Abacus classes are popular, but what should students expect? The frame, rods, and beads can be confusing for someone who hasn’t attended abacus classes in Singapore. How easy is it for preschoolers to use it? Knowing how the abacus works, you will have a better idea of how students perfect their skills in arithmetic mental math.
Physical Design
Different schools and student care centres offer different learning techniques, but with similar outcomes. There are two main types of abacuses.
Chinese Abacus
The Chinese abacus (suanpan) is the oldest tool for mental arithmetic in Singapore. Although it is not very common, it is still in use. This abacus is rectangular, featuring a horizontal bar that divides the frame into two parts.
The upper deck (heaven) has several rods, each with two beads, while the lower deck (earth) has five beads on each rod. The beads on the upper and lower decks have a specified value, 5 and 1, respectively.
Japanese Abacus
This abacus (soroban) is one of the most common, and you’re likely to find it in the best abacus class in Singapore. Its design is similar to the Chinese abacus. However, the upper deck has one bead, while the lower part has four beads.
When learning abacus mental arithmetic, students will learn how to move the beads to calculate given figures. The third rod on this abacus has a dot, which can be used to calculate figures with decimals. This is one of the features that separates the Japanese abacus from the Chinese abacus.
Mental Visualisation
One of the appeals of arithmetic mental math is the ability of students to solve math problems quickly, and often without relying on a calculator or pen and paper. They learn this skill by mastering the movement of beads when seeking math solutions. As they practice, students no longer rely on counting since they can visualise the abacus and calculate the math mentally.
For example, when asked to add 13 to 9, students will visualise bead movements, just as they would on an abacus. Initially, they may rely on the abacus to calculate, but over time, they can do it without the physical tools.
Chinese vs Japanese Abacus: Which Is Better?
Most abacus classes in Singapore opt for the Japanese abacus because it is easy to use. The system is great for mental arithmetic, as it follows the 0-9 system. The Chinese abacus assigns numbers 0-15 to each rod, which can be a little complex, especially for young children.
At a glance, abacus mental arithmetic appears difficult. However, when children are exposed to it early, they will quickly understand the learning techniques. As they improve, children undergo flash training, which enhances their memory and tests their ability to perform arithmetic mental math effectively.
Students who attend abacus classes in Singapore won’t always move the beads to solve math problems. After regular training, they will be more reliant on abacus mental arithmetic. They can visualise the abacus and the movements they would have made if they had the abacus before them. This visualisation gives them a competitive edge over those who lack the skills earned in an abacus class in Singapore.
