Sep 2021 New: 4 Unique and Practical Use of Learning Abacus

There are many uses of learning the abacus. With quality education in mind, teachers make use of this tabulating tool to teach numbers effectively.

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

Abacus has been used for many years now as a learning tool for math. The power that lies within the tool is truly impeccable which can change the course of education for students. A time comes in the lives of young students when they need a change from their school books and lessons. Alternative methods of learning are meant to cover topics that are not covered in school but with a different twist. Abacus offers students a fresh take on math and helps in boosting mental skills which will accompany students for life. Children face a barrage of hurdles when growing up, which can hinder their spirits and motivation to learn. A consistent flow of pressure is not healthy for students and must be exchanged with fun and entertainment from time to time. It will allow students to regenerate their mental strength and also get something worthy to dip their minds in. Parents and teachers have a plethora of tools that allow them to introduce a change of fresh air in daily lessons. It’s not just students who benefit from soroban but teachers too who can get additional employment opportunities as math teachers with the help of soroban certifications. The additional benefits of the soroban are what make it a lucrative deal for students. You are not just learning math but many skills that help you think and act better mentally. We will help you understand why a soroban is a must-have tool for all young students, regardless of how good or bad they are with math.

1-1.Brief History of the Soroban and the Use of Learning Abacus

In the olden days, the soroban was being used as a calculator by people on a regular basis. It helped merchants and traders keep a track of their goods and money while also helping the youngsters learn about numbers. Little did we know back then that the soroban was improving a whole bunch of mental traits in people who were using it. As time progressed, our economy grew because of our mathematical knowledge and enhanced mental capabilities. Today we have a deep understanding of how soroban theory works and affects our brains. Experts, therefore, decided to come up with a range of exercises with the soroban that children can practice to upgrade their mental math abilities. These exercises have been incorporated in games, school curriculums, and other educational activities in schools and other places of learning. Children learning with a soroban can confidently overtake math challenges anywhere in their personal lives besides school. Changing times have also changed the way we educate ourselves. These days modern technology offers us alternatives to older methods and practices, that improve our performance and end result. The modern alternatives to the soroban are the apps that mimic a physical abacus in every way. Children can use these apps across many digital devices and wherever they please to do it. There is an abundance of games, online activities, and practice problems and journals based on soroban which students can access over the internet.

1-2.Who Can Benefit From the Soroban and What's the Use of Learning Abacus?

Anybody wanting to learn math is a candidate for the soroban. The theory is based on creating a natural understanding based on actual practice and experimentation. With the soroban, students are learning math mostly by themselves because it is such a simple and easy-to-understand tool. Once you get the gist of it, there is no stopping. Students can practically use a soroban wherever math can be applied. Most students in their early years use the abacus as stepping stones to math but older students can also use it to sharpen their mental math skills. Regardless if a student is good or poor in math, parents and teachers should get their children accustomed to the soroban. Abacus needs a lot of mental imagination and creativity to get results, which is the perfect platform for mental exercises. Whenever you are working out a mathematical problem with an abacus, you need to perform a set of actions mentally. Over time our mind gets used to doing these steps and we start to feel comfortable working with bigger problems. This helps in reducing math anxiety in students which can be a detrimental factor. Last but not the least, we have to mention the benefits that teachers can possibly enjoy from the soroban too. A lot of preschools and kindergartens host abacus training for their students, which creates a lot of room for maths teachers with soroban certifications. If you want to increase your expertise in math teaching skills, the soroban is a terrific way to go about it. The internet also opens up new doorways for math teachers. You can start a side income by creating abacus-based content and sharing it over social media.

1-3. Benefits of Online Abacus Apps and Schools and Other Use of Learning Abacus

Learning abacus over the internet is a much deeper and intuitive experience for children. Math games can reel you in with interesting plot lines, puzzles, concepts, and colorful animations. It can be hard to make your child sit on their desk and work with an actual soroban, which frankly can get a bit dull after some time. This can be changed with the help of online games, social activities, and educational movies which can hold onto your child’s attention much longer.

Overall  
In classrooms, managing a huge number of kids becomes easier when you have a common platform for all students to work on. Multiplayer games and team activities are a great way to let all students participate together and work towards common tasks. Online learning platforms allow teachers to monitor, track and gauge every individual's performance based on their contribution. Dedicated soroban schools have their own apps which offer a variety of content on the soroban and mental math practice. These schools are a great way to spend time with interesting teachers and useful lessons after school.