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Mental Math is a tested way of developing a child’s academic abilities and creative thinking in a balanced way, allowing them to reach their full intellectual potential.

Our online lessons are designed to take full advantage of technology, bringing the classroom to your device. With real-time responses, the teacher will help your child navigate the world of maths - starting with basics.

Our studio is equipped to ensure every lesson becomes exciting, by explaining mathematical concepts through interactive gaming.

Scientific Literature

Studies that reviewed the effects of using an abacus

The abacus is an ancient counting device that has been used by various civilisations around the world, including the Chinese, Greeks, Romans, and Mayans, among others. The abacus was used as a tool for performing basic arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Our Abakus UK program can lead to the following results:

Achieve excellent academic results
Increased ability to learn foreign languages
Greater self-confidence
Better fulfilment of intellectual and creative potential
Fast calculation skills

Click on the studies below to see what scientific literature has found about the effects of learning to use an abacus.

2022

2021

2020

Cohesive Learning

Strong Ecosystem Foundation

Our lessons are reinforced with the principle foundations of psychology - by repeating and rehearsing a task, people improve their skill. With our method, children have an opportunity to boost their abilities to be 2-5 years ahead of their peers in mental arithmetic.

1. Students learn the main principles at the lesson.

2. By completing tasks on the online portal, students rehearse what they learn.

3. After completing workbooks, children reinforce their knowledge by practising.

Abakus UK Mental Arithmetic

Academic Curriculum

Click on the levels and topics, to find out what our curriculum offers.

By understanding what we are able to provide, you can establish if this is what you are looking for.

Academic year timeline in weeks

Weeks

Topic

Parts of the Abacus

The abacus is a counting tool consisting of a beam, rectangular frame with a series of parallel rods, each with beads that can be moved up and down. The beads on the top section of each rod represent 5, while the beads on the bottom section represent 1 to 4.

The abacus can be used for basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. To use it for addition, you would move the appropriate number of beads for the first number, add the second number by moving the corresponding beads, and then count the total number of beads for the sum. The abacus is a simple yet powerful tool that has been used for thousands of years for mathematical calculations. The abacus is a versatile and reliable tool that continues to be useful in many contexts, even in the era of modern computing.

Examples

Beam

Frame

Rods

Beads

Topic

Origin of the Abacus

The abacus is an ancient counting tool that originated in Sumeria around 4,500 years ago. It was later adopted and adapted by many other civilizations, including the Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, and Japanese.

Over time, each culture added their own unique features and innovations to the abacus, making it a crucial tool for early mathematics and commerce. The abacus remains an important tool in many parts of the world, particularly in Asia, where it is still used in schools to teach children about mathematics.

The abacus was a crucial tool for early mathematics, allowing people to perform complex calculations quickly and efficiently. In fact, the word "abacus" comes from the Greek word "abax," which means "calculating board."

Examples

Topic

Importance of stimulating the brain

Neurofitness exercises focus on improving brain function and neural connections to enhance coordination and perform complex movements. These workouts can improve cognitive function, attention, and memory.

Examples of Neurofitness exercises include "pat your head and rub your tummy," which trains the brain to perform two different movements simultaneously, and "changing hand signs," which improves hand-eye coordination and rhythm.

Incorporating these exercises in our lesson routine can be an enjoyable and effective way to improve overall brain function, enhance coordination, and reduce stress. Remember, there are many other types of Neurofitness exercises to try, so try our lessons to find the ones that you work best for you.

Examples

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Topic

Training short-term memory

Short term memory is like your brain's notepad. It helps you remember things for a short time, like a phone number or a list of instructions. Without it, you'd forget what you were doing all the time! That's why it's important to pay attention and repeat things to yourself to help your brain remember them.

By practising Flash Cards, the number of items that can be stored in the short-term memory increases. The objective is simple: a student sees a number or beads, which disappear after one second. The student must recall the correct number of beads from memory.

At level 1, the technique is improved to recall up to 3-digit numbers, with observation time ranging from 4 seconds to 0.2 seconds.

Examples

= 1

= 8

= 25

= 603

Topic

Using an abacus to learn addition

Abacus has rows of beads to represent numbers. Move beads up to show numbers for addition, then count the total number of beads for the answer.

At level 1 of the program, students learn to add up to 2 and 3 digit numbers. The terms (quantity of examples in a single question) increases with difficulty.

The next step of the program, is memorising an abacus, and performing operations in the mind. This trains students to have spatial awareness while developing short-term memory and visual imagination.

At this stage in level 1, students can typically solve one and two-digit questions with up to 5 numbers consecutively.

Examples

+

=

+

=

102

361

463

Topic

Using an abacus to learn subtraction

Subtraction finds the difference between two numbers or quantities. Similar to addition, at level 1 of the program, students learn to subtract 2 digit numbers. To aid with understanding, our method uses simplified explanations and games to deliver the important concept of deduction.

Additional training and practice is given through workbook exercises. Our online platform allows students to practice unique questions an unlimited number of times, to perfect their understanding.

As with addition, the ability to subtract numbers mentally is imperative to get a full grasp in the world of mental arithmetic.

Examples

-

=

-

=

Topic

Advanced counting with rules

It is important to use rules when calculating on an abacus to ensure accuracy, consistency, and efficiency in the calculation process. Rules provide a structured and standardised approach to using the abacus, which helps to minimise errors and increase speed in calculations.

Additionally, rules help to make the calculation process more understandable and accessible to learners, as they provide a clear framework for how to use the abacus to perform mathematical operations.

At level 1 of the program, we teach students to use the Big Friend method and Small Friend method. In total there are two sets of 13 rules to follow, for addition and subtraction, respectively,

Rules Guide

Academic year timeline in week

Weeks

Topic

Formation of numbers

The formation of numbers from 1-4 and 5-9 is reviewed in detail. Students learn the definition of digits and how that affects numerical notation of: units, tens, hundreds and thousands.

The lower beads on an abacus represent numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4. The upper bead on an abacus represents number 5. When combined, the upper and lower beads can be added together to create numbers 6, 7, 8 and 9.

Classical methods of memorising answers to simple math questions are explored in depth. This is compared with how Abakus UK helps establish a new systems of calculation.

Adapting a new approach to mental arithmetic requires patience and the ability to critically evaluate information.

Level 0 of the Abakus UK curriculum is tailored to children who are aged 4-5 and are still learning basic mathematical concepts. Students who are already aware of number theory, typically enrol straight into level 1 of the program.

Topic

How to use an abacus counting tool

The abacus predates the modern calculator. By correctly using an abacus as a counting tool, users are able to quickly and efficiently count large and complex sums in a matter of seconds.

An abacus must be put on a flat surface. Start by placing your left hand on the abacus, making sure that it is stable. The right hand moves beads up and down. The thumb is used to move beads 1, 2, 3 and 4 up only. The index finger is used to move beads 1, 2, 3 and 4 down only, but it has another function. The index finger can also move the upper bead (5) up and down.

To reset all of the beads on the abacus, clasp the index finger and thumb together and slide them along the beam of the abacus.

Practice moving all of the beads up and down along all of the other rods.

Examples

To practice efficiently on an abacus, start with moving beads up and down comfortably, and then move on to the basics of addition and subtraction. Regular practice is essential. Flashcards and our other online platform games can be helpful supplements. Challenge yourself by setting goals and increasing the difficulty of the problems as you improve. By following these tips, you can become more proficient at using an abacus for mathematical calculations. Eventually, the goal is to memorise the whole abacus in the mind, so that the same calculations can be done mentally, without this tool or even a calculator.

How to improve and become better?

Topic

Practice to visualise an abacus in the mind

Performing mental calculations in abacus competitions is a highly skilled task that requires practice and training. Here are some suggestions on how to perform mental calculations without a physical abacus:

Visualisation: Imagine the abacus in your mind and visualise the movement of the beads as you perform the calculation. This technique can be helpful in maintaining accuracy and reducing errors.
Memorisation: Memorise certain patterns on the abacus, such as the patterns of multiples or squares. This can help you perform calculations more quickly and efficiently.
Mental math techniques: Learn mental math techniques such as the use of complements, or breaking down numbers into smaller parts, to simplify complex calculations. These techniques can be applied without an abacus.
Practice: Regularly practice mental calculations without the aid of an abacus to build mental math skills and improve speed and accuracy.

Remember, performing mental calculations without a physical abacus is a highly skilled task that requires practice and training. By utilising visualisation, memorisation, mental math techniques, and regular practice, you can improve your mental math skills and perform complex calculations without the aid of an abacus.