Cracking the PSLE maths code: Avoid meltdowns, change mindsets

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SINGAPORE – On March 3, Parliament was turned into a mini exam hall. Education Minister Desmond Lee posed a multi-step PSLE maths question featuring fractions, cubic volume and dimensions to amused Parliamentarians. The goal was to demystify challenging questions.

Complex and layered multi-step maths problems have induced panic, meltdowns and more than a few tearful exits from the exam hall for generations of PSLE pupils.

Home baker Massanisah Maskamis, 38, is not even sitting the actual exam but she is close to having a meltdown. She frets about her daughter Shafina Salleh, 11, having to face such mind-boggling problem sums.

She says: “We’ve read news reports of children leaving exam halls traumatised by tough questions. My daughter is feeling the pressure from school, family and her own expectations to perform well.”

Madam Massanisah, who also has a son aged nine, is not alone in feeling overwhelmed by the exam. She is unsure about the role she should play for her daughter. “Do I coach her, or do I give her space and assure her that I’ll be available when she needs me?”

The Straits Times speaks to three mathematics experts on how families can manage PSLE anxieties and build confidence before the big day.

Understand the exam mechanics

First, parents need to understand the mechanics and design intention of the exam, say experts.

Every year, the Ministry of Education sets challenging questions to help identify stronger students. These are capped at 15 per cent of the exam.

The questions are not random and well within the syllabus, says Dr Yeap Ban Har, 58, a textbook author and former National Institute of Education lecturer.

“They aim to test critical and flexible thinking. While they may not always mirror real life scenarios – for instance, they do not cover how mathematicians would model an outbreak of a virus like Covid-19 – they’re designed to stretch students’ reasoning, so they can handle complex situations later in life,” he says.

Parents can view the maths exam as a means of building a child’s resilience and problem-solving skills, add experts.

Dr Yeap points out that while Singapore’s focus on testing has its drawbacks, it delivers clear results with most of its young candidates clearing the exam and a large number performing well.

Benchmark studies also show even the weakest students here perform about 20 per cent better than the international average, a sign that “anyone can succeed under the Singapore maths system”, he says.

Master the basics

The PSLE Maths paper comprises three main types of questions, says Dr Yeap.

Basic ones include reading a line graph, finding the area of a triangle, or completing simple calculations like 24 x 25.

Folded in the paper are also simple, one- or two-step word problems. These, he said, can be rehearsed and should not take students by surprise.

Ms Sandra Lim, 42, founder of tuition centre The Nuggets Academy, described these questions as low-hanging fruit which children should be encouraged to master first.

Ms Lim, who believes in personalised learning and supports struggling learners through bite-size lessons and confidence-building exercises, says parents should meet their child at the level they are at and stagger their learning.

She also advises against prematurely attempting timed run-throughs of mock papers early in the year. Doing so can scare and demoralise children.

She says: “Give them time to complete and consolidate their learning from their Primary 5 and 6 syllabus. Avoid introducing tough questions at the start.”

Dr Yeap says a good resource to start working on is past year exam papers – not assessment books. He considers past year papers the gold standard, as they have been vetted rigorously by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board.

He does not believe in pushing children to complete the paper at this stage of their preparation. Instead, he recommends encouraging children to select 20 marks worth of questions from the paper to work on each day.

Break down tough questions

As students progress in their learning, they should be introduced to more complex three- to five-mark questions which appear in paper two of the exam, says Mr Jason Hiak, founder of tuition chain Matrix Maths.

Such questions require analysis and creative reasoning, and often weave multiple topics such as fractions, decimals, ratios and percentages together.

His centres dedicate seven sessions a year to train Primary 6 students to apply a range of tools – such as models, tables and lists – to make sense of these puzzles.

Mr Hiak says: “It’s all part of the process of raising thinkers instead of rote learners. Such sessions empower pupils to become more confident with using the various methods to structure their analyses. Their reasoning skills are also strengthened to tackle a range of complex, layered questions.”

Drawing is an essential lifeline, adds Dr Yeap.

“Maths is a symbolic language and visuals like diagrams, tables and models help students see the problem and understand the story. Toggling between reading the problem and drawing can help students make gains and significant progress.”

If children need assistance with trickier questions, parents can scaffold or break down the process, while asking guiding questions instead of providing answers.

Dr Yeap says: “This way, they can see that a path has been created. You’re giving them a bag of tools to figure their way out. If they can go ahead, great. If they get stuck, meander or take a U-turn, it’s still a positive thing. They might eventually see an opening which might lead them to the solution.

“If you’re just providing answers and solutions, they may not be able to replicate the process when they are alone.”

And if parents are stumped, admit it, he says.

“Saying, ‘This is difficult, let’s figure it out together’, creates a wonderful learning environment. We need to move away from our perfectionist mindsets, which are wired for completion rather than the process of learning,” adds Dr Yeap.

Be their “supportive secretary”

Mr Hiak points out that children with involved parents tend to do better, but their roles should be scoped.

“You don’t need to be their teacher. Be their cheerleader or secretary. Do their admin for them: help manage revision schedules and organise their notes. At the age of 11 or 12, children may lack the discipline to sort through their worksheets and plan their time. This is where you as a parent can step in.”

Ms Lim agrees. She says the heavy lifting should be left to teachers and tutors.

“Children can develop maths anxiety and become terrified of the subject if they feel threatened by their learning environment. Oftentimes, we can be more impatient than we want to be with our own children.

“If you’re the type who passes on nervous energy and anxiety, it’s more productive to spend calm, quality time with your child and nudge them to gently complete his or her revision.”

She adds that maths should be taught in a lighter, playful and more welcoming way.

“Children don’t learn like we used to, so I tell parents to be patient and put away their canes. It’s so important to take the focus off the end-result and keep our eyes on retaining the joy of learning instead.”

Dr Yeap adds that a nationwide attitude shift is needed. He says: “You want to build a positive atmosphere so that your child can sustain learning. He or she still has a long way to go.

“The examination is a necessary evil. Help your child maximise the benefits that can be derived from it, rather than maxing out the negatives.”

4 steps to success

1. Complete 20 marks worth of questions daily

At the start of the revision process, provide past year papers and allow your child to select 20 marks worth of questions he or she would like to answer. The papers can be reused until they are completed.

Dr Yeap says this builds a daily habit, while also accounting for a Primary 6 pupil’s busy schedule, which might be packed with co-curricular activities, homework and revision for other subjects.

2. Log mistakes

Most students do endless rounds of practice but the returns for this method of preparation are pretty low, says Mr Hiak.

Instead, parents can help their children by dutifully compiling their errors in a folder from the beginning of the year. In June, as more serious preparation is under way, children should refer to the folder and review their errors and work on them.

Dr Yeap adds that parents should allow their children to sit with their mistakes instead of rushing them through corrections. Parents can also help generate similar questions for them to attempt.

3. Maximise accurate responses

Tell your child that his or her goal going into the paper is to make the fewest mistakes, says Mr Hiak. The exam rewards accuracy, so go into the exam hall rested, he adds.

4. Build a love for maths

A growing pool of Singaporeans are sending their children for Mathematical Olympiads run by organisers such as the Singapore Mathematical Society and Raffles Institution. Some parents believe these competitions can stretch their children and help raise PSLE scores.

Dr Yeap cautions that while doing well in these events can be used to support applications for Direct School Admission for secondary schools, they offer questions outside the PSLE format.

He says such competitions make better sense for top-performing children interested in the subject. They can help children build and expand their skills and expose them to other forms of maths.

“The key is motivation and enjoyment. If a child wants to take on more, support them. If they don’t, respect that choice.

“You don’t want them to be fearful and lose confidence amid a sea of top performers. The aim is to seek out a positive atmosphere for learning.”