SECONDARY 2 REGULAR MATHEMATICS PROGRAMME
Most Secondary Two students face the following challenges with Secondary Mathematics:
- Understand concepts but unable to apply them into the questions
- Lack consistency in applying mathematical concepts
- Inaccurate presentation of answers mainly due to carelessness
From our experience…
- Many Secondary Two students are able to understand mathematical concepts but lack a strong foundation.
- Doing well in Secondary Two Mathematics is crucial for subject selection in Secondary Three, especially for students aiming to take Additional Mathematics in Secondary Three.
Why your child needs help with Secondary Two Mathematics right now
➡️ Secondary Two is the most ideal year to develop good study habits and answering techniques for Secondary Mathematics. Secondary Two students tend to be more mature than when they were in Secondary One, and can begin to score well consistently.
➡️ For students who are still weak in Mathematics, there is still a chance to catch up in Secondary Two because it might be harder to do so in Secondary Three.
➡️ Achieving excellent results in Secondary Two is also key in subject selection, especially for Additional Mathematics. Students who aim to take Additional Mathematics can take H2 Mathematics in Junior College.
At Cognitus Academy, our students will get to develop a keen interest in abstract mathematical concepts, learn how to present the solutions coherently and strengthen their skills and techniques in solving the questions efficaciously.
Conquering Mathematics through the DEPTH Framework
Our curriculum methodology provides 5 key elements to help students learn effectively during our Mathematics lessons.
This framework evaluates students’ current ability, helps to clear doubts, and expose students to exam-based questions.
Our curriculum structure includes asking probing questions in class to encourage students to explore, discover and build their confidence in Mathematics.
Deepened Curriculum, Heightened Learning
Apart from what is learnt from the school syllabus, students will develop a deeper insight into the curriculum. Understanding the core concepts deeply will also enhance students’ ability to apply heuristics to handle higher-order thinking questions.
Eliminated Errors and Misconceptions
Drills and practices develop fluency and heighten students’ awareness of their carelessness when solving Mathematics questions. Training students to understand their own tendencies greatly improves the accuracy of their calculations.
Practical and Authentic (Real World) Mathematics Teasers
Learning out of real-world context requires abstract thinking. This requirement stumps some students who need to see concrete examples. Students will learn to link Mathematics to authentic real-world problems, enhancing their number sense and conceptual development.
Think Critically and Mathematically
Thinking critically requires habits of mind and problem-solving skills. Merging critical and mathematical thinking makes the learning of Mathematics exciting and engaging. Learning Mathematics in this way unlocks the fun and challenging aspects of the subject.
Honed Precision
With carefully selected tasks for each lesson, students will learn how to be quick and accurate in their computations. Beyond procedural accuracy, students will also develop structural thinking that provides repeatable steps for analysing non-routine questions.
Developing Concepts in Secondary Two
Our Secondary Two Mathematics Programme focuses on building foundations for acquiring critical knowledge, sharpening critical thinking skills and applying concepts effectively.
Acquire Knowledge
➡️ Grasp more complex algebraic rules and concepts, including solving quadratic equations
➡️ Learn the rules of Indices that will enhance the manipulation of algebraic expressions
➡️ Appreciate how the sides of a right-angled triangle are connected by the Pythagoras Theorem and Trigonometric Ratios
➡️ Become familiar with the formulae for the volume and surface area of a sphere, a cone, and a pyramid
➡️ Gain exposure to diverse statistical tools, such as probability, frequency tables, dot diagrams as well as stem-and-leaf diagrams
Sharpen Skills
➡️ Learn to use algebraic identities and cross factorisation method to factorise complex algebraic expressions
➡️ Master the skills to manipulate complex algebraic fractions and formulae
➡️ Use the 3-step process to solve quadratic equations
➡️ Learn to sketch, plot and interpret line graphs and parabolic graphs to solve simultaneous equations
➡️ Combine the knowledge of Pythagoras Theorem, Similarity and Congruency and Trigonometry to find unknown sides and angles of composite figures
Apply Concepts
➡️ Analyse real-world contextual problems critically and apply algebra to solve them
➡️ Apply congruency and similarity in real-world designs, involving 2-D and 3-D figures
➡️ Analyse and interpret the significance of mean, median and mode in different real-world scenarios
Secondary Two Mathematics Topics
Our Secondary Two Mathematics programme is modelled closely to the latest MOE syllabus.
We will be covering the following topics in our lessons:
| Topics |
|---|
| Algebraic Formulae |
| Direct and Inverse Proportion |
| Linear Graphs and Simultaneous Equations |
| Quadratic Equations and Graphs |
| Pythagoras Theorem |
| Similarity and Congruency |
| Trigonometry |
| Volume and Surface area |
| Probability |
| Quadratic Equations and Graphs (Complete the Square) |
| Indices and Standard Form |
| Adv Simultaneous Equations |
| Quadratic Inequalities and Nature of Roots |
Termly Assessment
Our students come from a range of different schools with different academic cultures.
Do you know how your child compares with another student from a different school?
We conduct termly assessments for our students to assess their current progress and see where they stand relative to their classmates from different schools.
Our tests comprise of the most challenging questions from past year exams and will be able to diagnose students' weaknesses. From there, we will reinforce Mathematical skills and exam strategies.
Our Teaching Team
Cognitus Academy takes pride in helping our students achieve breakthroughs in their results.
We are able to do that because of the strong team that we have built to teach, organise and administer our robust Mathematics programmes.
Having been a teacher trainer at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Dr Daniel Chua has not only crafted a solid curriculum for our students, but also an effective training programme for our teachers.
At Cognitus Academy, teachers form the foundation of our Mathematics programmes. Prospective teachers are screened meticulously and undergo a rigorous 3-month training programme to develop core competencies of a teacher. Teaching interns also develop academic and philosophical roots in their pedagogy by studying the relevant materials in-depth and observing senior teachers in action before they enter the classrooms to teach.
After the completion of formal training, new teachers will continue to go through robust training and meet regularly to sharpen their problem-solving skills, explore innovative and effective curriculum for students, and refine teaching methods to enhance the students' mastery of the subject.
Our curriculum and pedagogy are continuously refined and updated in accordance with the changes in the education system by our curriculum team comprising of ex-MOE teachers, Heads of Department, Senior Teachers, PSLE markers and experienced Cognitus teachers.
Interested to find out if Cognitus Academy's Secondary Regular Mathematics Programme fits your child's learning needs?
All new students are offered an immersion session to get a taste of the quality teaching and engagement in our classrooms.
✅ Students should email us their recent test papers in advance for our teachers to look through. A 15-minute pre-lesson diagnostic assessment will be scheduled with the student.
✅ Experience our teachers’ lively and engaging classroom teaching, as they optimise student engagement and provide easily comprehensible instructions in our immersion session.
✅ Evaluation of the student’s learning in class will be given to parents after the immersion session.
Class Size
In order to optimise precious time in every lesson, we have kept our class sizes small. Small class sizes ensure that every student gets the attention from their teachers and have meaningful interaction among classmates and teachers. Such a setting is conducive for clarifying doubts and sharing different points of view.
The DEPTH Framework develops critical thinking and takes time to master. Although some students see improvement right away, most will take 2-3 months to see results.
In order to help your child improve his/her Mathematics results as soon as possible, schedule an immersion session with us today!
Additional support for Members of our Community
Apart from delivering the strongest Mathematics curriculum possible, what else can we do to add value to our students? While we will never stop innovating, we are currently supplementing our Mathematics courses with the following package we like to call Cognitus Plus.
Cognitus Online
Our very own student portal, Cognitus Online, provides supplementary materials and past exam papers for students to practise. This is a portal that not only supports our online students but, also our students attending physical classes.
To learn more about Cognitus Online, click READ MORE.
Blog
Our Blog pages feature study tips, exam techniques and model compositions to support our students and parents.
To learn more about blog, click READ MORE.
Good strategies will only be able to transform students' results if they are motivated
Your child may have been attending Mathematics tuition but has not been seeing improvement.
Why is that so?
The fact is, the lessons your child has been attending are not pitched according to his/her level of readiness.
If students are unable to grasp the lesson, forcing them to finish their Maths assignments demotivates them.
If the lessons are too simple, your child will be bored and unmotivated.
At Cognitus Academy, our programme is crafted to MEET every child’s level of readiness and motivate them to achieve their FULL potential.
Through our own passion for the subject, our trained and experienced teachers ignite students’ LOVE and INTEREST in Mathematics .
Frequently Asked Questions
Cognitus Academy applies the DEPTH Framework where we ensure that learning does not simply come from drill and practice. DEPTH Framework focuses on real-life application of Mathematics and problem-solving skills. We follow a structured lesson plan where students apply their knowledge in bite-size practices and move on to problem sums to build their confidence. Students who are strong in Mathematics will be stretched through practices with non-routine questions.
Our diagnostic process starts from learning the needs of every student. Once we have identified the main cause of the student’s error, we will embark on a remediation plan that runs parallel with our regular lessons. Students often struggle because of conceptual misunderstanding, lack of comprehension for the question, lack of confidence and carelessness. From there, we will focus on the best course of remediation for your child.
One key foundation in the DEPTH Framework is the ability to connect mathematical concepts with real-life examples. Starting from the concrete application of Mathematics, your child can then develop understanding in using abstract (numbers and models) forms of presentation for their interpretation and solution of each question. Our experienced teachers will also pace your child towards success by helping them to create small victories that lead to big success in Mathematics.
Certainly! The purpose of conducting a small-class Mathematics tuition is to create a structured, yet individualised learning experience for our students. Please send all your child’s questions from school and individual practices our way.
Each lesson runs for 120 minutes.
– For the first 15 minutes, we will go through corrections from previous homework. This step is critical in helping students correct misconceptions.
– The remaining part of the lesson will focus on problem sums where students are taught effective and efficient steps to solve higher-order thinking questions.
90% of the IP/IB Mathematics topics are similar to that of the O level Mathematics. Our programmes are created to teach our students the concepts and to stretch them further to higher order thinking. Hence, IP/IB students will continue to feel engaged during lessons while the O level students’ potential are stretched.
Still can’t decide which Mathematics Programme to enrol in?
We understand that choosing the right programme is an important decision because we have worked with hundreds of parents who are just as concerned as you about their child’s results. If you would like to discuss your needs with one of our curriculum specialists, fill out the form below and we will be in touch with you.