ICA offers 8 sessions of the Olympiad level math each semester. The levels are established similar with the
levels of the Kangaroo math test but not limited to the test. Additional resources are used such as Brain
Maths levels 1 and 2 (Tan Thoo Liang), Fan‐ Math Process Skills in Problem Solving levels 2 and 3 (Singapore
Math) and Primary Grade Challenge Math (Edward Zaccaro).
All resources include non‐routine problems that are not generally taught in the public school system. This
level of math can be reached by careful scaffolding of various strategies and models. Children are taught how
to think mathematically. To help children acquire this type of analytical thinking we employ the following
process skills: “guess and test intelligently”, “list the data in order or in a form of table”, “ draw a model to
visualize the data”, “hands‐on experiment with math manipulatives” and “use number machines or visual
cues to recognize patterns”. All these skills are taught in layers. An example below is based on a problem
from 2013 Kangaroo math test for Grades 1 and 2 published on the Canadian website in PDF format for the
public view followed by the description of the multiple scaffolding teaching strategies that we use to teach
children how to think about a problem....
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