Scholastic PR1ME Professional Learning: Mathematical Problem Solving – The Bar Model Method

The Bar Model Method is a key problem solving strategy consistently taught to primary school
students in Singapore, a nation acknowledged as a global top performer in mathematics based
on its performance in benchmarking studies such as the Trends in International Mathematics
and Science Study (TIMSS).

The Bar Model Method is acknowledged as an effective problem solving heuristic that enables students to understand, visualize and represent conceptually complex problems and their solutions simply and elegantly, and in doing so, further reinforces and builds their conceptual and procedural knowledge, making them more effective problem solvers. The visual representation of the problem and the solution constructed by the student enables the teacher to understand the student’s thought process and allows them to correct misconceptions immediately and appropriately.

This professional learning workbook introduces teachers to the fundamentals of using the
Bar Model Method, providing the basis and process of understanding different types of word
problems and deriving the bar models to solve them. For use with Grades 1-6.