Abacus Math Institute (AMI) offers a complete mental development program for the kids between the age group of 4.5-15 years. Our specially designed curriculum is tailored to enhance mental capabilities of a child using Abacus as one of the major tools. Students start with physical Abacus to learn numbers and mathematical operations and then progress to mental abacus. Mental abacus is a system for performing rapid and precise arithmetic by manipulating (bead movements) a mental image of an abacus. We use simple abacus study tutorials that help children learn while playing.
Abacus (also called Soroban in Japan) is a centuries old rectangular wooden instrument used to do calculations based on the decimal system. It is comprised of vertical rods with sliding beads and a fixed bar across the rods. It was used in the ancient times for calculating numbers through basic arithmetic system. Abacus is con
sidered to be the first calculator in Japan and has played a significant role in the educational development of the country. It has now been proven as a complete brain development tool over last two decades. Dr. Toshio Hayashi, Director, Research Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (RIAST) is of the view that, starting abacus learning at a very young age, is useful in activating the brain of kids. He further states that, “We can activate the nerve cells by providing “stimuli” like moving fingers and talking aloud”.
Brain functions and Abacus
Human brain is basically divided into two parts left brain and right brain. The left brain is also referred to as the digital brain. It controls reading, writing, calculation and logical thinking. The right brain is referred to as the analog brain. It controls three dimensional sense, creativity and artistic senses. These two work together to allow us to function as humans. In the abacus method of mental calculation, learners manipulate abacus beads in their heads to carry out a calculation. This improves the coordination between left and right brains. Recent studies have proven that abacus method of mental calculation is extremely effective in activating the right brain. Researchers consider the completion of abacus learning as the mastery of mental calculation. Learning to use abacus can help develop this right brain/left brain coordination.
Benefits of Abacus Learning
Research studies have shown that starting abacus learning at a very young age is useful in activating brains of kids. Abacus learning at a young age has multiple benefits. Some of these are:
- It helps in developing a photographic memory.
- Improvement in concentration, focus and accuracy.
- It helps to enhance the power of visualization and thinking through pictures as students learn to create mental image of abacus while preforming mathematical operations.
- It helps foster greater sense of numbers as students get to play with numbers a lot.
- It improves power of imagination as they have to imagine and operate abacus in their minds.
- Abacus learning helps in overall mental development and intelligence of a child.