Singapore Mathematics

Singapore Mathematics is a teaching method based on the national mathematics curriculum of Singapore used for Year 1 to Year 6. The term was initially coined in the United States to describe an approach developed initially in Singapore, which teaches students to learn and master fewer mathematical concepts at greater detail and having them learn these concepts using a three-step learning process. The three steps in this process are concrete, pictorial, and abstract. In the first step, students engage in hands-on learning experiences using tangible objects such as chips, dice, or paper clips. This is followed by drawing pictorial representations of mathematical concepts. In the lower grades, we focus mostly on the first two stages. Students then solve mathematical problems abstractly by using numbers and symbols at the higher levels. Singapore Mathematics has been adopted successfully in at least 25 countries.