Dimensions Math®

The Singapore math method was developed by Singapore's Ministry of Education and implemented across their country's public school system in the early 1980s. Adapted from the original Singaporean materials, Primary Mathematics made its debut in the U.S. in 1988.

Some of the key features of Singapore math include concrete/pictorial/abstract progression, number bonds, bar modeling and mental math. Students who are the most successful with Singapore Math include those who:

• are visual learners.
• like to start at the conceptual level.
• enjoy creative problem-solving.
• are logical.
• tend to be independent thinkers.

Singapore Math might not be the best fit for students who need repetition, prefer a straight-forward approach, get distracted by images, prefer to stick to one strategy and tend to process things in a set sequential way.

Today, there are a few different series of books that use the Singapore math method with Dimensions Math being a very popular choice for both the homeschool and classroom setting.

You can read more about the Singapore math method here.

Dimensions Math is one of the most recent series of books published using the Singapore math method. While the same methodology is used across all series, Dimensions Math sets itself apart with built-in differentiation and beautiful imagery with integrated characters.

Yes, switching from Primary Mathematics to Dimensions Math is possible, though there are different suggestions based on the different Primary Math series. You can find details here.

We offer the following support for Dimensions Math:
Video Lessons- 1st through 5th
Online Grading- 2nd through 5th

Nicole teaches the Think and Learn sections of each lesson in one video.

In a second video, she will work through some of the problems of the Do section but will prompt the student to complete remaining problems.

All of the problems in the Workbook can be checked for accuracy in our online grading system.

For each grade/course of Dimensions Math®, your student will need the following:

• Textbook A & B
• Workbook A & B
• Tests A & B

In addition to the student books, we suggest the parent/teacher also have access to either the Home Instructor's Guide or the Teacher's Guide.

They both serve the same purpose but are different enough that most people have a preference for one over the other. You can read more about the two options here. Finally, there are manipulatives that are strongly suggested (though not required) for each course. You can see a list of suggestions here.

Example: The books needed for Dimensions Math® Third Grade course include:

• 3A Textbook
• 3B Textbook
• 3A Workbook
• 3B Workbook
• 3A Tests
• 3B Tests
• 3A Home Instructor's Guide or Teacher's Guide
• 3B Home Instructor's Guide or Teacher's Guide
• Suggested manipulatives

Please note- Dimensions Math® is divided into two parts for every grade: A and B. To gain the full content of the course, both parts should be completed.

If you are coming from a different math curriculum, we strongly suggest you give your student the Singapore Math placement test. The placement tests are free and can be administered by you at home.

1. Go here.
2. Select the test based on the level your student completed with their last curriculum.
   • 1A = the first half of First Grade,
          1B = the second half of First Grade,
          2A = the first half of Second Grade, etc.
3. Print (answers are included in the same PDF.)
4. Give your student the assessment.
5. If your student does well, they are ready for the next level of Singapore Math.

EXAMPLE 1: A student completed the entire Kindergarten Abeka Math curriculum. The student takes the Singapore KB placement test and misses just one problem. The student should be successfully ready for Singapore 1A.

EXAMPLE 2: A student completed some of Saxon's Math 2. The student takes the Singapore 2A placement test but misses several problems. The student then takes the 1B placement test and gets a perfect score. The student should be successfully ready for Singapore 2A.

Please note that the publisher discourages starting Singapore Math any later than 3rd Grade.

There are loads of great math options available to homeschoolers but that does not mean they are all great options for your student. Deciding which math curriculum your student uses is entirely up to you, of course. However, we do have a few suggestions that might help you with that decision (with specifics to Dimensions Math.)

• Ask yourself why you want to switch? If your student's current math curriculum is not a good fit, then, yes, you should consider switching. But, if it's working well, then you might want to consider that a victory and leave it alone. (Switching curriculum is one of the biggest reasons of math gaps.)
• Stop to identify what's not working about your current math curriculum. Now ask yourself if Dimensions Math will create the same issue or solve that problem.
  • For instance, if Horizons is not working because your student finds the images distracting, then Dimensions likely won't be a good option because it is also colorful and filled with images.
  • On the other hand, if your student is doing Saxon and they cannot handle the heavy review approach, then changing to Dimensions with its mastery approach might be a good option.
• Consider where your student is in their math journey and assess whether it's wise to switch them at this time. Singapore Math Inc suggests that you start Dimensions by 3rd grade. Additionally, this particular series of Singapore books (by this author and publisher) only goes to 5th grade.
• If you decide to make a switch, always start with the placement test. No two math curriculums line up perfectly and it's important to start your student in the correct book. You can find the placement test for Dimensions here. And, keep in mind, it's more than okay to go back a grade level. If the goal of switching curriculums is to create a better math experience for your student, then you increase the chances of that happening if the new math curriculum meets your student where they are.
• Lastly, it is important to note that picking up in the middle of Singapore Dimensions' scope and sequence might prove challenging for many students. If at all possible (and you have not done so already,) we would suggest getting your hands on the Dimensions Math® curriculum to check it out directly. You can also watch some of Nicole's video lessons here to get a better understanding of the content. If it looks like it would be a great fit for your kiddo, you could consider beginning with their 3rd grade (or even earlier) to ensure you are not skipping over pertinent vocab, structure, etc.

You can read more about Dimensions Math here.

Nicole's style is clear and concise and her Lesson Videos are generally 3-6 minutes long, The videos for the Do section tend to be a wee bit longer at 5-10 minutes in length.

You are in charge of what your student is expected to do and can select which exercises and problems your student completes for each lesson from your Parent Dashboard.