| A growing number of American educators and | | | | being taught traditional arithmetic, there is |
| concerned parents are looking for ways to | | | | minimal conflict and the child will easily |
| help children develop the math skills | | | | work within both systems. If a child starts |
| necessary to succeed in the careers of the | | | | the program later, having already received |
| future. | | | | traditional foundations, there may be a |
| | | | slightly extended learning period for the |
| In Asia, many schools have rediscovered the | | | | child to accept and integrate the abacus |
| secrets of the abacus, an ancient calculating | | | | method. |
| device that offers remarkable benefits for | | | | |
| nurturing young minds and encouraging | | | | A popular abacus program is available through |
| proficiency in mathematics and mental | | | | Fairfax, Virginia-based NurtureMinds.com, |
| calculation. With abacus instruction, | | | | which offers books containing simple |
| children can achieve much more than just | | | | step-by-step instructions that make learning |
| excellent math skills. Abacus use can build | | | | the abacus fun for children. This set of |
| confidence, provide a sense of achievement, | | | | books, Learning Mathematics with the Abacus, |
| promote intuitive thinking, enhance | | | | was developed specifically for teaching |
| problem-solving capability, stimulate | | | | youngsters in grades 2, 3 and 4 how to master |
| creativity, and improve concentration and | | | | mental math/arithmetic with the abacus. The |
| mental endurance. | | | | site also offers the Japanese Soroban abacus, |
| | | | which consists of a wooden frame divided into |
| Educators in Asia say abacus skills are a key | | | | 2 parts separated by a beam, with one row of |
| reason children in these countries | | | | beads on the upper deck, and four rows on the |
| consistently win top rankings in | | | | lower deck. |
| international math comparisons. Many schools | | | | |
| in Asia, where abacus instruction is widely | | | | Japanese Educators Hail Abacus Training |
| popular for teaching mental math/arithmetic, | | | | |
| introduce the abacus between kindergarten and | | | | In Japan, educators maintain that the abacus |
| 4th grade. | | | | helps children develop powers of mental |
| | | | calculation. It enables children to: |
| U.S. Student Math Performance Lags Behind | | | | |
| Asia | | | | - understand the base-ten number system and |
| | | | place values, |
| In 2003, U.S. performance in mathematics | | | | |
| literacy and problem solving was lower than | | | | - understand concepts of carrying and |
| average among OECD (Organization for | | | | borrowing in arithmetic, and |
| Education and Cooperative Development) | | | | |
| countries. Korea and Japan ranked at or near | | | | - visualize close relations between numbers |
| the top in problem solving and combined math | | | | and numerals. Learning Mathematics with |
| literacy. | | | | the Abacus is available in the United States |
| | | | exclusively through Beginners use the |
| In the United States, abacus instruction is | | | | Learning Mathematics with the Abacus Year 1 |
| catching in some schools as well as among | | | | textbook and activity book to start adding |
| parents who home-school their children. | | | | and subtracting numbers up to 100. They start |
| | | | by identifying the different parts of the |
| They realize that math proficiency gives | | | | abacus, holding and using it correctly, |
| students. a competitive edge and prepares | | | | mastering the correct fingering technique in |
| them for tomorrow's highly selective job | | | | moving the beads, and learning to visualize |
| marketplace. Most new jobs in the U.S. | | | | as they calculate. |
| require good math and science skills, and | | | | |
| abacus instruction is geared to helping | | | | Learning Mathematics with the Abacus Year 2 |
| children master mental math/arithmetic at an | | | | focuses on addition and subtraction of |
| early age. | | | | numbers up to 1,000, and develops |
| | | | multiplication and division skills. |
| Abacus training also keeps children from | | | | |
| becoming overly dependent on electronic | | | | Activities in these books have been carefully |
| calculating tools for simple arithmetic - a | | | | designed and structured by a panel of |
| problem that worries teachers. | | | | academicians, curriculum specialists and |
| | | | instructional designers to ensure that pupils |
| The abacus is an excellent substitute for | | | | not only learn mathematics effectively, but |
| rote memorization of multiplication tables. | | | | also develop the ability to perform mental |
| Abacus calculation relies on the manipulation | | | | calculations. |
| of beads rather than use of traditional | | | | |
| arithmetic. It teaches children to visualize | | | | These books are used by tens of thousands of |
| numbers and their relationships and placement | | | | students in Malaysia and many other nations, |
| values. | | | | where they are regarded as the best abacus |
| | | | learning books for children on the market. |
| Abacus Stimulates Whole Brain Development | | | | Parents and educators can visit the website |
| | | | to find out more about why these books are |
| When children use both hands to move the | | | | becoming increasingly popular in many |
| abacus beads to perform arithmetic | | | | countries like Malaysia, the United States, |
| calculations, there is quick communication | | | | the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, |
| between the hands and the brain that | | | | Singapore and elsewhere. They have become |
| stimulates both the right and left | | | | valuable abacus teaching tools in schools, |
| hemispheres of the brain. This promotes | | | | tuition centers and community centers, and |
| rapid, balanced whole brain development. | | | | are used by home-schooling parents around the |
| | | | world. The website offers free downloads from |
| If a child starts learning the abacus before | | | | the books. |