Maths No Problem
Incorporating the use of resources, problem solving and group work, the Primary Series is child-centred and fun to teach. With a focus on teaching maths for mastery, the series is designed to improve the maths confidence of learners.
TEACHING MATHS FOR MASTERY
The whole class works through the programme of study at the same pace with ample time on each topic before moving on. Ideas are revisited at higher levels as the curriculum spirals through the years.
DIFFERENTIATED ACTIVITIES
Tasks and activities are designed to be easy for pupils to enter while still containing challenging components. For advanced learners, the textbooks also contain non-routine questions for pupils to develop their higher-order thinking skills.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Lessons and activities are designed to be taught using problem-solving approaches to encourage pupils’ higher-level thinking. The focus is on working with pupils’ core competencies, building on what they know to develop their relational understanding, based on Richard Skemp’s work.
CONCRETE PICTORIAL ABSTRACT (CPA) APPROACH
Based on Jerome Bruner’s work, pupils learn new concepts initially using concrete examples, such as counters, then progress to drawing pictorial representations before finally using more abstract symbols, such as the equals sign.
VARIATION
The questions and examples are carefully varied by expert authors to encourage pupils to think about the maths. Rather than provide mechanical repetition, the examples are designed to deepen pupils’ understanding and reveal misconceptions.
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH
By incorporating established learning research into a highly effective approach, Singapore has become a “laboratory of maths teaching”. The Primary Maths Series is founded on the international research of Piaget, Dienes, Bruner, Skemp and Vygotsky and has been tested and refined over the last 30 years in Singapore.
UK EVIDENCE
The Maths — No Problem! primary series was assessed by the DfE’s expert panel, which judged that it alone met the core criteria for a high quality textbook to support teaching for mastery. As a result, the Maths – No Problem! Primary series is the only textbook which has been placed on a list of recommended textbooks for schools on the mastery programme.
Year 2 have been exploring how to partition 2-digit numbers in multiple ways. Some of our Maths Masters decided to create videos of them explaining their methods.