Why Use an Abacus?
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We all want our children to succeed in life, but it's important to recognize that early childhood is the most crucial growth period in life in terms of emotional, intellectual, physical, and social development. While it's scientifically proven that human brain growth is at its maximum in early childhood, it's also proven that all children process information differently. No child is the same, and while some children learn better by reading, others learn better by doing—which brings us to the subject of mathematics!
Let's be honest, children don't like math. In fact, research shows most adults hate it too. Interestingly, many adults feel that if they could have been exposed to a smarter way of learning math in their childhood, their perspective would be much more positive. For most children, math is extremely difficult and boring, and unless they become interested in learning it from an early age, they will always have a love-hate relationship with it. So, how do we interest our children in learning mathematics? One of the best-proven and most effective ways to make the subject of math more appealing and interesting is the abacus.
It's hard to imagine counting without writing numbers, but there was a time when we only had our hands and fingers. And as numbers became larger, many started using stones, beads, and sticks, which gave birth to abacuses. Also called a counting frame, the first Chinese abacus (suanpan) was invented around 500 B.C., and the abacus we use today is still widely used by many people in Asia, Africa, and elsewhere.
An arithmetic method based on the calculation principles of the abacus, the abacus is considered one of the fastest ways to calculate and learn math. Faster than a calculator, the abacus not only gives children the opportunity to excel in mathematics from an early age, but it also provides a solid foundation for learning mathematical methods in primary school. Besides improving overall math comprehension, learning the abacus offers other significant benefits:
The Abacus Improves Gross Motor Skills
Since the instrument involves using hands and fingers to move the beads, it acts as an excellent brain simulator. This improves brain efficiency and also stimulates the sensory organs.
The Abacus Improves Calculation Abilities
For many, calculation can seem like a chore. But if you learn the abacus, all types of calculation will be a piece of cake. The abacus helps strengthen these skills and become faster at calculation. This is one of the primary benefits of the abacus.
Solving problems using an abacus involves solving the same problems using several simple formulas. The child analyzes on the spot which is the correct formula to use and applies it to the problem. This helps develop their analytical skills. The child also begins analyzing real-life situations from multiple angles from a young age, making them wiser at correctly analyzing a situation and using the right approach to a problem.
Using an Abacus Improves Concentration Ability
While being trained to use the abacus, the child not only learns to calculate (add, subtract, multiply, and divide) using the abacus, but they also learn to perform calculations in their mind, using a technique called "Visualization." Visualization is a technique that involves imagining an abacus in our own mind and virtually performing calculations as if they were done on an abacus. Since the calculations are done in the mind, the child remembers each step, which is possible with concentration. Thus, as the child continues to do calculations, their concentration increases, which helps them overall in their studies. An increase in concentration also helps the child focus on a specific problem. When the child solves a math problem in their mind, they focus on the ultimate goal, which is to perform the final step of the calculation, i.e., finding the answer, which is usually always correct!
Using an Abacus Improves Problem-Solving Ability
Simple tasks like calculating or multiplying on the abacus improve a child's ability to solve problems. With practice, the child can become a master of the abacus and be extremely fast!
The Abacus Helps Develop Memorization Ability
Working on the abacus with counting beads and memorization helps improve memory. It also enhances retention ability, which is useful in the long term.
To solve a problem, the child must remember the answer to each step (or the last position of the beads on the abacus), which causes them to assimilate more and more in their mind. By continuously practicing the visualization technique, the child unconsciously continues to memorize questions, answers, solution steps, and so on, which helps strengthen their memorization ability.
This helps them remember and assimilate other information as well as subjects with great ease rather than spending a lot of time and effort memorizing the content.
To learn more about a child's memorization ability
6 Tips to Strengthen Your Child's Working Memory
Working with the Abacus Reduces Child Stress
The abacus can be an excellent stimulator to counteract stress and can help release all that unnecessary stress. Brain simulation can calm anxiety levels and help relieve stress a few times after using the abacus.
Using the Abacus Improves Visualization Skills
Using an abacus can improve the ability to perform mental calculations. There are many mental math techniques, but when it comes to visualization, forming a virtual image of an abacus in your mind is the most effective method. In fact, it is the recommended method for teaching mental math to children. There is a slight learning curve, especially if you're used to calculating things normally your whole life, but it's absolutely worth it.
To learn more about what visualization is, we recommend this excellent article.
Visualization as a Learning Strategy
Learning the Abacus Solidifies Foundations
Nowadays, children remember better if teaching is associated with an object they can refer to. Similarly, when using the abacus, they absorb the quality of the relationship they have with it by performing any type of calculation. This reinforces the foundations and makes the foundation of learning stronger.
If you start dictating a math addition or subtraction problem to a layperson with a calculator and a child who masters the abacus, you'll be amazed to see that the child is every time as fast as the calculator operator, and often even faster than a calculator.
Largely determined by our external environment, rather than our genes, every human has the same chance to maximize their intelligence. We are all born with an immature brain, which is why it's so important to use the right learning tools in early childhood development. So why not give your child this chance by teaching them the abacus.
