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Out of the 38 nations studied in the 1999 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS),
children in Singapore scored highest in mathematics (National Center for Education Statistics, NCES, 2003).
Why do Singapore’s children do so well in mathematics? The reasons are undoubtedly complex and involve
social aspects. However, the mathematics texts used in Singapore present some interesting, accessible problem-
solving methods, which help children solve problems in ways that are sensible and intuitive. Could the texts
used in Singapore be a significant factor in children’s mathematics achievement? There are some reasons to
believe so. In this article, I give reasons for studying the way mathematics is presented in the elementary
mathematics texts used in Singapore; show some of the mathematics problems presented in these texts and the
simple diagrams that accompany these problems as sense-making aids; and present data from TIMSS indicating
that children in Singapore are proficient problem solvers who far outperform U.S. children in problem-solving.
Why Study the Methods of Singapore’s used in Singapore can include problems that are quite
Mathematics Texts? complex and advanced. Children can reasonably be
What is special about the elementary mathematics expected to solve these problems given the problem-
texts used in Singapore? These texts look very solving and sense-making tools they have been
different from major elementary school mathematics exposed to.
texts used in the U.S. The presentation of mathematics Thus the strong performance of Singapore’s
in Singapore’s elementary texts is direct and brief. children in mathematics may be due in part to the way
Words are used sparingly, but even so, problems mathematics is presented in their textbooks, including
sometimes have complex sentence structures. The page the way simple pictures and diagrams are used to
layout is clean and uncluttered. Perhaps the most communicate mathematical ideas and to provide sense-
striking feature is the heavy use of pictures and making aids for solving problems. If so, then teachers,
diagrams to present material succinctly—although mathematics educators, and instructional designers in
pictures are never used for embellishment. Simple the U.S. will benefit from studying the presentation of
pictures and diagrams accompany many problems, and mathematics in Singapore’s textbooks, so that they can
the same types of pictures and diagrams are used help children in the U.S. improve their understanding
repeatedly, as supports for different types of problems, of mathematics and their ability to solve problems.
and across grade levels. These simple pictures and Using Strip Diagrams to Solve Story
diagrams are not mere procedural aids designed to help Problems
children produce speedy solutions without
One of the most interesting aspects of the
understanding. Rather, the pictures and diagrams
elementary school mathematics texts and workbooks
appear to be designed to help children make sense of
used in Singapore (Curriculum Planning and
problems and to use solution strategies that can be
Development Division, Ministry of Education,
justified on solid conceptual grounds. Because of this
Singapore, 1999, hereafter referred to as Primary
pictorial, sense-making approach, the elementary texts
Mathematics and Primary Mathematics Workbook) is
Sybilla Beckmann is a mathematician at the University of the repeated use of a few simple types of diagrams to
Georgia who has a strong interest in education. She has aid in solving problems. Starting in volume 3A, which
developed three mathematics content courses for prospective is used in the first half of 3rd grade, simple “strip
elementary teachers and has written a textbook, Mathematics for diagrams” accompany a variety of story problems.
Elementary Teachers, published by Addison-Wesley, for use in
such courses. In the 2004/2005 academic year, she will teach a
Consider the following 3rd grade subtraction story
class of 6th grade mathematics daily at a local public middle problem:
school.
Sybilla Beckman 42
Mary made 686 biscuits. She sold some of them. If A farmer has 7 ducks. He has 5 times as many
298 were left over, how many biscuits did she sell? chickens as ducks….How many more chickens
(Primary Mathematics volume 3A, page 20, than ducks does he have? (Primary Mathematics
problem 4) volume 3A, page 46, problem 4)
The problem is accompanied by a strip diagram like (Note: The first part of the problem asks how many
the one shown in Figure 1. chickens there are in all, hence the question mark about
all the chickens in Figure 3 below.)
Sybilla Beckman 43
Raju and Samy shared $410 between them. Raju
received $100 more than Samy. How much money
did Samy receive? (Primary Mathematics volume
5A, page 23, problem 1)
Sybilla Beckman 45
Conclusion REFERENCES
The mathematics textbooks used in elementary Curriculum Planning and Development Division, Ministry of
Education, Singapore (1999, 2000). Primary Mathematics (3rd
schools in Singapore show how to represent quantities ed.) volumes 1A–6B. Singapore: Times Media Private
with drawings of strips. With the aid of these simple Limited. Note: additional copyright dates listed on books in
strip diagrams, children can use straightforward this series are 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1992, 1993,
reasoning to solve many challenging story problems 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, thus 8th graders who took the 1999
TIMSS assessment used an edition of these books.
conceptually. The TIMSS 8th grade assessment shows
that 8th graders in Singapore are effective problem Curriculum Planning and Development Division, Ministry of
Education, Singapore (1999, 2000). Primary Mathematics
solvers and are much better problem solvers than U.S. Workbook (3rd ed.) volumes 1A–6B. Singapore: Times Media
8th graders. Although cultural factors probably also Private Limited.
affect the strong mathematics performance of children Fuson, K. C. (2003). Developing Mathematical Power in Whole
in Singapore, children in the U.S. could probably Number Operations. In J. Kilpatrick, W. G. Martin, and D.
strengthen their problem-solving abilities by learning Schifter, (Eds.), A Research companion to principles and
standards for school mathematics (pp. 68–94). Reston,VA:
Singapore’s methods and by being exposed to more
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
challenging and linguistically complex story problems
National Center for Education Statistics (2003). Trends in
early in their mathematics education. international mathematics and science study. Retrieved May
3, 2004, from http://nces.ed.gov/timss/results.asp and from
http://nces.ed.gov/timss/educators.asp