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