REPETITION AND ITS PURPOSE IN THE KUMON PROGRAMME

“Repetition is the best way to get better!”

What does it take for a child to excel in sports, master a musical instrument or become skilled in ballet or karate? The answer is simple: Practice, practice and more practice! Similar to how sports teams have practice drills to make the plays second nature during the game or how piano learners practice scales or how dancers continuously rehearse their routines, Kumon students sharpen their Maths and English skills through repetition by completing worksheets after worksheets.

Why is repetition important?

The Kumon Maths and English programme adopts a progressive learning approach, where each new concept is based on the previous one. Once the learners acquire the understanding of one concept, they then proceed to the next concept with confidence. Similar to a basketball player practicing their dunk, Kumon learners may repeatedly practice their multiplication or addition to get better in Maths. Whether it is a sports game or Kumon, consistency and purposeful practice are crucial for achieving steady progress.

Picture a scenario where your child is asked to learn multiplication without having mastered the fundamentals in addition and subtraction. Do you believe they will be able to quickly grasp the concept and solve the multiplication problems effortlessly?

The image above shows a Math problem with four multiplication calculations and three addition calculations. If a student is struggling with both addition and multiplication, solving this problem can become time consuming, and subsequently lead to frustration, demotivation and loss of self-confidence.

Through appropriate repetition, children can gain not only speed but also the confidence to solve these Math problems with ease. When children gain self-assurance and a keen interest in learning new things, they become capable of achieving success on their own. Kumon aims to instil in children a love for learning and the ability to progress independently, empowering them to continue learning and growing throughout their lives.

Why do Kumon instructors plan repetition for students?

Your child’s Kumon Instructor will assign structured study projection for them, which outlines a long-term learning plan for their academic progress. The assigned worksheets are the individual steps along the way, and it’s important to understand that they may face obstacles or challenges. However, with consistent practice and repetition, students can smoothly progress through the Maths and English programmes while staying motivated and engaged in their studies.

In Kumon, a student’s ability to complete their work efficiently, with only minor errors, can determine their readiness for advanced materials. Each worksheet has a time range within which it is designed to be completed, called the Standard Completion Time (SCT). Taking too long or making too many errors can signal a student’s understanding. As Kumon students are taught to correct their mistakes consistently, their speed also serves as an indicator of whether repetition is required. Finally, how students approach their work and their motivation throughout, affects their course of study, too.