Maths Assessment Books

[nansk]

whywhy:

whywhy:

Any good psle math assesment that can help my son... (maths B Result)? some say those challenge assessment are too saturated with too many difficult questions that scare off the mixed ability kids. In actual psle these tough questions are only a handful. so better teach the mixed ability kids like mine how not to lose marks on those easy n average questions that they can learn now. Thanks if anyine can help

Raffles tough math too tough.

Hi,
My P3 dd is also a mixed-ability kid. She can do well in computations but is not able to comprehend and interpret word problems. As a result, she dislikes Maths.

I bought a new book through my dd's school bookshop. It is called 'Get Me Thinking' and it is by Stewart Teng of Visible Maths. It cost $15.

I perused the book yesterday and I like these things about the approach:
1. It focusses solely on word problems.
2. It starts with easy word problems and steadily increases the difficulty level.
3. It scaffolds the learning to help the child learn to think through word problems and break them down sentence-by-sentence to understand the meaning.
4. It teaches how to draw the model diagram correctly. It gives two model diagrams for each sample problem, and asks the child to determine which is the right model and why.
5. For practice, it gives two similar word problems on each page, with just one important detail which is different. For e.g. a problem about 3 people who have some number of dollars. The first problem states person A has 3 more than person B. The second problem states person A has 3 less than person B. That way, the child can see how one little word can change the model and the solution.
I think this sort of basic breakdown and practice of word problems is very necessary for my child.

Perhaps you can take a look at these books and see if you find them helpful.

[plum-cake]

nansk:

Hi,
My P3 dd is also a mixed-ability kid. She can do well in computations but is not able to comprehend and interpret word problems. As a result, she dislikes Maths.

I bought a new book through my dd's school bookshop. It is called 'Get Me Thinking' and it is by Stewart Teng of Visible Maths. It cost $15.

I perused the book yesterday and I like these things about the approach:
1. It focusses solely on word problems.
2. It starts with easy word problems and steadily increases the difficulty level.
3. It scaffolds the learning to help the child learn to think through word problems and break them down sentence-by-sentence to understand the meaning.
4. It teaches how to draw the model diagram correctly. It gives two model diagrams for each sample problem, and asks the child to determine which is the right model and why.
5. For practice, it gives two similar word problems on each page, with just one important detail which is different. For e.g. a problem about 3 people who have some number of dollars. The first problem states person A has 3 more than person B. The second problem states person A has 3 less than person B. That way, the child can see how one little word can change the model and the solution.
I think this sort of basic breakdown and practice of word problems is very necessary for my child.

Perhaps you can take a look at these books and see if you find them helpful.

Another book by Ammiel Wan? looks like another version of onsponge....visible thinking...Is it available in popular?

[SAHM_TAN]

It’s not available in Popular. Have to go to VisibleMath to buy.

[nansk]

plum-cake:

Another book by Ammiel Wan? looks like another version of onsponge....visible thinking...Is it available in popular?

1. It is not by Ammiel Wan. It is by Stewart Teng. I also had expected it to be by Mr Wan. I bought Get Me Thinking because I have learnt a good deal working through his Challenging Problems Made Easy. The book has Mr Wan's photo on the back cover and inside page, but the book lists only Mr Teng as the author. Although it is possible he has used Mr Wan's method of teaching.

2. It is not really like OnSponge. I have most of the OnSponge books. This is different. This appears to be for the struggling student.
It may be like the Visible Thinking books. I am not sure. I have only briefly looked at the Visible Thinking books in Popular and my dh did not want to buy them. He is the one who coaches dd in Maths and he prefers the fat all-in-one assessment book from EPH.

3. I haven't seen the book in Popular yet. We bought it via the school bookshop, and I believe this is a temporary promotional tie-up with the Visible Maths company.

[SAHM_TAN]

Here's a review abt getmethinking


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=92&t=50462&start=10

[nansk]

SAHM_TAN:

Here's a review abt getmethinking

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=92&t=50462&start=10

Thanks for linking the review. I'm glad to read a positive review from a Maths tutor. I like his suggestion that parents should use the Visible Thinking In Maths books as step one and the Get Me Thinking as step two. I will use this review to bolster my efforts when I try to convince dh to buy the Visible Thinkingbooks for P4.

Wow, I had forgotten having read these terms in the book - \"Parallel Thinking\", \"Read3Write\", and \"Cognitive Conceptual Approach\". Frankly, I don't really understand these terms, and have no patience for these sort of big-sounding words that assessment books here like to use. I just like the way the book breaks down word problems and scaffolds the learning.

[plum-cake]

nansk:

plum-cake:

Another book by Ammiel Wan? looks like another version of onsponge....visible thinking...Is it available in popular?

1. It is not by Ammiel Wan. It is by Stewart Teng. I also had expected it to be by Mr Wan. I bought Get Me Thinking because I have learnt a good deal working through his Challenging Problems Made Easy. The book has Mr Wan's photo on the back cover and inside page, but the book lists only Mr Teng as the author. Although it is possible he has used Mr Wan's method of teaching.

2. It is not really like OnSponge. I have most of the OnSponge books. This is different. This appears to be for the struggling student.
It may be like the Visible Thinking books. I am not sure. I have only briefly looked at the Visible Thinking books in Popular and my dh did not want to buy them. He is the one who coaches dd in Maths and he prefers the fat all-in-one assessment book from EPH.

3. I haven't seen the book in Popular yet. We bought it via the school bookshop, and I believe this is a temporary promotional tie-up with the Visible Maths company.

tempting.... but I don't know how to get it. Thanks for the information.

[HAPPYH]

plum-cake:

nansk:

[quote=\"plum-cake\"]Another book by Ammiel Wan? looks like another version of onsponge....visible thinking...Is it available in popular?

1. It is not by Ammiel Wan. It is by Stewart Teng. I also had expected it to be by Mr Wan. I bought Get Me Thinking because I have learnt a good deal working through his Challenging Problems Made Easy. The book has Mr Wan's photo on the back cover and inside page, but the book lists only Mr Teng as the author. Although it is possible he has used Mr Wan's method of teaching.

2. It is not really like OnSponge. I have most of the OnSponge books. This is different. This appears to be for the struggling student.
It may be like the Visible Thinking books. I am not sure. I have only briefly looked at the Visible Thinking books in Popular and my dh did not want to buy them. He is the one who coaches dd in Maths and he prefers the fat all-in-one assessment book from EPH.

3. I haven't seen the book in Popular yet. We bought it via the school bookshop, and I believe this is a temporary promotional tie-up with the Visible Maths company.

tempting.... but I don't know how to get it. Thanks for the information.[/quote]Yes it is really tempting. We can go online and check.

[Steadyberry]

speedmaths.com:

Hi,

Raffles Tough Maths (Vol 6A and 6B) are available at Popular Book stores.

Raffles Tough Maths (Vol 5) has just been printed, and is now available at Popular Book stores.

All these books have step-by-step worked solutions for all questions, so the P5 and P6 pupils can learn from these solutions.

speedmaths.com

.

Hi

I saw Advanced Model Method (PSLE Maths) by Raffles Maths in popular. What is the difference between these 2 books, Advanced Model Method and Raffles Tough Maths? Is this advanced model method the same as the model method in onsponge?

I also saw somewhere in the forum another method called Unit Transfer
Method by Maths Heuristics which complements the model approach. Why is there so many different types of method? Can someone please explain. :? Thank you.

[speedmaths.012624com]

Steadyberry:

speedmaths.com:

Hi,

Raffles Tough Maths (Vol 6A and 6B) are available at Popular Book stores.

Raffles Tough Maths (Vol 5) has just been printed, and is now available at Popular Book stores.

All these books have step-by-step worked solutions for all questions, so the P5 and P6 pupils can learn from these solutions.

speedmaths.com

.

Hi

I saw Advanced Model Method (PSLE Maths) by Raffles Maths in popular. What is the difference between these 2 books, Advanced Model Method and Raffles Tough Maths? Is this advanced model method the same as the model method in onsponge?

I also saw somewhere in the forum another method called Unit Transfer
Method by Maths Heuristics which complements the model approach. Why is there so many different types of method? Can someone please explain. :? Thank you.

Hi,

The Raffles Tough Maths (Vol 6A and 6B) books are essentially assessment-type books.
Each book contains 10 chapters or tests.
Each chapter/test contains 10 to 11 tough questions on Various topics (eg. speed, volume, patterns, etc).
There are step-by-step worked solutions for all the questions.

The Advanced Model Method (PSLE Maths) book is essentially like a guide-book or text book.
It has 17 chapters;
each chapter teaches the student how to answer ONE type of question.

I cannot speak for the \"model method in Onsponge\" and the \"Unit Transfer Method by Maths Heuristics\",
as the \"Onsponge\" and the \"Maths Heuristics\" people would be in the best position to explain their methods.

Model Method and Algebra

The Singapore Model Method (used in our primary schools) is essentially \"Algebra in pictorial form\".
Algebra simply present the \"Model Method in abstract/algebraic form\".

The Model Method is used as a sort of \"pre-algebra\", as young children are better able to handle/understand pictorial forms than abstract forms. They will switch more to algebra when they are in secondary school.

The Advanced Model Method uses \"Double Models\" or \"Bags and Boxes\" or \"Ovals and Rectangles\" to solve ALL P5 and P6 maths questions involving \"2 pairs of ratios\".
It can also be used to solve many other maths problems involving fractions, ratios and percentages.

Alternatively, students may also use the more algebraic methods, using \"units\" and \"parts\", or \"u\" and \"p\".
The \"u\" and \"p\" are essentially just like the \"x\" and \"y\" commonly used in secondary school algebra.

You may go to any Popular Book store and browse through the various books that use various different methods, and see which ones suit your child more.

Hope this helps.


speedmaths.com


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