Instruction Method and Developing Direction of Abacus and Mental Arithmetic in the Future Era

Kwon Hyuksik

Vice President of Korea Institution of International Abacus and Mathmatics Association, South Korea

Hello, everyone!

I am Kwon Hyuksik, Vice President (Director) of the South Korea Committee of World Association of Abacus and Mental Arithmetic (WAAMA).

The topic of today’s presentation is “Instruction Method and Developing Direction of Abacus and Mental Arithmetic in the Future Era”.

As we all know, the position of abacus and mental arithmetic education will decline and weaken in the future. In the era of the fourth industrial revolution featured by artificial intelligence (AI), VR, ChatGPT, P2E, virtual currency, virtual assets, etc., before the knowledge and acceptance, the cutting-edge machines in the new civilization have emerged in the era we live in.

In South Korea, for example, the abacus people had a high-profile era until the mid-1990s. In important sectors of the industry, the main producers became the leading characters to perform calculations and give answers before proceeding to the next stage of work.

Some people may think that in the era of AI, which surpasses the pure computer for thinking and processing, people have no time to start to dial the beads in the abacus, a computing tool, so it has gradually been forgotten by the people who are helpless.

Attracted by the gorgeous reputation in the past, no one would care about the words that abacus education is necessary without abacus, now as before.

At present, the abacus people should adapt to the new era to develop and study the abacus and mental arithmetic education, and should stimulate people’s desire to learn abacus and mental arithmetic.

Numbers are essential for everyone and in daily life. No matter how advanced the civilization is, even in the era with real convenience beyond AI, it is impossible to imagine life without numbers.

Difficult, complex, and inexplicable calculations can just be done by cutting-edge machines. I don’t think we can have a pointless argument with a machine. Even if someone wins in a competition with the most advanced computing machines, perhaps it is only temporarily on the news and will then disappear. The effect is not good and it is difficult to “activate” the abacus and mental arithmetic.

How about focusing on setting goals for basic arithmetic education to instruct children before they finish the primary school education? What good would it do for children to learn abacus and mental arithmetic in the process of growing up? Just research and show the advantages.

In addition, the basic mental arithmetic process is fun for many children. If they are easy to instruct, more children would take the challenge and learn abacus and mental arithmetic. Of course, the children who feel good or like abacus and mental arithmetic can just be instructed as in the past.

However, for the children who are not interested in numbers - that is, for the majority of children, about 70% to 80%, it still needs to find instruction methods and come up with countermeasures to enable them to enjoy themselves while learning.

The goal of the first stage is a basic mental arithmetic course that anyone can learn. I have sorted it out here: I’m subjectively assuming Level 3 of abacus and mental arithmetic. Then the targets are set as the beginners from age 6 to Grade 2 in primary schools, and the learning period is defined as 1 year. If it starts by saying that it needs 3-4 years, it would lose the challenge, so it is defined as 1 year. (Maybe shorter)

So, what are the standards for Level 3 of abacus and mental arithmetic?

Add and subtract, 2 digits, 10 rows, and 10 questions (±2 digits, 10 rows, and 10 digits)

Multiply, 3 digits X 1 digit = answer 4 digits /1 digit X 3 digits = answer 4 digits, 20 questions

Divide, 3 digits ÷ 1-2 digits = answer 1-2 digits, 20 questions

There are 50 questions in total and the time limit is 2 minutes and 30 seconds. (Please refer to the next screen)

Answering 50 questions in 2 minutes and 30 seconds is the level of filling in the answer sheet next to it. If my children were performing mental arithmetic like this, I think most parents would see abacus and mental arithmetic in an all-new light.

Although some parents expect their children to use computers or calculators since primary school, if my children are capable of calculating as well as a calculator with just their brains and fingers, I would not hesitate to teach my children abacus and mental arithmetic. In this case, would I accept the excellence of abacus and mental arithmetic? Of course.

This instruction method is now used by some teachers. Some parents look at the children and sigh, saying that they have learned abacus and mental arithmetic well. Children who achieve their learning goals aren’t just children who can calculate. I think these children would turn into the hyper-focused children that all parents especially look forward to.

I believe that children would become those who use 100% of their left and right brains or gradually reach that goal with the increase of stages from the previous independent functioning of simple brains before learning abacus and mental arithmetic.

After the completion of the first stage, parents are consulted whether children should continue to study or stop studying, and this decision is left to the parents. According to my instruction experience, more than 90% of parents choose to continue the next stage of abacus education.

Another important fact that we cannot ignore is that teachers’ abacus skills are not as good as in the past. So, here’s the reality: Teachers are not as good as those in the past abacus era, and they are in the present era (the MG era).

No matter how to improve the recruitment advertisement of abacus teachers, it can not find teachers who are as good as before, and it can not find teachers with Level 1 or Band 1 certificate. Therefore, I think the instruction method should be simple and concise, so that anyone can be easily instructed, and the results should be amazing.

There is not enough time to specify here the instruction method for the first stage; but the teachers who have been teaching abacus and mental arithmetic for a long time must be able to picture that instruction method in the mind. Abacus is a skill. As long as there is perseverance and hard work, everyone can learn abacus.

If I am given such opportunity again, I will elaborate further on the instruction method, but today, I am prepared to make a conclusion here: When we conduct abacus and mental arithmetic education that is appropriate to the reality of the present day, “more people want to learn and gain from it.” That’s what I want to emphasize, and I’m going to end it with a video. Thank you.

(This is a speech delivered at the Eighth Seminar for Academic Exchanges on Abacus and Mental Arithmetic on April 12th, 2024.)