Most kids don't struggle with math. They struggle with how it's taught.
Adaptly uses the Singapore Math CPA method, the approach behind the world's highest-ranked math curriculum, to teach every child the way they actually learn. Every session is diagnostic-first and built around your child specifically.
Other programs track grades. We track how your child thinks and rebuild the plan after every session.
Our first session is a diagnostic, not a placement quiz. We identify exactly how your child processes math across six skill areas before a single lesson begins. That profile drives everything that follows.
Your child may be at one learning stage in number sense and a different stage in operations. We track both separately. That precision is what closes gaps, not generic grade-level practice.
Before each session, your child's tutor receives a custom guide: the exact topic, the right CPA stage, specific activities, and a pre-planned reteach path if your child gets stuck. Tutors don't improvise. They arrive ready for the lesson and the moment it goes sideways.
After every session, the tutor logs whether your child mastered the concept, mostly got it, or needs a reteach. The system re-routes: a reinforcement session gets inserted if needed, a review session gets trimmed if your child is moving fast. Your child's path is rebuilt every week, not every term.
CPA stands for Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract. It is the teaching sequence developed by psychologist Jerome Bruner and adopted by Singapore as the foundation of their national math curriculum. Singapore has ranked first in the world for math achievement for over two decades.
In plain terms
Think about how you learned to ride a bike. You did not start by reading about balance theory. You got on the bike and felt it. Then someone drew you a diagram of how to position your body. Only after all of that did the written rules make sense.
Math works the same way. Most programs skip straight to the equations, which is why so many children memorize procedures without ever understanding them. Without the Concrete step, a child sees '8 + 7 = 15' as a fact to memorize. With it, they see a relationship they already proved with their hands. CPA builds that understanding first.
Same child. Same problem. Three weeks apart.
Concrete
Builds intuition
Two groups of counters. Move them together. Count what you have.
Pictorial
Builds visual thinking
Draw the relationship as a bar model. Parts and whole, visible at once.
Abstract
Builds fluency
Now write the equation. The symbol means something real.
Every concept at Adaptly is taught in this exact sequence. Concrete first, always.
Each stage has a name and a purpose. Here is what your child actually experiences at each one.
Children work with physical manipulatives: counters, ten-frames, linking cubes. The concept must be felt before it can be understood. This is not a warm-up. It is the foundation.
Example: a child adds 8 and 7 by physically grouping counters, not by writing a number sentence.
We draw what they built. Number bonds and bar models are the visual bridge between handling objects and working with pure numbers. The drawing makes the relationship visible.
Example: drawing a bar model to show how 8 and 7 combine to make 15, before writing a single digit.
Only then do we introduce symbols and written operations. Never before the concept is understood. The equation becomes a shorthand for something the child already knows is true.
Example: writing 8 + 7 = 15 only after the child has proved it with counters and drawn it as a bar model.
From first contact to confident math. You are informed at every step.
We assess your child across six skill areas and identify which CPA stage they're working from in each one. No grading, no pressure. Just a clear picture of how your child currently thinks about math.
You'll receive a written report: CPA stage per domain, curriculum level, specific gaps, and a programme recommendation. Standard (8-12 sessions), Extended (15-18), or Intensive (20-24). Based on the size of the gap, not a sales target.
Before every session, your tutor receives a custom guide: exact topic, the right CPA stage, specific activities, and a pre-planned fallback for if your child gets stuck. Tutors arrive ready for both the expected lesson and the moment it goes sideways.
After each session, the tutor logs mastery, pacing, and blockers. The path re-routes: reinforcement added when needed, review trimmed when it isn't. You get a written summary the same day. Every 8 weeks, a full reassessment.
Most tutoring is what happens in the room. At Adaptly, half the work happens between sessions.
After every session:
Before every session:
“The work that makes sessions specific happens before and after the hour you're paying for.”
Tutor quality
Every Adaptly tutor completes four structured training modules before their first session, covering Singapore Math methodology, CPA sequencing, how to read a child's assessment profile, and how to use our standardised materials kit correctly.
They also arrive with a session guide built specifically for your child. Not a generic worksheet. A plan.
training modules completed before first session
skill domains assessed before teaching begins
week reassessment cycle, with a written plan every time
We follow the CPA framework applied to the Singapore Math curriculum sequence, matched to each child's developmental stage, not just their grade.
The CPA method is not a trend. It is the product of the world's most influential learning researchers and the backbone of the highest-performing math education system on earth.
Children learn through three modes: doing, seeing, then symbolizing. The CPA sequence is the direct application of this principle.
Learning happens best in the zone of proximal development, the space just beyond what a child can do alone. Our session plans target this zone precisely.
Cognitive load theory: working memory is limited. We introduce one concept at a time through concrete manipulation before adding symbols.
Spaced repetition beats cramming. We revisit and reassess at regular intervals, every 8 weeks, to make learning stick rather than just preparing for a test.
Profound understanding of mathematics comes from teaching concepts deeply, not rushing procedures. Adaptly teaches the why before the how.
Founded in Milton, Ontario
Adaptly was built on a simple belief: that every child can become genuinely good at math, not just pass tests, when they are taught the right way for how they learn. We are a small team in the GTA, and we keep our student numbers intentionally small so every child gets the attention they deserve.
Questions? hello@adaptlylearning.com
Tell us about your child and we will be in touch within 24 hours to schedule a no-obligation diagnostic session. We will tell you honestly whether Adaptly is the right fit.