Yeap Ban Har gave an introduction to the topic Can Singapore Math Enhance Student Achievement in the U.S.? Other panelists included Dr Patsy Wang Iverson and Dr Richard Askey.

1. can singapore mathematics enhance student learning in the U.S.? Opening Presentation Selected Features of Singapore Mathematics Yeap Ban Har, Ph.D. National Institute of Education Nanyang Technological University Slides can be downloaded from www.mathz4kidz.com

2. Overview ofEducation System Grades 1 – 6 (compulsory education) Primary School Leaving Examination Grade 6 Grade 7 – 10 General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Grade 10 Grade 11 – 12 or Polytechnic General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Grade 12 or Diploma There are variations for advanced and struggling students.

3. emphasis on problem solving Reference: Singapore Ministry of Education 2006

4. Wellington Primary School rationale The rationale of teaching mathematics is that it is “a good vehicle for the development and improvement of a person’s intellectual competence”.

5. in the national test emphasis on problem solving

6. A B F E D C Reference: Singapore Examinations & Assessment Board 2004-2008

8. Mrs Hoon made some cookies to sell. 3/4 of them were chocolate cookies and the rest were almond cookies. After selling 210 almond cookies and 5/6 of the chocolate cookies, she had 1/5 of the cookies left. How many cookies did Mrs Hoon sell? almond cookies 5/8 3/8 210 chocolate cookies 1/5 3/8 – 1/5 = 7/40  210 1/40  30 32/40  960 She sold 960 cookies.

9. school programs include enrichment for all students Wellington Primary School

10. A lion weighs 135 kg. A cow weigh 87 kg more than the lion. An elephant weighs 139 more than the cow. How heavy is the elephant? (Primary 2) TelokKurau Primary School

11. complex problem solving is expected of every student In twice-a-year tests designed by the schools, problems such as this one are given to challenge students. However, there is an expectation that every student makes significant effort to acquire the ability to solve such problems. Raffles Girls’ Primary School

12. parental expectations Seminar for Parents on Problem Solving

13. system-wide intervention Fuchun Primary School Northlight School

14. presence of ‘safety nets’

15. Princess Elizabeth Primary School learning support program at entry point

16. foundation mathematics at halfway point Princess Elizabeth Primary School

17. teacher-initiated intervention DaQiao Primary School Princess Elizabeth Primary School

18. teacher-initiated intervention TelokKurau Primary School

19. Catholic High School (Primary) emphasis on concrete to pictorial to abstract representations

20. mathz4kidz Learning Center, Malaysia especially on the model method

21. teacher education National Institute of Education

22. teacher training pre-service National Institute of Education

23. Princess Elizabeth Primary School, Singapore professional development in-service HougangPrimary School, Singapore

24. teacher learning from textbooks