Singapore is One of the Top Countries in Math (But Students Still Struggle with Math in this Country)

math home tuition in Singapore

Singapore students rank as one of the world’s top math leaders. Singapore has consistently ranked among the best in the world since 1995. And yet maths is considered one of the most challenging subjects in Singapore schools. Almost 40% of students at all levels in Singapore find maths the most difficult subject to learn. This is why many parents sign up for A-level, O-level, IP, and H2 math home tuition in Singapore so their children can better grasp math in preparation for university.

If your children are having difficulty with math subjects, there are many ways to make learning math fun and easy for them. But before discussing about a maths tutor or a trusted math tuition agency, let’s first identify common reasons children struggle with maths.

Math Anxiety

Math anxiety is that jumpy or nervous feeling of tension that many students experience when faced with math-related situations. The common notion is that math is hard – and with valid reasons – and this makes students feel helpless or panicky when solving math problems. This adverse emotional reaction to the subject can lead to crippling lower grades.

Attention Difficulties

Math involves multi-step problems that need various consecutive steps to find a solution. This means students need to stay actively focused on solving math problems. However, when complicated math procedures are taught, teachers often teach too fast because they need to finish everything on the syllabus in a given time. Some students tend to lose their focus or cannot catch up with the lesson.

Some Lack Patience and Practice

Patience and practice are essential when learning math. The subject involves numerous complicated concepts and lessons so students need to spend more time and exert a lot of effort to understand complex formulas and problems better. Because of the difficulties of math, some students easily give up or don’t spend enough time practising math concepts.

It is Really Hard to Understand Concepts

Let’s face the fact that it is really hard to learn math and understand concepts. Some students on average have learned to “wing it” by knowing how to perform math operations through repetition, but do not truly understand the meaning behind it. Although this can be helpful to pass an exam, learning from repetition will not cut it at the JC H2 or university level. Learning math is not just memorising, it also involves understanding.

They Have not Learned the Basics

By nature, math is cumulative. This means that what you learned in primary is connected to elementary is connected to secondary, well, you get the picture. There are always connections between new lessons and previous lessons taught to students. If children have not learned and understood basic math concepts, they will find it difficult to understand the more complex ones that will be taught. It is necessary to establish the foundation of math first before moving forward because math concepts and lessons are complex building blocks.

What Do Students Find Hard with Singapore Maths?

A-Maths

  • Factoring and evaluating algebraic expressions.
  • Lack of understanding and practice in drawing graphs for given quadratic functions.
  • Analysing data given in a question and how to use it.
  • Confusion in applying and memorising math concepts.
  • Solving problems correctly in differentiation and integration.

O-Level

  • Understanding and solving basic math problems, notations, inequalities, and equations.
  • Not able to simplify and solve given expressions in trigonometry.
  • Inability to grasp solid concepts in algebra, differentiation, trigonometry, and integration.
  • Struggling with concepts, applications, and probability.

IP Math

  • The fast teaching pace and highly competitive environment of IP maths may be too much for some students.
  • Difficulty in grasping, understanding, and solving basic concepts and problems, simplified trigonometric, differentiation, and integration equations, and probability questions.

JC H2 Maths

  • Important steps used to solve complex math problems in differentiation, integration, graphs, and vectors.
  • Difficulty in applying correct formulas.
  • Struggling to use math tools such as calculators.

FamilyTutor

Math is undoubtedly a challenging subject to learn in Singapore. If your child is struggling to understand even simple math concepts, looking for math tutor is a great option to consider and is the best solution for your child. Proper tutoring – no matter what level of maths – can help your child to understand math lessons in a better way, paving the way for them to eventually learn to love math, and in the process get better grades. Search for FamilyTutor and get ready to be surprised because we are the best in Singapore.

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