All About Abacus Training

[hoo1688]

My DD had start doing the P1 math when she was 4.5 yo in Sep 2011, she enjoyed the learning process and gained excellent results, she kept asking me to let her join the abacus class, but due to some negatives reviews in Taiwan and China about the abacus, I had put on hold the abacus since 2010.


My DD (K1) asking me again let her join the abacus because her P1 friends (abacus) perform calculation in speed with accuracy, 2 to 3 time faster than my DD.

[venuschan]

hoo1688:

My DD had start doing the P1 math when she was 4.5 yo in Sep 2011, she enjoyed the learning process and gained excellent results, she kept asking me to let her join the abacus class, but due to some negatives reviews in Taiwan and China about the abacus, I had put on hold the abacus since 2010.


My DD (K1) asking me again let her join the abacus because her P1 friends (abacus) perform calculation in speed with accuracy, 2 to 3 time faster than my DD.

Hi hoo1688,

Guess we have the same situation..when my daughter was 3.4 I started math's concept with See' Maths, so she could figure mentally 24-5 or understand 24+4, the leap that I saw was in 4yo, she started to understand 243-43 or even 1,345+456, 20,000+4000, concept of thousand and millions..then she understand numbers below 0, either decimal or negatives. So she started doing mentally in decimal and negatives counting @ age of 5. I started her with abacus when when was 5y9m, now she is 6y10m, a year plus we did abacus, I find the short of abacus, abacus does provide speed, but as parent we need to keep real close at their work as well as what's taught in abacus class, in the class young child is taught 2389X3 by first counting digits, ie. 5digits, so it should be in ten thousand place but bc 2x3 is 6 less than 10 so it is then at thousand place instead....Do you see my point? I asked why they were taught this way, the teacher said because the child was still unable to comprehend place value conceptually so they needed to do with rote memory initially. Luckily my daughter wasnt learned in this way, she is able to understand why it's such and not otherwise. Abacus student has difficulty to see negatives....at least they stuck with -3-4, -4(-6), they just don't see it. Speed / accuracy is one of the many ways, but it won't bring a child to move far if we are not cautious. Actually I could see my daughter is moving fast, but in order to do fast one must understand both logic, understanding and work with speed simultaneously. I consider the child is able to ABACUS counting when s(he) is able to discard the use of abacus, then you could see the amazing brain's working memory. My 2 cents.

[hoo1688]

My K1 DD is quite good with her math, she always likes to challenge the calculation speed and accuracy with her P1 friends (P1 tuition classmates – some are 2 years abacus students) but never win the P1 abacus students, my K1 DD felt disappointed! therefore my K1 DD asking me let her join abacus!

[venuschan]

hoo1688:

My K1 DD is quite good with her math, she always likes to challenge the calculation speed and accuracy with her P1 friends (P1 tuition classmates – some are 2 years abacus students) but never win the P1 abacus students, my K1 DD felt disappointed! therefore my K1 DD asking me let her join abacus!

Hi hoo1688,

It's definitely alright to join cause passion makes the work perfectly well...what need to be in our concern is abacus is only the calculating skill, it's not actual math, to gain speed and accuracy, the child needs to practice, it's more like playing piano, you have passion, you put effort, you like it then of course you gain the skill FAST...So in order to pick up skill, apart from class, we also need to coach and make sure s(he) gets the right technique...for instance an experienced instructor will tell the kid way to minimize mistakes, way to expedite counting and way to save time....a lot to learn though....., but if the kid likes it, why not!? Just don't get carry away by thinking this is actual math or this is mathy....this isn't...Still she has to do high order thinking sum simultaneously. Again my 2 cents. And I do strongly encourage the child picks up essential skill like taught in abacus. Apart from teaches persistency, it also teaches concentration skill.

[venuschan]

I’m still with abacus class and I also join Olympic math class too, this is what I meant. When the child likes it then it has become a passion and not Real chores.

[cimman]

I won’t be too worried about maths calculation speed. Spend time on other things.

If you look at the upper primary forums on Maths, you will find that nobody complained that their kids took too much time in calculation and thus is unable to secure the A* grade. The key thing in maths is not about speed of calculation, but in analyzing the problem and coming up with a solution. This process of analyzing has nothing to do with calculation speed, but requires strong logical thinking, strong language skills, strong inference skills.

At the lower primary level, focus on these skill sets, analysis, language, an inquiring mind and an interest in learning.

At the upper primary level, calculators is allowed in the Maths exams, so students with good mental maths is not very much ahead of other students with calculators.

The same goes for memory skills. Having a photographic memory isn’t going to help your child score in Maths or Science exams if the child is unable to analyze the questions and extrapolate what he or she already knows to answer the question. PSLE now focuses very much on higher order thinking skills and have moved beyond simple memorization and calculation efficiency.

[hoo1688]

venuschan:

hoo1688:

My K1 DD is quite good with her math, she always likes to challenge the calculation speed and accuracy with her P1 friends (P1 tuition classmates – some are 2 years abacus students) but never win the P1 abacus students, my K1 DD felt disappointed! therefore my K1 DD asking me let her join abacus!

Hi hoo1688,

It's definitely alright to join cause passion makes the work perfectly well...what need to be in our concern is abacus is only the calculating skill, it's not actual math, to gain speed and accuracy, the child needs to practice, it's more like playing piano, you have passion, you put effort, you like it then of course you gain the skill FAST...So in order to pick up skill, apart from class, we also need to coach and make sure s(he) gets the right technique...for instance an experienced instructor will tell the kid way to minimize mistakes, way to expedite counting and way to save time....a lot to learn though....., but if the kid likes it, why not!? Just don't get carry away by thinking this is actual math or this is mathy....this isn't...Still she has to do high order thinking sum simultaneously. Again my 2 cents. And I do strongly encourage the child picks up essential skill like taught in abacus. Apart from teaches persistency, it also teaches concentration skill.

Hi venuschan, :thankyou:

Thanks for your useful info; I will let my K1 DD join the abacus.

Hoping she is enjoying her lessons and explores her potential in abacus!

[venuschan]

cimman:

I won't be too worried about maths calculation speed. Spend time on other things.

If you look at the upper primary forums on Maths, you will find that nobody complained that their kids took too much time in calculation and thus is unable to secure the A* grade. The key thing in maths is not about speed of calculation, but in analyzing the problem and coming up with a solution. This process of analyzing has nothing to do with calculation speed, but requires strong logical thinking, strong language skills, strong inference skills.

At the lower primary level, focus on these skill sets, analysis, language, an inquiring mind and an interest in learning.

At the upper primary level, calculators is allowed in the Maths exams, so students with good mental maths is not very much ahead of other students with calculators.

The same goes for memory skills. Having a photographic memory isn't going to help your child score in Maths or Science exams if the child is unable to analyze the questions and extrapolate what he or she already knows to answer the question. PSLE now focuses very much on higher order thinking skills and have moved beyond simple memorization and calculation efficiency.

Hi cimman,

Can't agree more with you on this....Often I see calculating skill as preliminary skill, nothing more than that, it's preliminary and it's essential....so to get benefits from both is to do other maths too and they're TOO many other maths to explore, for instance, to do Olympiad maths, or to do Pascal's Triangle......... S(he) must know the basic calculation, by knowing basic then only both the parent and the child could move to other topic such as probability and so on or to be able to analyze, to extrapolate from a set of numbers as appeared in the triangle etc......I personally don't discount the advantange of a child having good/powerful memory....it's like having a powerful computer, how do you get output if you can't have sufficient input to process....You would feel the pain only if you ever have chance to coach a poor memory child...\"教前面忘后面\" type, ，not that s(he) can't do, but just can't recall what was taught in the first instance....Still, I feel \"half battle is won for child\" who has good memory.

So isn't better if we can gain benefit of both worlds!

[hoo1688]

Does any one know Mdm Chen Chin Yu abacus Chinese Class @ Sengkang CC?


Please PM me,

Thanks.

[hoo1688]

cimman:

I won't be too worried about maths calculation speed. Spend time on other things.

If you look at the upper primary forums on Maths, you will find that nobody complained that their kids took too much time in calculation and thus is unable to secure the A* grade. The key thing in maths is not about speed of calculation, but in analyzing the problem and coming up with a solution. This process of analyzing has nothing to do with calculation speed, but requires strong logical thinking, strong language skills, strong inference skills.

At the lower primary level, focus on these skill sets, analysis, language, an inquiring mind and an interest in learning.

At the upper primary level, calculators is allowed in the Maths exams, so students with good mental maths is not very much ahead of other students with calculators.

The same goes for memory skills. Having a photographic memory isn't going to help your child score in Maths or Science exams if the child is unable to analyze the questions and extrapolate what he or she already knows to answer the question. PSLE now focuses very much on higher order thinking skills and have moved beyond simple memorization and calculation efficiency.

I agree with you, speed in calculation may not be so important in math, but it is very important in some industries, especially the financial industry, can let you make money or lose money in a sec! From a gainer to a loser or from a loser to a gainer! Speed is very important in my job!

珠心算的速度能决定幼童数学的发展吗？ 不能
珠心算的速度能决定幼童科学思维的形成吗？ 不能
珠心算的速度能决定幼童的创造性吗？ 不能

但我的5岁女儿很想学珠心算! :salute: