Considering the advantages and importance of learning abacus, more and more parents and students are getting inclined to learn abacus techniques and implement them in academic and day-to-day life.
Here I will try to help you to understand what is abacus and answer the most frequently asked questions like:
- What is an abacus?
- Do I need to engage my child in learning abacus?
- Learning abacus is good or bad?
So let’s get started…
What is Abacus?
In simple words, the abacus is an ancient mechanical device that can be operated manually to perform basic mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It not only solves math problems but also increases the speed of calculation. The device is a “Counting Frame”, which consists of beads or disks that can be moved up and down on a series of metallic or plastic rods or strings.
Beads: Beads represent the number of digits (Ex:1,6,60,400,765…).
Rods/strings: Strings represent the place values of numbers (Ex: once, tense, hundred…).
Nowadays, abacus come in different shapes and sizes and with single or colourful beads and are easily available in the market to buy.
Importance of abacus
I have come across this question multiple times – Why one should learn abacus?
So let me put into perspective, which will help to understand the importance of the abacus as well as answer most asked questions.
Everyone thinks that if one is good in academics then one will be successful in life and the future. However, our success is a combination of academics and soft skills. Academics comprises courses & content which we go through in school or college to obtain a certain degree or certificate. Soft skills are our natural traits and behaviors which comprise of below –
- Communication
- Leadership
- Problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Teamwork
- Flexibility
Academics play only a 12% role in success while the remaining 88% is the role of the above soft skills. The human brain is divided into two parts – The left brain and the Right brain, and soft skills are the functions of our right brain.
So for the maximum functioning of the brain and development of these soft skills, good coordination for the two sides of the brain (Left and Right) is most important. However, for most humans, only one side of the brain is most active. If it is the left side, then the individual is a good performer in academics, and with the right side more developed, the individual is more creative and excels in visualization and imagination. To develop better coordination between both sides of the brain, mental techniques and brain exercises are practised.
Learning abacus, as a mental technique learners make use of both hands (Left and Right) for mathematical calculation and visualize the tool in mind. This not only results in accurate and fast calculations but also brings in excellent coordination between the left and right brain, which further helps in the development of soft skills and hence leads to success in life.
Abacus is not only about calculations but rather a brain exercise that grows strong neural connections and improves brain performance. Without an abacus, students use their left brain only with the use of pen and paper. Our left brain performs functions like calculations, speech, and judgment and our right brain is responsible for visualizations, imagination, and memory.
By using traditional methods of solving problems only the left brain is used and gets more active. While using the abacus, students visualize or imagine the whole abacus tool in their right brain and perform calculations using the left brain. In this way, the abacus uses both sides of the brain, the left brain for calculation and the right brain for visualization. This increases the coordination between both sides of the brain. So abacus lays a better foundation for the great performance of the human brain. Hence, learning abacus should not be considered an extracurricular activity.
Now I hope you have got the answer about the importance of learning an abacus and it will help to pick a choice between learning or not learning an abacus.
What are the benefits of learning abacus?
- Strengthens fundamentals and makes the foundation of learning strong.
- Boosts one’s concentration and helps one focus better.
- Improves the power of solving problems by practising regularly.
- Improves memory power by making the right side of the brain more active.
- Improves calculation speed and accuracy.
- Enhances logical understanding.
- Enhances gross motor skills by making the use of fingers of both hands simultaneously.
- Reduces stress by calming down anxiety levels and boosting energy levels.
- Improves visualization skills and performing mental math.
What is the syllabus of the abacus?
The syllabus of the abacus is divided into different levels. Across each level, students are taught and made into practice all arithmetic calculations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and introduction of basic divisions. Students have to practice all of these problems with or without (visualizing tool in mind) using the abacus. At each level, students have to appear exam to get a promotion to the next level. These levels gradually move from simple to more complex problems.
What is the right age for learning abacus?
A child can learn abacus from the age of 5 to 14 years old. However, the abacus can be learned by anyone at any age by proper guidance and good practice. The only exception is the different results for learning abacus at different ages. The younger the child the better the grasping power and might give extraordinary results by learning abacus. This is because at a young age, the formation of the neural networks is at a high pace and synapses of the brain are stronger, and it is maximum at the age between 3 years to 5 years, hence it is the best age to start learning abacus. As we move further in our lives we gain many experiences either positive or negative, these experiences affect the synapses of the brain positively or negatively and have a great impact on our learning. Hence it is always better to start learning at an early age whether it is abacus or any other skill. Early childhood learning is the foundation of a successful life.
The science behind learning abacus
One might wonder, how the abacus being an ancient tool can help a modern world child, who is surrounded by new technologies (to help), to succeed in their academics. The answer to this question is very simple the abacus is beyond solving a mathematical problem. It is an imaginary mental tool that represents numbers via a visuospatial format that directly improves brain performance. Students who practice abacus have a growing sense of confidence and self-worth whether it is inside or outside the classroom. It also helps them to excel in subjects other than mathematics.
Effect of learning abacus on the brain; which is divided into two hemispheres the left and the right. The function of the left hemisphere of the brain is reasoning, calculations, sequencing, logical processing, etc. So when we use the traditional method of teaching mathematics, it trains the left side of the brain only and the right side sets idle, and we lose the coordination of both sides of the brain. On the other hand, the function of the right side of the brain is imagination, visualization, intuition, music, colour identification, etc. When a child learns basic mathematical problems using an abacus, it involves the right side of the brain as well because the abacus stimulates the need for visualization and imagination and this is mental math or abacus. Abacus creates a picture of numbers in the form of a tool that is easy to remember while it is difficult to grasp and remember the abstract nature of numbers. With the abacus, abstract numbers transform into visual representations, and confusion gives way to delight, enhancing consistency crucial for solidifying a child’s understanding of numbers.
As a result, in students who are learning abacus, there is an entirely engaged and well-developed right side of the brain that collaborates with the left side of the brain. Hence left brain is much more open to performing calculations, taking new ideas, and retention short-term memory while the right brain is open to better imagination and visualization to solve logical problems found inside or outside the classroom.
Conclusion
Though the abacus has been used for performing arithmetic calculations since ancient times in different parts of the world; in the last two decades, it has gained more popularity as it emerged as a “whole brain development” tool and something beyond mathematical calculations. It is an interesting tool to make use of in calculations and it is easy to learn with proper guidance and practice. It strengthens fundamentals and makes the foundation of learning strong. It is not only helpful for in-classroom study but also helps to solve problems in the outside world as it works on the development of the whole brain and enhances better decision-making. According to me, an abacus is a must-learn tool at the early age of learning.
Hope this blog would have helped you to understand more about learning abacus and guide you in making a better decision.
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