatives
for homeschoolers and manipulatives
for schools.
- What if I encounter
problems when we have already started using these books?
As long as you have purchased the books from SingaporeMath.com or from one
of our partners, you are welcome to visit our forum
for online help.
- Where can I find more
information about Shaping Maths Series?
Please visit our web page about Shaping
Maths.
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Differences
in the series
| This chart lists the differences between the
three series.
|
| Primary
Mathematics |
My
Pals are Here! |
Shaping
Maths |
| U.S. Edition |
3rd edition |
| First
published in 1981, used by students who scored high in international
tests. Please see TIMSS
results. |
1A and 1B first
published 2000. New levels added each year. 1A-5B completed, 6A/6B will
be available December 2005. |
1A and 1B first
published 2000. New levels added each year. 1A-5B completed, 6A/6B will
be available December 2005. |
| Written
by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore. U.S. edition approved
by MOE. |
Written by
authors following the new MOE-drafted syllabus, approved by MOE.
|
Written by
authors following the new MOE-drafted syllabus, approved by MOE.
|
Only
math series used in Singapore from 1981 until 2000. Currently being
phased out for use in schools in Singapore but still being printed and
supported for use in the U.S.
|
One of six new
series being introduced in Singapore in 2001.
Top selling new series. |
One of six new
series being introduced in Singapore in 2001.
|
|
Contains additional units on standard
units of measurement (click
here to view example). Metric measurement from 3rd Edition retained.
Currency replaced with U.S. currency (click
here to view example). U.S. conventions for writing numbers and time
used. U.S. spellings and word usage.
|
Metric
measurement only. Singapore currency pictures only. Singapore
conventions for writing numbers and time. British spellings and word
usage. |
Metric measurement only. Singapore
currency pictures only (click
here to view example). Singapore conventions for writing numbers and
time. British spellings and word usage. More pictures and references
specific to Singapore's culture (click
here to view example) than Primary Mathematics. Contains infusion of
Singapore National Education.
|
Metric measurement only. Singapore
currency pictures only. (click
here to view example). Singapore conventions for writing
numbers and time. British spellings and word usage. More pictures and
references specific to Singapore's culture than Primary Mathematics.
Contains infusion of Singapore National Education (click
here to view example).
|
|
Levels 1A-6B consist of 1 textbook and 1
workbooks for each semester.
|
Levels 1A-4B consist of 1 coursebook and
2 workbooks for each semester. Levels 4A-6B consist of 1 coursebook and
1 workbook for each semester.
|
Levels 1A-3B consist of 1 coursebook and
2 practice books for each semester. Levels 4A-5B consist of 1 coursebook
and 1 practice book for each semester.
|
Levels 1A-1B
consist of 1 coursebook and 1 activity book for each semester. Levels
2A-5B consist of 1 coursebook and 2 activity books for each semester. |
|
Home Instructor's Guides with schedule, teaching suggestions, games,
answers, solutions, and mental math problems for 2A-6B.
All the guides require flexibility in designing lessons.
Answer keys available (one booklet for
1A-3B and one booklet for 4A-6B) containing answer key only.
|
Teacher-Assist
Pack with schedule and teaching suggestions. Specific lesson plans are
given, with some half-hour lessons for warm-up, some for working
together, and some for individual work. Complete
instructions and worksheets for games (mentioned in the MPH coursebooks)
are also found in the Teacher-Assist
Pack.
Teacher's Editions of coursebook and activity books with reprint of
student text and answers printed on each page.
|
Teacher's
Resource Pack with schedule and teaching suggestions. Requires
flexibility in designing lessons.
No answer keys currently available. |
Teacher's Guide
with schedule, teaching suggestions, and answers available for 1A
through 4B. Other levels in production.
|
Teacher's Guide
with schedule, teaching suggestions, and answers available for 1A, 3B,
4A and 4B. Other levels in production.
On-line answer keys for both coursebooks
and workbooks. Some coursebook answers in back of texts for 5A-6B.
|
Each
textbook has a 5-9 of units divided into parts. Each part begins with
1-2 pages of a "meaningful situation for communication"
followed by sets of specific learning tasks. Each set of 2-8 learning
tasks is linked to 1-3 exercises in the workbooks. The textbooks for
2A-6B also contain 10-20 practices (click
here to view sample) per semester that can be done during class time
and tend to have some challenging problems. Some of the textbook
practices are cumulative and cover earlier concepts, but most cover the
material in the current unit. The Teacher's Guides suggest using the
workbooks for homework. The workbooks have about 50-60 exercises per
semester for 1A-5B. There are fewer exercises (around 25) in the 6A-6B
workbooks but more and longer reviews.
|
Each coursebook
has a 8-9 units divided up into sections meant to take from 2-4
half-hour periods. Each section starts with a "Warm-Up"
illustrating new concepts and with several learning tasks, followed by
"Let's Work Together" containing group games and/or a few
practice problems covering the new concept. Each section is linked to
1-3 exercises in the practice books, which are individual work scheduled
to be done during class time at the end of the sections. Some units in
1A-3B have 1 "Put on Your Thinking Caps" and all units in
4A-4B has 1-3 of them. The 1A-4B practice books have about 30-45
practices per semester. The 4A-4B practice books also have 1 challenge
and 1 problem solving exercise per unit. |
Each coursebook
has 5-9 units. Each unit is thematic, meant to relate to some aspect of
the student's lives (school children in Singapore). The units begin with
a double page spread for 1A-3B and single page spread for 4A-4B
depicting a scene relating to the theme with information for discussion.
This is followed by 3-5 sections. Each section begins with 1-2 pages of
information followed by 2-8 learning tasks. Each section is linked to
1-3 exercises in the activity books. The 1A-2B activity books have 40-60
activities per semester. There is one "problem solving"
exercise per unit in the activity book. |
| Illustrations
are cartoon-like, with students conveying ideas in word or thought
bubbles. |
The illustrations
are mainly cartoon-like and revolve around 6 characters (furry imaginary
creatures). There are some photos of children and objects. |
Illustrations are
cartoon-like and revolve around four main characters (children). |
| Each
textbook from 2A-6B has 3-7 cumulative review problem sets per semester.
Workbook have about 4-8 cumulative review problem sets per semester.
Length of the reviews increase as the level increases. Reviews are not
just repeats of problems from earlier units, but require a higher level
of problem solving with each review. |
There are no
cumulative reviews in the coursebook. The workbooks have 2 cumulative
reviews per semester. |
There are no
cumulative reviews in the coursebook for 1A-3B. 4A-4B have 3 cumulative
reviews per semester.. The workbooks have 2-4 cumulative reviews per
semester. |
|
U.S. editions of supplemental books are
available (follow same sequence in Primary Mathematics and include some
U.S. standard measurement).
Extra Practice for Primary Mathematics - Practice/homework book with
short topical exercises and some reviews. 1 book per year, answers in
back.
Primary Mathematics Challenging Word Problems - Enrichment book with
word problems topically arranged and divided into two levels of
difficulty and including many challenging problems, 1 book per year,
answers in back.
Primary Mathematics Intensive Math Practice - Enrichment book with a a
long exercise for each unit which includes non-routine problems, problem
solving and many challenge problems pushing into later concepts. 1 book
per semester, answers in back.
|
Various
supplemental books by different authors which can be used for extra
practice and enrichment. Differ in sequence in places. |
Supplemental books by the same author:
Reteach book - Extra practice. 1 book per semester, no answers.
Enrichment book - About 8 problems in 1 exercise per unit, some
non-routine problems. Some of the activities incorporate Art and
English.1 per semester, no answers.
Homework book - Extra practice. 1 exercise set per week. 1 book per
semester, answers in back.
Practice test book - 2 tests, 1 continual assessment, and several
challenge problems per quarter. 1 book per year, answers in back.
|
Various
supplemental books by different authors which can be used for extra
practice and enrichment. Differ in sequence in places. |
| Supplemental
CD-ROMs Rainbow Rock for levels 1 and 2, Vroot and Vroom for levels 3
and 4, Wiggle Woods for levels 5 and 6. |
Supplemental
CD-ROM not available in U.S. CD-ROMs for Primary Maths can be used. |
Supplemental
CD-ROM not available in U.S. CD-ROMs for Primary Maths can be used. |
Textbooks
for 1A-2B are in color, those for 3A-6B are two-tone. Workbooks are
black and white.
|
Textbooks for
1A-5B are in color.
Practice books for 1A-3B are two-tone, those for 4A-5B are black and
white. |
Textbooks for
1A-5B are in color.
Activity books are black and white. |
| Has a
greater variety of word problems and more practice in mathematical
concepts than both newer series. Has consistent and coherent incremental
development of concepts. Increasing problem solving abilities within the
context of word problems required in the reviews. Modeling for solving
word problems taught beginning in 3A. 6B of U.S. edition has a unit on
division of fractions which is not in the 3d edition. No separate
puzzles and "critical thinking" problems in the course
textbook and workbooks. |
Introduces some
modeling for solving word problems in level 2. Lacking some concepts
developed in Primary Mathematics in 1A-3B and has less consistent
development of some concepts in these levels. More explicit instruction
in geometry in 4B coursebook. Contains distinct puzzles, "critical
thinking" and "challenge" problems. According to
the author, the objective of MPH Maths texts is to provide an
opportunity for students at the younger age to interact and brain storm
ideas. |
Closer to Primary
Maths in scope and sequence and development of concepts than My Pals are
Here, but fewer reviews and less practice. Contains some distinct
puzzles and critical thinking types of problems. |
| We also have a side by side sample
comparison table for the three series - the samples are selected from
the same level of each series and they cover the same topic. |
Singapore students who took TIMSS in
1995, 1999 and 2003 were using the Primary
Mathematics series. In all three years, Singapore students were in top
place. The results speak for themselves about the Primary
Mathematics series.
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Which
series should we use?
- Which series should we
use?
It depends on your preference. If you are looking for the latest program
being used in Singapore - My
Pals Are Here! Maths and Shaping
Mathematics will be the series for you. With its full range of
Teacher's Edition and Teacher's Resource Pack, My Pals Are Here! Maths is
good for those who need all the help they can get. However, if you are
looking for a program that has a proven track record, then Primary
Mathematics Series will be the answer. It takes a basic,
'no-nonsense' approach to teaching the concepts, followed by lots of
exercises in both the textbooks and workbooks. The Ministry of
Education (Singapore) wrote the text for Primary Mathematics. Teacher
Guides and Home Instructor Guides are now available for this series.
- Which series were
Singapore students who took part in TIMSS
using?
Singapore students who scored top in TIMSS (Trends in
International Mathematics and Science Study) 1995, 1999 and 2003 were all
using the Primary
Mathematics Series.
- Which series is
the most popular series used in the U.S. and Canada?
Primary
Mathematics Series is the most popular Singapore series used in the U.S.
by schools and homeschoolers. We continually receive very positive
feedback on this program.
- What is the difference between the
Primary Mathematics and the new series?
The Ministry of Education (Singapore) wrote the text for Primary
Mathematics. As with all the new series currently used in Singapore
for Primary 1 through 5, MOE drafted the syllabus and the publishers
interpreted and wrote the text for the new series. Please
see table for a summary of the
differences.
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Math CD-ROMS
- Are the CD-ROMs taken
directly from the Primary Math series?
No, but they cover the same concepts for the
respective grade levels in the Primary Mathematics series. These are much
more difficult and challenging CDs than others meant for the same grade
levels. The use of the CD-ROMs is supplementary in nature for the
Primary Mathematics series. To
Order.
- How do users of Primary
Mathematics Series and MPH Maths know which section of the CD-ROMs to use in
conjunction with the topics taught?
We have a CD-ROM
chart that shows users of Primary Mathematics Series and MPH
Maths the relevant sections to go to which correspond to the lessons in the
books.
- Would these CD-ROMs be
difficult to understand if you are not familiar with Singapore Math, or are
they self-explanatory?
The CD-ROMs are self-explanatory - there are teaching
sections followed by
activities based on the teaching.
- Can these CD-ROMs be
used without the Singapore Math curriculum?
The CD-ROMs can be used without the Singapore Math
curriculum.
- Are the CD-ROMs
returnable?
No, CD-ROMs are strictly non-returnable. Please
look at system
requirements before purchase. Please
note that the all the Active Primary Mathematics CD-ROMs do not run
on Macintosh.
- What is the system requirement
for the Active Primary Mathematics CD-ROMs ?
System
Requirements:
For Rainbow Rock and Wiggle Woods:
Windows 95/98/ME/XP
Pentium III
64 MB RAM
10X CD-ROM Drive
SVGA 256 Colours Display Card
Windows Compatible Sound Card
Speaker/Headphones
Mouse
For Vroot and Vroom:
Windows 95/98/ME/XP
Pentium 200
32 MB RAM
8X CD-ROM Drive
SVGA 256 Colours Display Card
Windows Compatible Sound Card
Speaker/Headphones
Mouse
Color setting of higher than 256 is not advisable.
Please note that the all the Active Primary
Mathematics CD-ROMs do not run on Macintosh.
If the program does not run on your
system, make sure your video card and sound card drivers are updated, and
that your operating system has all the updates installed. Also try
cleaning the CD (wipe it with lint free cloth, or wash with mild detergent
or plain water and pat dry). Please note that we do not have the
technical expertise to provide technical support for CD-ROMs.
- Why does my Active
Mathematics CD-ROM freeze even though our computer meets system
requirements?
This may be because the color setting of your computer
is set at higher than 256. Please change your setting to 256.
- Where can I find more
information about Singapore CD-ROMs?
For more information, or to order, please go to Singapore
Math CD-ROMs.
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How
Does Singapore Math compare?
- How does Singapore Math
compare with other Math programs?
Singapore Math is a balance between drill and creative problem solving.
Customers who have used other programs think that the Singapore approach
moves along to more abstract math concepts in a more rational way and,
depending on the student's pace, more quickly. Other positive feedback
indicates that the Singapore approach encourages greater problem solving
skills and creative thinking.
- Does Singapore Math use
the incremental, spiral or unit-style approach?
The Singapore Math curriculum does not conform strictly to any of the above
approaches. The strong point of Primary Math is the way basic concepts are
presented. There is always more than one approach, and the workbooks are
instrumental in making sure the information is generalized in the way
desired. There are 'Practice' and 'Revision' that serve as unit tests at the
ends of chapters and sections. There is a really effective mix of drill,
word problems and mental calculation instruction connected to all important
concepts. While typical U.S. curricula touch on a larger number of topics
rather superficially, PM nails the core math curriculum in a way that better
prepares students for higher math.
- How is Math drilled in
Singapore?
Individual teachers approach the process of oral drill and use of
manipulatives differently. There is, however, great emphasis on homework and
practice. The workbooks are intended to be completed by students without
assistance.
- How teacher-intensive is
the program?
As with any program, effective supervision plays an important role.
- Is there any part of
Singapore Math which is independent learning?
The student is expected to do all the work in the workbooks independently.
- Do we need to purchase
additional products such as manipulatives for use with this curriculum?
Teachers in Singapore use simple manipulatives such as flash cards, charts
and 3-dimensional objects. We carry some manipulatives.
- What
grading scales are used in
Singapore for primary level math?
Maximum
points 100
A* - 91 to 100
A - 75 to 90
B - 60 to 74
C - 50 to 59 (passing grade)
D - 35 to 49
E - 20 to 34
U - 0 to 19 (ungraded)
50% is the minimum passing mark for primary school math.
A* means getting a
Distinction (91% and above).
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Lesson Plan
- How do I know how much
material to cover a day if Singapore has a longer school year?
Can the lessons be easily divided to fit the American
standard of 180 school days?
It is true that Singapore has a longer school year and here is where
homeschoolers can have the advantage of adapting their instructional
time-table to conform to the Singapore schedule. At the same time,
instruction can be paced according to the needs of the individual student.
- Are there daily lesson
plans, and if not, is it difficult to develop my own?
Schemes
of Work for Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition are now available.
There are no daily lesson plans for Primary Mathematics 3rd Edition, MPH
Maths and Shaping Maths. There is, however, no difficulty in creating lesson
plans based on the contents of each chapter. The teacher's guides for
these series provide a scheme of work/teaching activity sequence.
These give a guideline on the amount of time to spend on each topic.
- How long do the lessons
and the exercises take?
It depends on the pace of the student, but as a general rule, two to three
pages from the textbooks will be considered sufficient for the day. The
accompanying section from the workbook should be completed independently by
the student.
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Price
List for Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition
| Primary Math textbook (1A through 6B) -
US$8.00 each |
| Primary Math workbook (1A through 4B) -
US$8.00 each |
| Primary Math workbook (5A through 6B) -
US$7.00 each |
| Primary Math Teacher's Guide (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B,
3A, 3B, 4A and 4B ) - US$20.00 each |
| Primary Math Home Instructor's Guides (2A-6B)
- US$14.95 each |
| Answer Key booklets (1-3 and 4-6) - US$6.80
each |
To
order
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Price
List for MPH Maths Series
| MPH Maths textbook (1A through 5B) -
US$7.00 each |
| MPH Maths practice book Part 1 (1A
through 3B) - US$3.00 each |
| MPH Maths practice book Part 2 (1A
through 3B) - US$3.00 each |
| MPH Maths practice book (4A through 5B)
- US$6.00 each |
| MPH textbook T.E. - US$10.00 |
| MPH practice book T.E.(1A through 3B) -
US$5.00 |
| MPH practice book T.E.(4A through 5B) -
US$10.00 |
| MPH Teacher-assist Pack (Pri 1 through 4) --
US$60.00 |
| MPH Teacher-assist Pack (Pri 5) - - US$70.00 |
| MPH Reteach book (for students who need
additional help) - US$5.00 |
| MPH Enrichment book (for students who
are seeking for challenging math questions) - US$5.00 |
| MPH Kaboom cards (for games) - US$2.00 |
| MPH Test Papers - US$7.00 |
To
order
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Price
List for Shaping Maths Series
| Shaping Maths textbook (1A through 5B) -
US$7.00 each |
| Shaping Maths activity book (1A through
1B) - US$6.00 each |
| Shaping Maths activity book (2A through
5B) - US$3.00 each |
| Shaping Maths Teacher's Resource Pack
-US$25.00 each |
Changes in Singapore math curriculum from 1981
through 2001
1981
The first Primary Mathematics curriculum was
developed in 1981 by CDIS (Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore), now
called CPDD (Curriculum Planning & Development Institute of Singapore).
The Primary Mathematics Series was first published in 1982 and was the only
series used in Singapore primary schools up till 2001. The 1981 curriculum
was focused on content (e.g. computation), and problem solving did not receive a
prominent role.
1992
The 1981 curriculum was revised in 1992 to make
it a problem solving curriculum. The 1992 curriculum requires pupils to be
able to do some problem solving, i.e., the use of (simple) math in novel /
complex situations. The Primary Mathematics (Second Edition) was based on the
1992 curriculum.
The Primary Mathematics (Second Edition) was
published for Primary 1 in 1991, for Primary 2 in 1992, Primary 3 in 1992,
Primary 4 in 1992, Primary 5 and 6 in 1995.
1994
Since 1992, there have been no significant
changes to the curriculum. However, contents were further reduced in 1994.
The Primary Mathematics (Third Edition) for
Primary 1 and 2 were based on the 1994 reduced syllabus.
1999 Reduced-Content curriculum
In 1999, Singapore's Ministry of Education
decided to reduce the content in the curriculum in order to provide room for
teachers to implement key initiatives (namely the infusing of thinking skills
and integrating the use of Information Technology in lessons and the delivery of
the National Education messages). Curriculum content were reduced by up to
30% for most subjects.
The content removed or reduced
from the subject syllabuses includes the following:
| Concepts or skills which are not fundamental
to the essence of the subject studied or which rely on plain recall; |
| Content which overlaps with that taught at
other levels in the same subject or with what is taught in other subjects; |
| Content which focuses on technical details
rather than conceptual understanding and is no longer relevant in the
Singapore context or in real world practice; and |
| Content which is too difficult or abstract for
the intended level. |
Please see press release "Content Reduction
in the Curriculum". http://www.moe.gov.sg/press/1998/980716.htm
The Primary Mathematics (Third Edition) was
published for Primary 3 in 1999, Primary 4 in 2000, Primary 5 in 1999 and
Primary 6 in 2000. The Third Edition was a further refinement to the Second
Edition so that the aims of the 1992 syllabus were better met.
One of the major chapters removed from Primary
Mathematics (Second Edition) was "Division of Fractions". This
same chapter was added back in our Primary
Mathematics (US Edition).
All the new series (first published in 2001) are
based on the 1999 reduced-content syllabus.
2001 Singapore Primary Math curriculum
The second stage of the 1999 content reduction
for curriculum was implemented from the year 2001. This stage involves
change in teaching methodologies, learning approaches and assessment modes.
Three initiatives were also introduced - National Education
(to develop citizenship skills and values in the Singapore context), Information
Technology (to bring hardware and software technology into schools. However, for
the new primary math series, the IT content is found only in the teacher's CD
ROMs. It is not mentioned in the textbooks or workbooks, as the IT materials are
not reviewed by MOE), and Critical and Creative Thinking (to infuse
thinking skills).
Starting from 2001, textbooks for primary level
mathematics have been privatized with the hope that the changes will be faster
and there will be more choices. The contents in the new series that were
first published in 2001 remained the same as the 1999 reduced syllabus.
Please see press release http://www.moe.gov.sg/speeches/1999/sp081099.htm
2005 onward....
Will there be another revision of the Singapore
mathematics syllabus in the near future? We will be able to tell you more
in the year 2006.
Summary of curriculum changes from 1981-2001:
| 1981/1982 |
1992 |
1994-1999 |
2001 |
2003 |
| first Primary
Mathematics curriculum was developed. |
the 1981
curriculum was revised to make it a problem solving curriculum. This is
basically the same curriculum used since 1992. |
the curriculum
was reduced in order to provide room for teachers to implement key
initiatives (namely the infusing of thinking skills and integrating the
use of Information Technology in lessons and the delivery of the
National Education messages). |
based on the 1999
reduced syllabus, the following three initiatives were added:
- National Education (to develop
citizenship
skills and values in the Singapore context). Sample.
- Information Technology (to bring
hardware and software technology into schools. However, the IT
content is found only in the teacher's CD ROMs. It is not mentioned
in the textbooks/workbooks as the IT materials are not reviewed by
MOE.)
- Critical and Creative Thinking (to
infuse thinking skills). Sample
Publishers hired their own writers to
write the new series. The teaching of concepts and methods are not
exactly the same as Primary Mathematics.
|
SingaporeMath.com
received approval from MOE, Singapore to adapt the third edition with
the following major changes:
- Add back a whole chapter that was
removed in the 1999 reduced syllabus - "Division of
Fractions".
- Add chapters on customary measurements
for weight, length and volume. (The existing 3rd edition
metric systems were not removed).
- Use American currencies instead of
Singapore currencies.
|
| Series title:
Primary Mathematics
|
Series title:
Primary Mathematics 2nd edition
|
Series title:
Primary Mathematics 3rd edition
|
Series title:
MPH Maths
Shaping Maths
In-Step Maths
Mathematics in
Action
|
Series title:
Primary Mathematics U.S. Edition
|
Which series to use?
On the Primary Mathematics series:
Singapore students who scored top in TIMSS
(Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) 1995, 1999 and 2003 were
all using the Primary Mathematics series. We can, therefore, say
that the Primary Mathematics series is a time tested and documented math success
story. We are therefore pleased to have chosen this series to adapt
to Primary
Mathematics US Edition. With three TIMSS results, and the support of
top math academics in the US, we figure we cannot be very wrong with our choice.
More
information about the adaptation of Primary Mathematics 3rd edition into
Primary Mathematics U.S. edition.
On new series used in Singapore:
As of 2005, we do not yet have any international
tests/results on any of the new series. We do not want to speculate
nor present our unauthorized view about these new series. Some of the
series may very well be as good as the Primary Math series. Or, as has
happened in the U.S. in the last two decades, changes to existing math curricula
need not necessarily bring about the best results. We will, however,
present some actual facts about the new series:
| My Pals Are Here! Maths (above 60%
adoption rates in Singapore schools). |
| Shaping Maths (above 20% adoption rates in
Singapore schools). |
| In-Step Mathematics. |
| Mathematics in Action. |
| Active Primary Maths (did not continue into
Primary 4). |
| i-Maths (did not continue into Primary 3,
was replaced by In-Step Mathematics). |
| Thinking Maths (did not continue into Primary
4). |
For those of you who are eager to go with the
latest trend, our recommendation for the new series would be My
Pals Are Here! Maths or Shaping
Maths. These are, after all, what experienced school teachers in
Singapore chose to go with when they had to leave Primary Mathematics behind -
above 80% adoption for these two series combined.
Comparison
between Primary Mathematics series and the new series.
More on "Which
series to use?"
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|
AIR Study
What is AIR?
The American Institutes for Research
(AIR) is one of the largest behavioral and social science research
organizations in the world.
What is the purpose of this study?
Funded
by the U.S. Department of Education, the study What
the United States Can Learn From Singapore’s World-Class Mathematics
System (and what Singapore can learn from the United States)
identified major differences between the mathematics frameworks,
textbooks, assessments, and teacher preparation in the
U.S. and Singapore.
What else does the study include?
The
study also includes initial results from four pilot programs that used
the Singapore mathematics textbook in place of their regular textbooks.
The pilot programs involved students in Baltimore, Md., Montgomery
County, Md., North Middlesex, Mass., and Paterson, N.J.
What Singapore math books are these
pilot programs using?
All four pilot programs are using the Primary
Mathematics series.
Where can I find the full AIR report?
Please visit the AIR web site for the summarized
report and the full
report.
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