CMA Math - Discussion

[mummyloves]

JHJC:

can someone help. Book 216, pg 25, question 20.

49+5=

???

Don't really understand your question. Isn;t the answer 54?

[abacus_trainer]

pokemon:

Hi, wld like to share my experience on CMA. My son now k2 has been there for 2 yrs since he is 4yr o, im nt sure if his progressn is fast or juz normal? His mental arithmetic is at level 2 and abacus is at level 5 cos need to repeat the same bk few times unless u can pass the test based on certain timg. His aural mental (CD) is at 4dig 6Nos. Thought of pulling him out when he goes P1 next year due to time constraint, but he insist to cont. It really benefitd him alot, i could c his brain really get to exercise, i oredi lost track of the formula, need him to remind me. Realy din choose the wrong abacus centre.


abacus_trainer, if he finish grd 1 mental arithmetic,stil hv some more or have finishd the whole pgm, juz concentrate on abacus?

Your boy's progress is pretty fast, especially he started at a lower entry level. Sometimes it's not only the speed but also the will and determination. Many students gave up after abacus level 7 because at level 7, they start learning decimal point. Many students find it difficult, lose interest and give up. Your boy is amazing... :salute:

Can share with other parents how you motivate him? Or he is the self motivate type?

[abacus_trainer]

pokemon:

abacus_trainer, if he finish grd 1 mental arithmetic,stil hv some more or have finishd the whole pgm, juz concentrate on abacus?

Opps.. haven't answer to your question.. Both abacus and mental has grade 13 (lowest) to 1 (highest). In chinese, we can \"ji shu\". After that, you have \"duan wei shu\", level 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What I understand is.. it use to be only until grade 1. But many childrens in Taiwan, after achieving grade 1 wants to continue, so the Taiwan children abacus association invented \"duan wei shu\" from 1 to 10.

Pai seh to say, I have not taught any kids to grade 1 yet. But I know CMA has the books to train them beyond grade 1. :oops:

[abacus_trainer]

JHJC:

How to explain to a 4YO??

Explain the ones first, ask your child to do on the ones first, +5=-5+10. Then ask him/her how to add a 10 on the tens? There isn't enough beads. So borrow from the 5 (or 50) on top, +1=+5-4.

After explaining and doing it a few more times, they will get it.

[abacus_trainer]

Busymom:

I was going through my DD's books. There is this book 113-1 (an abacus book) which she did up to page 26 and stopped. She did this book a couple of months before we had the pink 115-Li book. Which book is more advanced? 113 was given to her by her ex-teacher, and I do not know why she stopped using it mid-way. 115-Li was given to her by the current teacher. I am not sure if the current teacher is aware of this. Should we check?

The correct sequencing of the books is 115Li first then 113-1. But 113-1 do not require any formulas. That's why your girl is able to do it without learning the formula first. According to the Taiwan standards, grade 13 does not involve any formula.

I think there is no need to check with the teacher, maybe just alert him/her to make sure the teacher won't give your girl the same book again.

[ser_austin.010316yahoo.010316com]

Questions posted in FB: Abacus mental arithmetic important for children?


Reply from my Teenager Cousin that has taken Abacus…
"Jo and I used to take abacus classes when younger. Jo was so much faster in calculation though… Hmm, it actually helps…even up till now…[though i depend more on the calculator.hee…] so…to me, not say important…but i thought its really good…and effective!"

From a friend that sent his daugthers to abacus…
"Forget it !!!

Me:" Can share more? Other than doing math problem without workings, are there other disadvantages?

Friend: "sent my #1 & #2… stopped doing for #3. It is just hardcore drilling and they forgot everything after a few yr. Unless the school start using abacus…"

Me:"Any difference in the Math grades or speed between ur #3 to #1&#2?"

Friend:"nahh…You can’t get any mileage from it. Primary school math focuses on solving-by-model, none of the mental math will help (nor needed)…"

You have to decide for your children…
I will spend the time and money on other classes for my daugther.

[pokemon]

abacus_trainer:

Your boy's progress is pretty fast, especially he started at a lower entry level. Sometimes it's not only the speed but also the will and determination. Many students gave up after abacus level 7 because at level 7, they start learning decimal point. Many students find it difficult, lose interest and give up. Your boy is amazing... :salute:


Can share with other parents how you motivate him? Or he is the self motivate type?

i sent him for abacus class mainly becos of his love for numbers, he shows it when he is around 3yr o, being facinated by numbers. Secondly i don't want him to be my elder boy who need to use fingers to do counting or need to do simple working on papers, quite a waste of time. After he started the class, he couldnt stop, he juz strive to do more and more, according to him 'i want to do more so can fast fast change books and gt more stamps on reward card.\" Also, most of the kids in his class are in pri,who are mostly behind him,only 1gal is more advance, he is pitting himself against her as well as feeling good he is 'doing better' than the older kids. He is sort of self motivated type of boy,dun complained much about doing few pages of 4books daily + aural mental training.I guess im the lucky few mums with this type of kids, hope he dun lose this spirit.

[pokemon]

abacus_trainer:

Opps.. haven't answer to your question.. Both abacus and mental has grade 13 (lowest) to 1 (highest). In chinese, we can \"ji shu\". After that, you have \"duan wei shu\", level 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


What I understand is.. it use to be only until grade 1. But many childrens in Taiwan, after achieving grade 1 wants to continue, so the Taiwan children abacus association invented \"duan wei shu\" from 1 to 10.

Pai seh to say, I have not taught any kids to grade 1 yet. But I know CMA has the books to train them beyond grade 1. :oops:

Any idea what they learn in duan wei shu? My son is 1 of the few pioneers from his centre, at first his teachers also gt stuck when showing us the division method, citingl lack of practice since v few of the kids there reach that level. Lucky aft some practice, my son able to grasp the idea.i wonder izit good idea to do duan wei shu there?

I kn for abacus level 2 or 3, its counting hundred thousand or so, i find abit not realistic and relevant in our real life. Thats why i ever think when my son reach that stage should i stop. If he stop wil he gradually forget the skill acquired esp the visualising or mental arithmetic? Does he need to constantly use it in his daily life to enable him to retain knowledge?

[snowz]

pokemon:

i sent him for abacus class mainly becos of his love for numbers, he shows it when he is around 3yr o, being facinated by numbers. Secondly i don't want him to be my elder boy who need to use fingers to do counting or need to do simple working on papers, quite a waste of time. After he started the class, he couldnt stop, he juz strive to do more and more, according to him 'i want to do more so can fast fast change books and gt more stamps on reward card.\" Also, most of the kids in his class are in pri,who are mostly behind him,only 1gal is more advance, he is pitting himself against her as well as feeling good he is 'doing better' than the older kids. He is sort of self motivated type of boy,dun complained much about doing few pages of 4books daily + aural mental training.I guess im the lucky few mums with this type of kids, hope he dun lose this spirit.

yes, you are very lucky. Glad to hear that. Keep up the spirit! :lol:

[abacus_trainer]

pokemon:

Any idea what they learn in duan wei shu? My son is 1 of the few pioneers from his centre, at first his teachers also gt stuck when showing us the division method, citingl lack of practice since v few of the kids there reach that level. Lucky aft some practice, my son able to grasp the idea.i wonder izit good idea to do duan wei shu there?


I kn for abacus level 2 or 3, its counting hundred thousand or so, i find abit not realistic and relevant in our real life. Thats why i ever think when my son reach that stage should i stop. If he stop wil he gradually forget the skill acquired esp the visualising or mental arithmetic? Does he need to constantly use it in his daily life to enable him to retain knowledge?

In \"duan wei shu\", the numbers are even far more not realistic. An example of the +/- question, $21,543,876.09 + 407.91 + 7,205,884.63 .... An example of division question, $36,937,521.14 / 5,681. An example of multiplication question, $6,523.51 x 92.908. The difficulty of the question start increasing since the first day the child joins the advance class. Every grade is more and more difficult. It's really alot of effort, will and determination to reach levels like this.

Have u watch a documentary call \"my brilliant brain\" on discovery channel before? One episode talks about a man going for some brain surgery, Dr told him one of the side effects is gradual memory lost. So he started training his brain to remember numbers flash to him. Over time he increase more and more numbers and now he is the world record holder of being able to remember hundreds of numbers flashed to him and recite the numbers in the correct sequence.

Studies shows that we are only using a small fraction of our brain. But if we put in effort, we can train and push it to higher limits. Utilising more of our brain. What I am trying to say is, numbers in the books are only numbers but what we really hope to achieve is beyond that.

After he stopped learning, he won't forget the method entirely. Calculation is in our everyday life, he will still be using the skill but probably not to the extend of $21,543,876.09 + 407.91 + 7,205,884.63...

The questions above are taken from \"Duan wei shu\" level 1 (lowest), highest is level 10. In Taiwan, there are children who attained level 1. :!: