MAV2013 Session 1 CPA Approach

The Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract Approach in Primary Mathematics 5 Dec 2013 | MAV Annual Conference Dr Yeap Ban Har Marshall Cavendish Institute Slides are available at www.banhar.blogspot.com

The Merlion by Yeap Ken Min

“Upon separation from Malaysia in 1965, Singapore

was faced with … high levels of unemployment and

poverty. 70% of Singapore’s households lived in badly

overcrowded conditions, and a third of its people

squatted in slums on the city fringes. Unemployment

averaged 14%, GDP per capita was less than $2,700,

and half of the population was illiterate. “

Country

GDP per capita in

current USD

2012

Singapore 60,400

Malaysia 16,900

Thailand 10,100

Philippines 4,400

| Hanusek, Jamison, Jamison & Woessmann 2008

| Hanusek, Jamison, Jamison & Woessmann 2008

Score 1960-1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

500’s Japan Hong Kong Japan Korea

Hong Kong Japan Korea

Singapore

Hong Kong Japan Korea

Singapore

400’s Thailand Philippines Singapore Thailand

Malaysia Thailand

Malaysia Thailand

300’s Indonesia Philippines

Indonesia Philippines

Example 1 First Lesson on Fractions

Primary 2

Example 2 Division involving Fractions

Primary 5

Lesson 2 5th December 2013

Share 3 fourths.

Example 3 Addition within 40

Primary 1








Example 4 Area of Circle

Primary 6

CPA Approach Based on Bruner’s work on

representations – enactive, iconic and

symbolic

Nanyang Primary School, Singapore

Mathematics is “an excellent vehicle for

the development and improvement of a

person’s intellectual competence”.

Ministry of Education, Singapore (2006)

thinkingschools learningnation

Ministry of Education, Singapore (1991, 2000, 2006, 2012)