Why Knowing the Formula Isn’t Enough: How Feuerstein Builds Real Mathematical Thinking
- Jerlyn Tong
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Many children come into math sessions saying things like:
“I know how to do this.”
“This is the same as the last question.”
“Just tell me the steps.”
And sometimes… they’re not wrong. They do remember the formula. They do remember the work. But the moment the question changes slightly - a new condition, an extra step, a different order- everything falls apart.
Why? Because math isn’t just about remembering steps. It’s about thinking.
In the blog:
The Hidden Math Problem: Rushing Without Thinking
A common pattern we see in children struggling with math is:
Rushing through questions
Copying previous methods without checking
Missing small but critical details
Applying the “right” strategy to the wrong problem
This is often about how a child processes information, not what they know. When thinking pathways need support, learning can feel harder than it should. That’s where Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment helps strengthen the way children think and learn.
What is Feuerstein?
Feuerstein is a cognitive intervention approach that focuses on how a child thinks, not just what they know.
Instead of teaching content directly, Feuerstein helps children develop:
Intentional thinking
Awareness of details
Planning and sequencing
Self-monitoring and reflection
In other words, it teaches children to slow down and think before acting - a critical skill for math learning.
How Feuerstein Supports Math Learning
Slowing Down the Thinking Process
Many children rush into solving a problem before fully understanding it. Feuerstein teaches children to:
Pause
Look carefully
Ask, “What is this question asking me to do?”
This reduces careless mistakes and improves accuracy.
Moving Beyond “Copy and Paste” Math
Some children treat math like a memorisation task: “This looks familiar, so I’ll do what I did last time.” Feuerstein helps children notice:
What is the same
What is different
What has changed in the question
This builds cognitive flexibility, allowing them to adapt strategies instead of blindly repeating them.
Improving Attention to Detail
Small words like more than, less than, left over, or altogether can completely change a math question. Feuerstein trains children to:
Attend to details
Hold multiple pieces of information in mind
Check their work intentionally
These are foundational skills for word problems and higher-level math.
Building Independent Thinkers
One of the biggest shifts we see is that children begin to:
Catch their own mistakes
Stop and re-evaluate
Verbalise their thinking
Instead of asking, “Is this right?” They start asking, “Does this make sense?” That’s real mathematical thinking.
Math Is Thinking, Not Memorising
At our centre, we use Feuerstein alongside math intervention to help children:
Think more clearly
Process more deeply
Approach math with confidence and flexibility
When children learn how to think, math becomes less about fear and more about problem-solving. Because the goal isn’t just to get the answer right - it’s to understand why.
Helping Children Think Their Way Through Math
If your child understands the concepts but struggles when questions change, or rushes through work and makes avoidable mistakes, the issue may not be math ability - but thinking skills.
Feuerstein helps build the cognitive foundation that allows math learning to stick truly. If your child is struggling with math, Feuerstein may be the missing piece.
An invite to Connect:
Call/Whatsapp: +65 9115 8895
Fill out our reachout form: https://www.totalcommunication.com.sg/
Important Links:
Tags: Educational Therapy, Developmental Therapy, Educational Therapy in Singapore, Developmental Therapy in Singapore, Therapy Centre in Singapore
Comments