Singapore Math in the American Classroom

I had the opportunity to attend a forum dedicated to understanding the math curriculum in Singapore. From the results of the TIMMS report in 1999 – it is clear that the way Singapore prepares its students in math is extraordinary. The style and content of the textbooks they utilize to teach their students is something that the United States could benefit from. In fact, many schools, like South River Public Schools in New Jersey, have started incorporating Singapore math textbooks into their curriculum and they’ve found the following results:

In the 3rd grade:

• Advanced proficient scores increased by 12.2 percent
• Proficient scores increased by 3.18 percent
• Partially proficient scores decreased by 15.38 percent

In the 4th grade:

• Advanced proficient scores increased by 8.43 percent
• Proficient scores increased by 1.36 percent
• Partially proficient scores decreased by 9.79 percent

(Source: NJ Ask)

These are some big improvements -- but the question on my mind when I heard them was, "Why?"

Dr. Yeap Ban Har from the National Institute of Education in Singapore explained that the math textbooks that the students use do not focus on rote memorization but instead rely on the human ability to visualize. He also explained that the textbooks include a "collection of tasks which are carefully selected to provide variation to strong conceptual development."

It was a very fascinating forum and I encourage you to try some of the examples from the math books and let me know your thoughts on them.

Comments

[Momindant]

Homeschoolers have been fans of Singapore math for years and years. The books aren't cluttered with silly "relevancy" passages, no four-color photos. Yet they are still attractive. They weigh less than typical public school texts, and cost less. In fewer pages, they get the job done, and done better. The typical US public school math textbook is a disaster.

[Aussie Kim]

I have used Singapore Math for the last 5 years with my homeschooled kids and I love it! The kids test in the 95/96 percentile on standardized tests for their grade. It is simple, well paced, and very intuitive. BUT it's not like Saxon Math, you can't just send the kid off with the book - you have to teach them.