Chapters
- 01. Why Get a Maths Tutor to Help Your Child Learn Maths?
- 02. What Makes Learning Maths So Valuable?
- 03. Finding a Maths Tutor Near Me
- 04. How To Choose the Right Maths Tutor?
- 05. How To Prepare Your Child For Primary Maths Tutoring?
- 06. What are the key concepts of Mathematics teaching and learning that you should look for at all learning levels?
- 07. Can You Search For A Billingual Maths Tutor For Secondary School Level Maths?
- 08. Where to search for the latest information and past year papers for IGCSE Maths subjects?
- 09. What to take note of for A-Level Mathematics tutoring?
- 10. How Much Does Maths Tutoring Cost?
Maths is one of the most highly-requested subjects on Superprof every year.
From Primary Standard 1 Maths to lower secondary Maths, up till upper secondary Maths such as SPM or STPM, IGCSE and even A-Level Maths revision, lessons in mathematics are, without a doubt, a best seller in the market for private tuition in Malaysia.
It must be said that mathematics is of paramount importance in the education system.
Maths helps us make sense of our surroundings and can play a big role in choosing a career path.
No wonder people who have good grades in maths always seem to do so well down the line!
If you're looking to improve your maths study skills or want to help your child achieve academic success, follow our guide to taking private maths lessons!
Why Get a Maths Tutor to Help Your Child Learn Maths?
Have you noticed your child struggling with the math curriculum at school?
It's understandable why this could be worrying - every parent wants their child to succeed. Maths can play a huge role in a child's academic career and Maths plays an important role in everyday life, so now is the time to think about finding a math tutor!
But why study maths with a private tutor? Academic support and home tutoring have become widely used among parents, who already know the answer to this question!
Here are Superprof's top reasons to search for a Math tutor:
- Benefit from teaching methods that are tailored to the pupil's individual needs: Before the first learning session, the educator will begin by assessing the student's strengths and weaknesses which they will then use to create a made-to-measure learning plan to turn them into a mathematician. For instance, if they're finding maths word problems difficult, the tutor will provide individualised maths worksheets to encourage the student. This ensures that the learner gets the most out of their one to one sessions.
- Help children better understand the world: Getting to grips with math concepts such as arithmetic, fractions and decimals can help in developing a new perspective and understanding of the world we live in, as well as the development of problem-solving skills.
- Future career: Gaining a good understanding of mathematics in childhood can pave the way for a career involving the subject. A child who is skilled at answering tricky maths questions could become an engineer, accountant, chemist - the list goes on!
- Learning without distractions: One on one tutoring means that the student has the undivided attention of the advising tutor, and likewise, the tutee has no other pupils to distract them from their trigonometry, geometry or algebraic equations!
- Learning how to learn: The individualised learning strategies developed by the tutor and tutee working together can be applied outside of private lessons. This means that if a child is falling behind at school, they are equipped with the knowledge to overcome the difficulties they face. This can also be useful when they enter adult life.
Search for a good math teacher in Malaysia here.
What Makes Learning Maths So Valuable?
Mathematics is at the very heart of human nature. Since the dawn of time, humans have always had a desire to count, measure and trade.
Through studying numbers, humans have made maths a rich and fascinating subject. Even basic maths mastery where children learn how to multiply, divide, add, subtract and name polygons is far more amazing than we appreciate.
The human obsession with counting, telling time, and solving puzzles have led us to practise polynomial and quadratic equations, Pythagorean triples and evaluating the integral.
Solving problems is in our bones.
It's no wonder Maths related games are so popular!
Teachers have even taken to setting maths homework online on maths websites to show their pupils that maths is fun. Putting math worksheets into the form of free maths games for kids can encourage them to play interactive math games in their spare time, which acts as a revision and improves their self-esteem in the classroom.
When we pose the question of what makes Maths so important in real life, the answer is simple:
A good understanding of maths gives people the tools to make sense of the society in which they live.
Maths is also influential in how we understand art. Just take a look at the work of Kandinsky, Mondrian and Picasso, and you'll realise they all focussed on geometric patterns! And you don't have to be a maths geek to know origami is based on maths, too!
Being skilled in mathematics can also be advantageous when it comes to playing games as it encourages curiosity problem-solving.
There are plenty of benefits to mathematics education in daily life, too. You can do your own accounting, do your taxes, work out percentages, distances, proportions or probability in games.
Finally, it is your professional life that will throw the most difficult math problems at you. No matter what your field, it most likely involves some form of calculation. From working as an architect to being on the till, a good grasp on addition and subtraction, graphing, multiplication and reasoning will always come in handy.
-
Maths helps us to make sense of our everyday life, including object movements. Source: Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels
Finding a Maths Tutor Near Me
Now you're familiar with the importance of maths problems both in school and in day-to-day life, let's move on to getting a Math tutor efficiently.
Why not start looking within your local area? Keep an eye out for people advertising in-home tutoring in shops and on notice boards in your community.
You mind find a tutoring centre which offers lessons in a small group so that pupils can learn together as a form of peer tutoring.
Even consider online tutoring? Many websites like Superprof offer you directories of tutors all over Malaysia. Finding an online tutor can give you the freedom to take your lessons anywhere - all you need is a wifi connection! Looking for maths help on the internet is the most efficient way to find online and in-home tutors near you.
Youtube is invaluable when it comes to free online maths lessons.
Many maths teachers such as Mr Eddie Woo ( a Maths teacher who hails from Sydney, Australia started uploading his Maths videos online when one of his students was diagnosed with cancer).
We also have our very own Malaysian Mr Matthew Pang (whose Youtube channel Y=mx+c have attracted more than 11 million views to date) who have reached out to many students on the website by providing free tutoring videos.
Here is where you can get the best online math classes
-
Mr Eddie Woo shared his approach to Mathematics teaching during an engagement session with Mathematics teachers during his visit to Malaysia in 2019. Source: The Star Online
Many Malaysian students have praised the effectiveness of learning from Youtube videos as they cover a wide range of topics including algebra, trigonometry, calculus that is covered in both the SPM and IGCSE syllabus in Malaysia.
Since many private educators already have teaching experience in the classroom, they are able to make their academic tutoring services exam board specific. These tutors will go through maths past papers to help students get to grips with what the exam boards are looking for.
How To Choose the Right Maths Tutor?
Many a maths tutor aren't hard to come by, so you most likely have a lot to choose from.
The next step is to sort through the tutors you've found to ensure you make the right decision.
We recommend first asking each tutor about their personal experience in giving private lessons. This is important since providing maths lessons on a one on one basis differs greatly from teaching a class of 30, and so a math tutor must be able to easily adapt their teaching methods to the situation.
Choosing someone who is passionate about teaching maths may also mean choosing between someone who holds no teaching qualifications and a certified teacher. You may have to choose between someone with a math PhD but no teaching experience and a former SPM Maths teacher. There are pros and cons to both types, but it's ultimately up to you to make the decision.
If you need help in choosing the right tutor, we recommend that you prepare a few questions you would like to ask each potential tutor before scheduling a session. For example:
- Can you provide a reference?
- How many years of experience do you have as a home tutor?
- What is your highest level of qualification in the subject you teach?
The math teacher you choose should have enough expertise to teach at the level of study you are looking for.
This will ensure that their methods suit the learning style of the tutee and that they are well-equipped to answer any questions the student may have. For instance, someone teaching Year 5 Primary Maths may only need a SPM level qualification, however, someone tutoring Further Maths for A-Level should hold a maths degree.
How To Prepare Your Child For Primary Maths Tutoring?
It is never too early to start private Maths tutoring. You will be surprised that many kids prefer to learn Maths in a smaller and more interactive setting.
If you are a parent of a Year 1 student, you can gain a better idea of what your child will learn in school based on the Year 1 Maths syllabus that is based on the Standard Based Primary School Curriculum. Similarly, you can also discuss with the Math tutor which learning area that your child needs more assistance with.
Complete syllabus for Standard 1 Mathematics
- Learning Area: NUMBERS AND OPERATIONS
Topic 1: Whole Numbers Up to 100
Topic 2: Basic Operations
Topic 3: Fractions
Topic 4: Money - Learning Area: MEASUREMENT AND GEOMETRY
Topic 5: Time
Topic 6: Measurement
Topic 7: Space - Learning Area: STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY
Topic 8: Data Management - If you feel that your child is too young to go to a tuition centre, you can consider home tuition whereby you can directly observe how your child responds to one-to-one private Maths tutoring. Furthermore, home tuition is extremely flexible in terms of location and time arrangement. This will put your child at ease to learn Maths in an eager manner.
What are the key concepts of Mathematics teaching and learning that you should look for at all learning levels?
When it comes to learning Maths in school or through private tutoring, one should never forget the essence of Mathematics in our everyday life. Maths helps us to put on our problem-solving hat when we come across topics such as means maths or modal maths (for example in statistics when we are organizing a huge amount of data). The end goal of Maths learning is to ENJOY and EXCEL at the subject.
How do we know if we enjoy and excel at Maths? There are several parameters that are embedded in the examination and assessments of the subject. One of them is none other than high-order thinking skills (HOTS).
What Are The Elements Of High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)?
1. Critical Thinking
The ability to evaluate ideas logically and rationally in making sensible judgements using reasons and logical evidence.
2. Creative Thinking
The capacity to produce or create something new and valuable using genuine imagination and unconventional thinking.
3. Reasoning Skill
The individual capability to consider and evaluate logically and rationally.
4. Thinking Strategy
A way of thinking that is structured and focused to solve problems.
5. Application
The usage of knowledge, skills and values in different situations to accomplish a task.
6. Analysis
The ability to break down information into small parts in order to understand and make connections between these parts.
7. Evaluation
Cultivate the ability to consider, make decisions that are based on knowledge, experience, skills, values and provide suitable and logical reasoning behind the choices.
8. Creation
The production of an idea or outcome creatively and innovatively.
Can You Search For A Billingual Maths Tutor For Secondary School Level Maths?
Under the Dual Language Programme in Malaysia, public educational institutions in Malaysia (primary and secondary) are allowed to teach Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering (STEM) subjects either in English and Malay.
Students are also allowed to answer the questions of the STEM subjects in Malay or English during official examinations.
Some students might find that they could understand the topics better in Malay even though their school uses English as a medium of instruction during their regular Maths lessons.
In the long run, they may feel left out or find it difficult to catch up with what is taught during their class.
-
Malay and English are both used to teach Mathematics in public schools. Source: The Star Online: Low Lay Phon.
Given that there are situations like these, it is certainly a wise decision to look for a private Math tutor that is well versed in Malay and English, so that both languages can be used interchangeably for the sake of clarity of the student. At Supeprof, you will be able to find Maths tutors who are bilingual through the information on the tutors' profile and also by messaging them via their profile within the given response time.
Students and Math tutors can also easily access the textbooks in both languages in PDF formats. Refer below for a bilingual example of the Form 1 Mathematics syllabus to get a clearer picture.
Form 1 Mathematics/ Mathematik Tingkatan 1
CHAPTER 1: Rational Numbers
(Nombor Nisbah)
CHAPTER 2: Factors and Multiplies
(Faktor dan Gandaan)
CHAPTER 3: Square, Square Roots, Cubes and Cube Roots
(Kuasa Dua, Punca Kuasa Dua, Kuasa Tiga, Punca Kuasa Tiga)
CHAPTER 4: Ratios, Rates and Proportions
(Nisbah, Kadar dan Kadaran)
CHAPTER 5: Algebraic Expressions
(Ungkapan Albegra)
CHAPTER 6: Linear Equations
(Persamaan Linear)
CHAPTER 7: Linear Inequalities
(Ketaksamaan Linear)
CHAPTER 8: Lines and Angles
(Garis dan Sudut)
CHAPTER 9: Basic Polygons
(Poligon Asas)
CHAPTER 10: Perimeter and Area
(Perimeter dan Luas)
CHAPTER 11: Introduction of Set
(Pengenalan Set)
CHAPTER 12: Data Handling
(Pengendalian Data)
CHAPTER 13: The Pythagoras’ Theorem
(Teorem Pythagoras)
Where to search for the latest information and past year papers for IGCSE Maths subjects?
Without a doubt, your main source of reference should be the official IGCSE Cambridge website for the Maths subject. From there, you can gain a comprehensive overview of the subject in terms of these criteria.
- Syllabus (Topics that are covered in IGCSE Additional Mathematics from the year 2020-2022)
Topic 1: Functions
Topic 2: Quadratic functions
Topic 3: Equations, inequalities and graphs
Topic 4: Indices and Surds
Topic 5: Factors of Polynomials
Topic 6: Simultaneous equations
Topic 7: Logarithmic and exponential functions
Topic 8: Straight line graphs
Topic 9: Circular measure
Topic 10:Trigonometry
Topic 11: Permutations and combinations
Topic 12: Series
Topic 13: Vectors in two dimensions
Topic 14: Differentiation and integration
- Past papers (Consists of past year questions and also marking scheme)
- Examiner Report (Comprises the answer analysis of the candidates such as common mistakes)
- Specimen papers (Sample questions based on taught syllabus plus marking scheme)
Of course, if you have a private Maths tutor, he or she will also provide you with additional revision and exercises that are tailored according to your strengths and weaknesses so that you will be equipped for your final examination.
What to take note of for A-Level Mathematics tutoring?
A-Level is one of the most sought-after Pre-University studies in Malaysia.
After all, it is both a locally and internationally recognized qualification for students who intend to pursue their tertiary studies in local private institutions and also university overseas.
If you are a student/ parent who is looking for an A-Level Maths tutor or even someone who is thinking to become a Math tutor for A-Level studies, here are some key pointers you can consider.
a) Types and number of papers
Firstly, you need to decide whether you intend to take one Math subject (Mathematics: Code 9709) or two Math subjects ( Mathematics: Code 9709 and Further Mathematics: Code 9231). Secondly, you need to check and access the syllabus that will be tested for the particular year of study.
Currently, there are two syllabuses that are updated on the official website for those who intend to sit for the papers from the year 2020-2022 and also from the year 2023 to 2025 respectively.
Make sure you read through the syllabus and also the combination of the paper that you are required to take at the end of your A-Level studies. You can also access the A-Level formula sheet from the syllabus file that is provided.
b) Student’s interest and inclination
This is certainly something to ponder on. If you are a student and you intend to study something that is greatly related to Physics and Mathematics in the future (undergraduate majors such as Mechanical Engineering, Artificial Intelligence), you can sit for both Mathematics and Further Mathematics for your A-Level studies.
This is because the modules under Further Mathematics consists of Mechanics ( Topics that are related to Physics, motions and how objects move) and Discrete Mathematics (Problem-solving and direct application of Maths related structures that are linked to computing fields).
-
If you are considering a career in Engineering, you should take up Further Mathematics for your A-Levels. Source: Photo by ThisIsEngineering from Pexels
c) Student’s foundation on SPM/ IGCSE Maths topics
Many topics covered under A-Level Mathematics or even A-Level Further Mathematics are actually built on previous topics that have been taught at SPM or IGCSE level. For instance, probability and statistics, vectors, trigonometry and so on.
If you are thinking of taking two Mathematics subjects at the same time for your A-Level, it is best to look at your results for your Add Maths subjects at your secondary school level.
If you achieve As in both subjects, you should have any problem when you are progressing to A-Levels.
How Much Does Maths Tutoring Cost?
So, taking maths lessons could be incredibly useful for you or your child, and any difficulties can be addressed by a private tutor.
The next question will ultimately boil down to money and budget. You may see a different range of maths tutors prices from various sources and feel confused.
Of course, there are a lot of price points to choose from on the website since each online maths tutor sets their own rates.
Do remember that the price varies according to the student's current learning level (primary, secondary, tertiary), location (Kuala Lumpur may have a higher rate as compared to Seremban), the tutor's teaching qualification and teaching experience (the tutor might be a student, lecturer or engineer) and also the preferred learning mode (offline and online teaching).
Unlike other tutoring companies, Superprof is 100% free to use. At Superprof, you can adjust the maximum budget filter when you are looking for a suitable Math tutor.
Let's say your maximum budget is RM50 per hour for an SPM Maths tutor, you can set this amount at the filter on the left side of the Superprof homepage. Right after that, you will be directed to a comprehensive list of tutors from all parts of Malaysia who offers RM50 or below for an hour of Maths lesson.
-
Having a maximum budget helps you to choose a suitable Maths tutor swiftly with Superprof. Source: Photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels
So what you are waiting for? You can easily find the perfect maths teacher within your local community, and even online- all elements covered with just a few clicks on Supeprof whenever and wherever you want!
Maths is no longer a subject to be dread upon, but a subject that you can fully enjoy and excel progressively at any level.
Take a Math lesson with Superprof today! You will never regret this decision!
The platform that connects tutors and students
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating.
Loading...
