Singapore’s current math curriculum was introduced locally by its Ministry of Education in 1982 as part of a syllabus refresh and has led to remarkable improvements for the country’s students.
Singapore Math uses a special 3-step learning system called CPA (more on that below) and focuses on imparting mental models and heuristics for problem-solving.
The result? Students can visualise, understand, and solve math problems with much greater ease.
Can it help my child get better at math?
Singaporean students ranked 1st in an international assessment conducted by TIMSS (Trends International Mathematics and Science Society) in 1995, 1999, and 2003.
Despite an impressive standing in 2nd place for PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) in 2009 and 2012, Singapore’s 15-year-old students rode the wave of Singapore Math’s strong syllabus, clinching 1st place in 2012 and staying in top spot ever since.
These remarkable feats stirred up interest in educators around the world, many of whom adopted Singapore Math into their curriculum and saw similar success with their own students.
At Practicle, we believe EVERYONE can do math, if only they were given the right tools for learning.
How does Singapore Math work?
Singapore Math not only teaches students what a concept is but also how and why it works and where it can be used.
It makes math less intimidating and more relatable — by focusing first on concrete examples, real-life applications, and problem-comprehension skills, before moving on to more abstract things like formulas and symbols.
The CPA framework
1. Concrete
Children start by learning concepts like addition or subtraction using objects they can relate to or interact with.
2. Pictorial
They’ll learn to visualise numbers and word problems using visual aids like bar-models.
The bar-model method makes it easy for them to do all kinds of mathematical operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, ratio, even decimals!
3. Abstract
At this stage, they’ll be ready to use mathematical symbols (+, -, x, /) and notations (x,y,z) to tackle more advanced questions.
Does Practicle/Singapore Math work well with your school syllabus?
Practicle covers the same topics that your child is learning school, just with a different approach.
Instead of drills and rote memorisation, we focus more on teaching mathematical concepts, models, and heuristics.
They’ll learn how to use these concepts to solve a variety of problems, which will make them more flexible and give confidence to tackle unfamiliar or complex problems.
Let your child experience Singapore Math with Practicle.
No more once-a-week, hour-long tuition sessions where your child gets bored, or burying their heads in stacks of worksheets. Or nagging them to do their homework!
Practicle is a web app offering Singapore Math questions and learning resources with gamification, personalisation, and professional guidance on-demand.
As long as they have a laptop or tablet, your child can learn anytime, anywhere. We help your child become more confident, independent, and motivated.
Experience Practicle free, no commitment no hidden cost no lock-in
Try our learning platform free with a 7 day trial
and see if your child likes it.
