1. Teaching Mathematics
in primary and secondary schools
Dr Yeap Ban Har
yeapbanhar@gmail.com
Slides are available at
www.banhar.blogspot.com

3. Introduction
Examples
What to Teach
How to Teach
Discussion

4.  Land
 270 sq miles
 700 sq km
introduction
 People
 5.3 million
 GDP per capita
 1965 USD500
 2012 USD60 000
Junyuan Secondary School, Singapore
in current USD

5. In Singapore, the average
learners perform at a high
level. The following are some
data from some international
research on math achievement
and attitude.

6. All major international tests (literacy, science and mathematics) between 1964 and
2003 were placed on a common scale. Selected countries shown in the table.
Score
1960-1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
500
Japan
Hong Kong
Japan
Korea
Hong Kong
Japan
Korea
Singapore
Hong Kong
Japan
Korea
Singapore
400
Thailand
The Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Malaysia
Thailand
Malaysia
Thailand
300
Indonesia
Indonesia
The Philippines The Philippines
Reference: E. Hanusek, D. Jamison, E. Jamison & L. Woessmann (2008)

7. average
advanced
high
intermediate
low
grade eight mathematics
Singapore
611
48
78
92
99
Malaysia
440
2
12
36
65
Thailand
427
2
8
26
55
Indonesia
386
0
2
15
43
International
500
3
17
46
75

8. average
advanced
like math
dislike math
grade eight mathematics
Singapore
611
48
32
23
Malaysia
440
2
39
15
Thailand
427
2
26
16
Indonesia
386
0
20
10
International
500
3
26
31

9. average
advanced
like math
dislike math
grade eight mathematics
Singapore
611
48
32
23
South Korea
613
47
8
56
Taiwan
609
49
14
53
Hong Kong
586
34
19
37
Japan
570
27
9
53
International
500
3
26
31

11. 1982
Introduction of Singapore mathematics
textbooks as they are known today.
1992
Introduction of ProblemSolving Curriculum
1997
Thinking Schools
Learning Nation
Mathematics is “an excellent
vehicle for the development and
improvement of a person’s
intellectual competence”.
Ministry of Education Singapore 2006

13. examples
Greenridge Primary School, Singapore

16. What were some methods
discussed in class today?