What is Abacus Learning? A Complete Guide for Parents

Abacus Learning: An Introduction

These days, almost every parent with a child in school has come across the term “Abacus classes for kids.” Abacus has become such a popular trend that sometimes parents might hesitate to ask what it actually means. Is it simply another extracurricular course, or does it offer something truly unique for children? As an Abacus trainer with Mathcruise, I want to explain what Abacus learning really is in a way that is simple for parents and children alike to understand.

• Abacus is a physical tool for solving arithmetic problems, from basic addition and subtraction to complex multiplication and division, including decimals. For example it can solve the following types of questions that range from simple in nature to being super complex.
  • 2 + 5 + 9 – 4 – 2 + 6
  • 12 + 89 – 43 – 21 + 57 + 654 – 28 – 59 + 549 – 176
  • 45 x 894
  • 849 multiply by  769
  • 459 divide by 4
  • 23556 divide by 289
  • 24 multiply by 738

• Abacus physical tool consists of a rectangular wooden frame with bead arrays, making it an effective way for children to learn numbers. Even modern science has acknowledged that beads are the most effective way to teach young kids how to represent numbers.

• Abacus based education toys – You will be surprised to know that learning numbers from beads is so intuitive that even a kid as young as 1 year can learn counting and number system on his own while playing with beads based toys. I am pretty certain that you have seen Abacus based educational toys like this in almost every household and in every country, which makes it evident that Abacus has been an integral part of our upbringing since many ages.

What makes Abacus different from Traditional Maths

This is a great question and is a most significant topic to understand. As a parent we enroll our kids into many extracurricular courses but sometimes we are not aware of the true benefits of that course.

It is a common observation that most kids pretty soon get bored from the traditional way of learning Maths in schools, since it follows the same mundane routine pattern based on the book system. There is usually no innovation or creativity and the teachers have to keep moving fast since they have to comply with the school’s academic calendar, irrespective of the fact whether kids are actually learning or just cramming the formulas to get numbers in exams. In a big class of 30-40 students (or even more sometimes) often many kids hesitate to ask doubts due to which they do not fully follow the concept and end up developing some kind of fear for Maths. If your child is also having some kind of fear of Mahts, I strongly urge you to go through my blog ‘How To Overcome Maths Phobia’ and take remedial action immediately.

On the other hand, Abacus classes bring a unique and fresh approach to learning Maths (arithmetic questions). There is no need for a copy or a pen, and no need for a digital calculator. The kids start learning numbers on a physical Abacus tool and gradually leave that tool and simply do all kinds of arithmetic calculations just in their mind, by doing finger movement in the air. This process is called ‘Visualization’ and this is why Abacus course is also often called Mental Maths. Watch the demo clips of our young champions (as young as 5 years) on our web portal.

Benefits of Abacus Learning for Kids

The list of benefits of Abacus is so huge that it demands a separate blog in itself. If you really wish to understand in detail all the benefits it brings to table, then I suggest you read my article ‘What Are the Advantages of Abacus for Kids?’. In today’s blog since I aim to cover many other critical aspects of Abacus learning, let me focus on few TOP benefits of Abacus:

• Brain Development Leading to Increased Focus and Concentration – Abacus training, which involves using both hands and visualization, stimulates both hemispheres of the brain. This promotes cognitive development, resulting in better focus, concentration, and quicker learning. While these improvements are difficult to quantify, they can clearly be observed by the child or their parents.
• Super fast arithmetic calculations – Most teachers will share this as a primary benefit, but I place it at number two after the brain development. Simply because a boost in focus will help your child in all spheres of life (not only in mathematics). So talking about the super fast speed, you will be amazed with the speed at which Abacus-trained kids can perform these calculations, they literally beat the calculator. The child who has mastered the art of Abacus is often called the ‘Human Calculator’. It can easily be proven in a fun way where the trainer speaks multiple numbers to add or subtract. If you try and perform those calculations using a calculator, you will find that the Abacus-trained child will speak the final number before you since he does not need to type the keys on calculator digitpad. He is simply doing it in his mind, and hence he has the speed advantage.
• Develops a strong foundation for basic Mathematics – It is proven that an Abacus trained child has a much more solid Maths foundation and hence he is able to understand all the new Maths concepts much more easily.
• Removes dependency on digital calculators – A lot of exams do not allow use of calculators these days. In such situation if a child knows Abacus, he will have a clear edge over his peers.
• Removes fear of Math from the mind of children – It is a well known fact that many children experience anxiety or fear when faced with math, which can hinder their ability to learn effectively. This apprehension prevents them from reaching their full potential in mathematics. As a parent, Abacus classes for kids is the best gift you can give to your child, so that he remains confident and never lags behind in Maths, which is actually a life skill. Abacus removes the fear of Maths which in turn opens the floodgates of learning.

Are there any pre-conditions to enroll in Abacus online classes

Learning the abacus methodology requires focus and dedication, since it is similar to learning a new language for Maths. So as an Abacus trainer I always ensure to set the right expectations with the parents before they enroll their kids with us. Even though at times it leads to some parents backing out from admission because they were thinking to take Abacus very lightly, but at Mathcruise we onboard a child only if he is fully committed, else it turns out be a waste of time, effort and money of both the parent and the kid. We believe in honestly setting the expectation upfront, only then we can guarantee successful results which we take pride in.

Here are some mandatory pre-conditions to join the Abacus classes:

• The child must regularly practice Abacus homework for 10 min every day.
• Regular engagement of parents if the kid is learning  well or are there any issues like lack of discipline. If the child will miss classes often, then we should not expect good results.
• Commitment of a minimum of 6 months for tangible results. Sometimes parents approach us with a question: can my child learn Abacus in 2 weeks? The simple answer is NO, Abacus will need a minimum of 6 months for first two levels, at the end of which your child can easily do double digit addition and subtraction upto 8-10 numbers and that too without the tool, just in his mind. But you must give us those 6 months to get these wonderful  results.

How does Abacus Learning Works

• Abacus relies on a set of principles and formulas collectively referred to as Friends (including Big Friends and Small Friends).
• Initially, children are taught to manipulate beads in specific ways to represent numbers from 0 to 9, subsequently progressing to techniques that enable representation of double-digit numbers.
• The physical abacus is typically used during the early stages of instruction; over time, students transition to performing arithmetic calculations through visualization and finger movements, mentally simulating the presence of beads and tools for each number or calculation step.
• With consistent practice under professional supervision, students may develop the capability to use both hands simultaneously for finger movements at remarkable speeds—a phenomenon that is best appreciated when observed firsthand.

Ideal Age to Start Abacus Learning

As previously discussed in this blog, acquiring Abacus skills is similar to learning a new language. For best results, it is advisable to enroll into Abacus classes as early as possible; thus, we recommend the age of 5 years as an ideal starting point. Research indicates that cognitive activity peaks up to the age of 15, making the period from 5 to 15 years best suitable for Abacus course.

To understand this theory a little better, this notion can be compared to any other skills such as learning to drive. For instance, a 15-year-old (Joy) and a 40-year-old (Harold) who learn driving exhibit hugely different levels of confidence and proficiency. Joy will demonstrate greater fluency and quicker reflexes, attributed to a brain more receptive to any new learning experience.

The same fundamental principle applies to mastering the Abacus training. Early enrollment often leads to enhanced fluency and confidence. While there is no upper age limit for Abacus learning, we have observed greater interest and engagement among students up to 15 years old. As you can very well relate, a kid older than 15 years of age will not like to learn a new technique for solving single digit addition or subtraction, so such kids almost always drop out. It’s not their fault of course, and we strongly recommend other courses like Vedic Maths Classes for them, which will be more suitable for their age.

Closure

It is my passion to share meaningful insights into Abacus learning since I feel that most Abacus schools often do not provide accurate information to parents. While parents have heard that Abacus is some course, they hardly know about the true benefits that it brings to your child, not only in academics but in many other spheres of life since Abacus is more than just learning arithmetic calculations, it is actually about boosting self-confidence of your child, and this in my mind is the greater benefit of Abacus classes.

Happy Abacus learning!

Tanmay Gupta

Tanmay Gupta, a specialist in mathematics, possesses a deep passion for the subject. He has been involved with Mathcruise since its inception and takes pride in being a part of the growing Mathcruise family. Tanmay excels in both Abacus and Vedic Mathematics and is particularly interested in developing innovative methods to effectively engage with children, aiming to eliminate their fear of mathematics.