Q: What courses does ICALC offer?
ICALC offers high-quality courses for students from G1 up to G12, including Math, English, Computer Science, High School Science, and various AP courses.
Our Math classes include: Contest Math (L1-6+), Waterloo / AMC Boot Camps, High School Math (G9-12), Singapore Math (Level 1-8), Enriched Math (Level 1-5). For more information, please click here.
Our English classes include: Writing (Level 2-12) and English (Reading Comprehension + Writing, Level 1-8). For more information, please click here.
Our Computer Science classes include: Scratch (Level 1-4), Python (Level 1-6), Java (Core Java and Java Mobile), Javascript, Web Design and Development. For more information, please click here.
Our High School Science classes include: G10 Science, G11 Physics, G12 Physics, High School Chemistry, High School Biology.
AP courses include: AP Calculus, Statistics, Physics 1, CS Java, Economics, Chemistry, Biology.
ICALC also offers seasonal courses such as Fun Math with Beast Academy, SSAT Advanced/Pre-IB Prep Classes, Writing Competition Preparation, Reading Club, Fun Science, and more. Please stay tuned for our latest news.
Q: How many students are in one class? How are classes conducted?
ICALC classes are small classes with 3-12 students per class. CS classes are 3-8 students.
All mathematics courses can be conducted synchronously online and in-person. Most English courses also offer both online and in-person options, conducted separately. Computer courses similarly offer both online and in-person instruction. For details, please feel free to contact us.
Q: What textbooks / teaching materials do ICALC teachers use?
ICALC uses US Dimension Singapore Math, AOPS Textbooks,Beast Academy and Ontario Math Curriculum Textbooks. For English, we use textbooks from high-level private schools, Reading Explorer, BJU, National Geographic Articles, TED Talks, etc.
Q: How do I register for an ICALC course?
We can be reached by email, phone, or WeChat. We will arrange a placement test for the student in order to determine which course they should enroll in. For further information, please click here.
Q: Methods of payment?
We accept Debit Card, E-Transfer, Cheque, and PayPal (outside Canada). Credit Cards have an extra processing fee of 2.4%. Alpha Pay (WeChat/Alipay) has an extra processing fee of 1%.
Q: Which class should my child be in?
ICALC offers a free placement test for all students who are interested in our classes. The placement test result, along with the student’s age, grade level and writing maturity (for English and Writing) are factors we will consider when we recommend the most appropriate class.
Q: Why should I enroll my child at ICALC?
ICALC offers small class sizes of 3-12 students. Our teachers are of exceptionally strong backgrounds and have years of teaching experience. In each course, the teacher is dedicated to checking in regularly on each student’s individual progress. Homework will be graded regularly and returned to each student. ICALC follows up on each student’s learning progress and provides informative feedback to parents.
In addition to these virtues, ICALC offers the Homework Club, which is open to all students of ICALC. At the Homework Club, students have access to free homework help both online and in-person from our leading teachers and student leaders from high school. The club is designed to assist students in completing their weekly homework assignments in an efficient manner. Homework may be completed at the club. Should any homework questions arise, they are welcome to ask the teachers or student leaders present.
Q: Will my child move to the next level after completing a semester?
ICALC classes are designed to be yearly classes, with the fall term being the first semester, the spring term being the second, and the summer term being a short semester wrapping up everything that has been discussed throughout. The materials learned in the second semester come after the first semester. For the summer term, most courses host review sessions, while some upper-level courses continue to learn brand-new materials. After one year, the course is finished, and the students will move onto the next level.
Q: Why should a child also take summer courses?
Two semesters of newly acquired knowledge is nearly impossible to fully grasp without reviewing them. Although students may have learned some concepts throughout the year, we often observe that they have not fully understood or applied vital concepts. This will hinder their learning progress after they move to the next level. Through the summer session, students will review all the materials learned throughout the year. This enables them to solidify their knowledge, check their weak points, and prepare them for the upcoming semester.
Q: Should I encourage my child to participate in math contests?
Unlike the math contests in China, North American math contests, such as CEMC contests and AMC contests, are open to students of all ages. The competitions are based on basic math knowledge learned in school as well as a few challenging questions at the end. We encourage all students who are interested to participate in these contests. They can help with enhancing logical thinking and improve enthusiasm and interest in various math topics. If a successful result is achieved in a contest, the result will certainly help with university and private school applications.
Q: At what age can my child participate in the contests?
Age is not a factor in determining whether or not a certain student could participate in a math contest. Instead, it is based on the extent of their knowledge. Students working ahead may choose to attend contests above their current grade level. For example, the youngest participant in the G7 Gauss and AMC 8 contest at ICALC was a G3 student at the time of participation.
Q: Which ICALC courses should I take if I would like to participate in a math contest? Which contests are most beneficial for university applications?
If students would like to participate in contests, they should take the Contest Math courses (6+ levels in total) to have a solid basic knowledge of contest math. In addition, students may take boot camps for specific contests, in order to put their base knowledge to practical use. In most cases, students will achieve satisfactory results by attending these courses.
For university applications, the most prominent contests are the Euclid and CSMC contests (both G11/12 contests). Students may participate in corresponding contests at lower levels, for example, G9 CIMC, Pascal, and Fryer competitions, which will prepare them to succeed at higher levels.