A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

In our daily life, we are bound to face the issue of calculation. We have to calculate something, sometime, somewhere every day. To solve this problem, it is the best way to learn the method of “Abacus and Mental-Arithmetic” skill. It is an exercise of MIND and HAND. When our fingers are operating the abacus, similarly our brain is also working. The faster we use our fingers, the faster our brain works. Thus, this exercise activates our brains. When our hands and brain work together, it improves our brain’s functions doubly.

The development of a person’s mental faculty is closely related to the exercise of our fingers. By using our fingers, our mental faculty will automatically be improved. Many educationalists believe that teaching Mental-Arithmetic by using abacus is an excellent process and it helps in the development of our mental faculty. Our brain is divided into 2 halves:
• The left brain which is responsible for speech, writing, calculating, thinking, reasoning and judgment.
• The right brain which is responsible for description, imitation, imagination and music.
“Abacus and Mental-Arithmetic” method involves a combination of THINKING and EXERCISE. In calculation work, one has to remember the uses of abacus. He needs to use his ATTENTION POWER as well as MEMORY POWER. This requires the co-ordination of both the left and right brain. Thus, the “Abacus and Mental-Arithmetic” method is the gold key to develop one’s mental faculty.

In the UCMAS program children are trained on arithmetic operations and formulas which are stored in their logical side of the brain, and while doing mental math, they convert the logical numerical representation of numbers into bead images utilizing their visual side of the brain and retrieving formulas which are stored in their logical brain, thus developing both the logical and creative functions of the brain simultaneously.

The brain carefully balances and assigns control of certain functions to each side. It’s all nature’s way of ensuring that the brain ultimately splits up tasks to maximize efficiency.

The younger the better. A child’s body cells are 70% developed when he reaches 3 years old and 100% developed when he reaches 4 years of age. When the cells are fully developed, it is the best time to learn Mental-Arithmetic. Therefore, it is suggested that the best age to start learning is between the ages of 5 to 14 – which means from Kindergarten to Junior Secondary School.

Normally, it takes about 3.5 to 4 years to complete the UCMAS Program. However, the program will be conducted according to student’s individual rate of progress. Besides, students must pay full attention and cooperate with teacher in class and they have to be responsible to their duty, for example, after the lesson they have to do homework on time. In the meantime, students also must utilize their knowledge in the daily life in order to achieve the best effect.

When children are calculating by using the abacus, their hands, eyes and brain work together and the activities shown in their brains are memorization, observation, judgment and mastering. Therefore, the process of answering questions not only enhances their observation and memory power but also develops the ability of analyzing and solving problems.
Due to the high degree of training in Focusing, concentration, attention, memory and reactivity that are in all routine activities practiced in Mental-Arithmetic activities; the development of these abilities can be cultivated effectively. At the same time, children will gradually foster the development of non-intellectual factors such as being attentive, persistence, competitive, time controlling and aspiring. Children who learn Mental-Arithmetic usually will have significant enhancement in the ability of learning foreign language, reciting poetry and solving mathematical problems.

Abacus and Mental-Arithmetic program puts emphasis on mental development. Scientific research proves that Mental-Arithmetic program enhances the rapid development of children’s intelligence. They can make good use of their hands and brain, improve attention, memory and reading ability. The scope of Mathematics subject is broad. It includes different definitions, theorems, formulas, algorithms, etc. Therefore, children’s outstanding mathematical ability will be cultivated so far as these principles and the rapid computing power of Mental-Arithmetic are mastered.Due to the high degree of training in Focusing, concentration, attention, memory and reactivity that are in all routine activities practiced in Mental-Arithmetic activities; the development of these abilities can be cultivated effectively. At the same time, children will gradually foster the development of non-intellectual factors such as being attentive, persistence, competitive, time controlling and aspiring. Children who learn Mental-Arithmetic usually will have significant enhancement in the ability of learning foreign language, reciting poetry and solving mathematical problems.

The training of Mental-Arithmetic fosters students’ overall quality and improve their academic performance. Owing to the continuous practice of hearing, calculating and speed writing, students’ vision, hearing, touch and other sensory organs collaborate to promote the development of their brains. This situation not only enhances thinking ability but also broadens the depth and breadth of thinking. The learning of abacus and Mental-Arithmetic helps the development of potential but the learning process should be in all directions. UCMAS Programme adopts strict requirement and various training modes which aim to arouse student’s interest in learning during the foundation of basic level.

Flash Cards are the stimulus cards of vision which establish the quality of vision neural circuits. The rich visual stimulation enhances students’ imagination and logical thinking, strengthens visual perception, fosters visual resolution capability, improves visual attention and observation, develops three-dimensional vision and vision integrity.

Non-Formula Method is easy to learn while Formula Method can be frustrating for students therefore making them give up the opportunity of right-brain development due to the tough memorization process of formula. Moreover, the application capability of Non-Formula is strong. Students are able to reach the stage of moving beads masterly and build up their confidence at the shortest time for the reason of getting rid of the constraint of formula. In addition, Non-Formula Method is suitable for children over 3 years old while the Formula Method is suitable for children over 6 years old. This helps the children to seize the time of right-brain development in the golden opportunity of brain development.

With the movement of beads by the left and right hands, our vision, auditory, touch and muscle can function coordinately. It is conducive to collaborate the vision, auditory, touch and sensory organs. Then, students’ concentration and memory power will be enhanced. Both left and right brain hemispheres operate and transfer information mutually. The manipulation and the movement of both hands are controlled and coordinated. During the process of the development of the integrated function of brains, the agility of touch, vision and auditory will be improved as well.

Abacus and Mental-Arithmetic not only consists of the original function of calculation but also include the function of wisdom inspiration. For instance, the practice of negative numbers can exercise students thinking power. In the process of training, students must focus on active thinking, observe the number of beads, analyze the rules of moving beads and make judgment and response immediately.

Many parents think that children’s performance in Mathematics will be improved through the learning of mental-arithmetic. In fact, it’s not exactly correct. The spatial “shadow” (namely spatial image) of the beads in our brain will be formed through the image of the beads. When a teacher instructs a student to stir the image in the brain from up, down and different directions and rods, their image of the beads will become clearer. The origin of memory is space. Memory comes after the space is formed. Similarly, all of us know that the motive of attending tuition class is to acquire knowledge but how can we learn without memorization? The space of the movement of beads is active while the strokes of words are formed and unchangeable. If students can see the movement of beads in their brain clearly, it shows that they can see the method of writing words easily and learn more vocabularies gradually. Their knowledge will be increased with a lot of vocabularies. Meanwhile, their school performance will be improved naturally coupled with the foundation of three languages.