The Teaching of Lower Secondary Mathematics

This subject is offered to trainee teachers who did not study Mathematics at university level but who possess at least grade ‘B’ in Mathematics C or Further Mathematics at ‘A’ level.

* This module is offered on a Pass/Fail basis. Although this module carries 0 AUs, a trainee teacher must pass the module before he/she can be awarded the PGDE.


PCM521  Principles and Practice of Teaching Lower Secondary Mathematics I
 

Aims and objectives of mathematics education, Mathematics curriculum in Singapore, concept formation and learning theories in mathematics, teaching approaches and classroom organisation, unit and lesson planning, mathematics communication and metacognition, mathematical thinking and problem solving, and technology in mathematics education.  Teaching and learning of the following mathematics topics (including understanding of concepts within and related to the topics, curriculum structure, learning difficulties, teaching approaches and motivation techniques):  Arithmetic, Mensuration and Geometry, Trigonometry, Algebra, Statistics, Functions and Graphs. Hands-on sessions on the use of IT to teach mathematics.

PCM522  Principles and Practice of Teaching Lower Secondary Mathematics II

Assessment in mathematics, test construction and marking. Project work and enrichment in lower secondary mathematics. Classroom presentations of teaching ideas or practice of teaching skills which will be critiqued by the tutors and peers.

PCM523 Essential Mathematics for Secondary Teachers

The objective of this module is for trainees to obtain content mastery of O level Mathematics topics which they will be teaching in schools. The module is run in an on-line self-study mode where trainees are required to do independent learning of O Level Mathematics topics using school textbooks and relevant materials. Trainees will also be able to access weblinks to resources containing the relevant Mathematics topics. The assessment for the module will be a mathematics test based on the O level syllabus (called the School Mathematics Mastery Test or SMMT) which the trainees are expected to pass with a mastery level equivalent to O Level distinction A1. A version of the SMMT will be conducted at the beginning of the PGDE(S) programme. Trainees who pass the test at mastery level will be deemed to have passed the module. Those who do not pass the test at mastery level in the first instance will undertake self-study of the materials and take the test again at subsequent sitting(s) during the semester.