Apr 2021 New: 2 Abacus Tips for Your Littles Ones and Teaching Soroban Math Online

Learning something new always feel like a chore.

However, many schools online have created innovative ways to make education fun.

You can learn maths with an abacus.

There are other platforms for teaching math which we will discuss in this article.
 

I'm the author of this article and I'm a qualified abacus teacher, answering questions from around the world online abacus and various questions from online-soroban.com students.

Table of contents

The abacus has been used for teaching mathematics for many thousands of years now.

The ancient nature of the device ensures that if learners or teachers, either side ever has any problems in learning or teaching soroban, then there is just so much help and reference material available.

The magic of the soroban lies in the fact that even though it is an ancient device, it is still completely relevant in today’s world.

Abacus has been helping students relax their minds, feel less stressed, improve their confidence in numbers, and increase their calculation speed. Let us jump right in and learn more about this awesome tool.
 

1-1.The Uses of Abacus for Teaching Math

The abacus has various uses, we highlight some of them here:

1) As a calculation tool. This is what the device was originally designed for.

It was to get through lots of tedious calculations, quicker as opposed to simply doing it by hand.

When the soroban was first created, it was considered the top tech of its day.

It is of course no match as a calculator device against the modern computers of today.

2) As a relaxation device.

Regularly spending time with the soroban leads to de-stressing of both the body and mind.

The beads in an abacus are moved in a rhythmic fashion which creates positive vibrations for the body and the mind.

3) To learn the deeper math techniques.

Abacus is very well known for its open-ended nature.

The patterns in the soroban can be easily interpreted in different ways and every once in a while, a useful pattern seems to appear.

The children and even adults can gain invaluable insights from these and enjoy the vast community of mathematicians.

4) To improve the calculation speeds.

Abacus can improve the calculation speed of the users.

Regular users tend to finish their tests faster and also show improved accuracy.

The reason is simple, soroban provides useful insights into the working of numbers which really helps the kids and learners of any age understand the tips and tricks much better.

1-2.Abacus for Teaching Math and What You Need to Know Before Starting Your First Lesson

Learning the soroban is very easy for beginners.

In many cases learning the abacus can be actually difficult if you already know some of it beforehand because different teachers may use conflicting teaching techniques.

On the other hand, if you are a new learner and an absolute beginner then there are plenty of options to help you get started very easily in as little time as possible.

Let us discuss a few ways in which we can get started.

Get a starter book The old-fashioned way to get started with the soroban is to get a beginner-level abacus book.

There are plenty of books available in the market for pretty much every age group and in pretty much every language that is out there.

The main advantage of getting started with a book is that books are generally very well structured and will provide a complete and thorough knowledge of the concept.

Register for an online course The advent of the internet has opened doors for learning new skills online.

The abacus is no exception to this.

You can easily find websites online that teach abacus.

Most websites are comprehensive and assign one on one tutors to the students.

The added advantage of online courses is that most of them offer a fully interactive online abacus that can be practiced without buying an actual abacus.

Online Soroban Online Soroban is a great mine of knowledge.

One only needs the proper level of discipline to go through the tutorials there.

If you do, there is basically no end to how much you can learn through this platform.

The best thing about it is that it is mostly free.

You can learn about mental sums, numbers, and even quick maths with the ISHIDO-SHIKI.

Some words before your first lesson A lot of learners, especially the young ones, feel nervous and might even not be able to focus properly due to this.

Here are a few tips to help you stay on track through your first abacus class: Question the instructor.

Most teachers like students who question what is being taught to them.

Questioning the course material shows that you are paying attention, this leads to the instructor developing a soft corner for you. Make sure the questions are relevant and valid.

Dumb questions do exist.

Focus on the written material.

It may be possible in many cases that the instructor goes too fast with a particular topic.

Instead of panicking in such a situation, try to go through the written material that is available.

Most instructors use the same material as a teaching guide, and if you missed something, it is surely going to help you.

1-3. Conquering the Fear of Abacus for Teaching Math

The fear of learning something new is a totally legit and valid fear. It is a natural response seen in many individuals, especially people who like to operate in strictly controlled environments.

Make sure you take proper notes while the class is going on and that you revise afterward when you go home.

The last thing you want is not remembering what the instructor told you on the day prior.

The fear of learning something can be completely obliterated if you let go of the fear of performing poorly, just give it your best shot and leave the rest to the instructors.
 

Overall  

We have seen how easy it is to get started with a new abacus course in today’s world.

There are various options and platforms available, go for the one that you feel the most comfortable with.

And conquer those fears like the lion conquers an antelope.