UCMAS-Abacus

UCMAS program offers several mental math benefits that help children to develop their brain using abacus as a tool & basic arithmetic operations as a base.

STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT WITH PHYSICAL ABACUS

The human brain is structurally divided into various lobes and each of these lobes are connected to different fingers of our hands. In the UCMAS program children are trained on using both hands with different fingers on the abacus, which stimulates the lobes of the brain by increasing neuron interconnectivity and hence establishing a balance between them. The finger movement on physical abacus stimulates the nerves connected to the neural system, which in turn activates these various lobes. These are the frontal lobe, the parietal lobe, the occipital lobe and the temporal lobe. The usage of abacus with the two-hand technique enhances the working of the brain more efficiently resulting in structural development with physical abacus.

FUNCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH MENTAL MATH

The human brain is functionally divided into 2 sides/hemispheres the logical side and visual side. The left/logical side of the brain governs different functions related to number, text, sequencing, formula, and analytical interpretation, whereas the right/visual side of brain governs functions like face recognition, spatial memory, power of estimation and comparison, processing of tunes/ music etc. 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.

4. LEARNING STYLES & SKILL DEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES

Activities in a UCMAS class helpchildren develop their Kinaesthetic, Auditory and Visual learning styles. Children generally have a pre-dominant style of learning; but at UCMAS we enhance each learning style, which not only enhances their dominant style but also develops their less dominant style of learning

Tactile/ Kinaesthetic Learning Style: Tactile/ Kinaesthetic learners learn best when they can use their sense of touch using physical objects or body movement – The UCMAS program focuses on the physical use of abacus for representing and calculating numbers. Other activities like the types of speedwriting facilitate this type of learning.
Auditory Learning Style: Auditory learners are those who learn best through hearing. In the UCMAS program students calculate by listening to numbers in extremely high speeds. In addition listening and writing jumbled dictations also help auditory learners. Thus strengthening their auditory style of learning.
Visual Learning Style: Visual learners are those who learn and understand better through visual aid or by seeing and observing things. On going use of the physical abacus helps students visualize the beads of the abacus, hence giving them a gift of Mental Math. At UCMAS we conduct various activities with flash cards, which are bead representation of numbers. These activities help children enhance their visual leaning style.

UCMAS Activity

The 2-hour classroom is divided into different fun activities using the flash cards, numbers and listening exercises which will enhance the VAT Learning- Visual Auditory and Tactile Learning. Students earn and collect points as a group or individually for their participation and performance which creates a fulfilled energetic and competitive learning environment for the students

Fun with Flash cardsActivities are done with flash cards flashing the bead image or numbers, these activities are done as a group and individually where students score and collect points. This helps to trigger and improve the visual learning skills in children
Fun with numbers Fun activities where students recognise listen and write numbers. Different ways of doing speed writing (SW), jumble dictation (JD), listen recall and write (LRW). Students collect points as a group or individually. These activities will help to enhance the auditory learning skills in children
Fun with beadsHands on abacus and finger movements performing basic arithmetic operations on abacus, quantifying the beads to numbers and relating different numbers to the place value on abacus activate the neural system. It facilitates tactile learning and the connection of the fingers to the brain helping the child to enhance the working and stimulation of the brain cells.

Benefits From Program

Concentration

Since UCMAS is a brain development program with emphasis on speed and accuracy, children get trained for immense concentration in the classroom sessions. One second of lost concentration will get them a wrong answer and hence they form the constant habit focusing on verbal number instructions, flashing of cards and visual reading of numbers done by their instructors.

Observation

UCMAS is a unique program that builds the observation power within a child. Quizzing children on flash cards, trains them to build on observation skills. With the emphasis on rapid image recognition and calculation with the abacus the brain behaves like a scanner, which scans the surroundings and follows the hand-eye coordination thus makes a child more observant.

Memory

Memory is the capacity of the brain to Receive, Retain, and Recall (3Rs). In this program, students are trained on the physical and the visual abacus to recognize the beads and calculate using mathematical formulae. When high-speed calculations are embodied using the 3 learning styles: auditory skills with verbal instructions, visual skills with recognition of images and tactile and kinesthetic skills with hands on use of abacus; children quickly identify the image, recall the corresponding number and the formula that has been retained in memory and with consistent practice enhances long-term memory power in a child.

Imagination

Imagination leads to invention. UCMAS uses the concept of semi-image on the abacus. This helps students to unleash the capacity of the brain, which makes them visualize and convert the digits into images using the tangible beads of the abacus. Later, calculate visually and again process them back into written form of numbers.

Creativity

Creativity stems from a highly imaginative well-developed brain. In the UCMAS program, most of the calculation and finger movements are done by the left hand, which is controlled by the right side of the brain. More left hand movement will develop right side of the brain. This enables students to develop their creative skills.

Judgement

Judgment requires a balanced understanding, of perspectives and context of a particular subject. UCMAS enhances creativity and imagination, which helps analyze the vision and perspective engaging right side of the brain. The program also enhances observation and memory to understand logically and analyze the situation, strongly engaging left side of brain. This balanced approach ensures a good sense of judgment within a child.

Application

Application is the art of understanding a situation or a context and then applying your wisdom and knowledge to give a better meaning to the situation. Comprehending and analyzing with a good judgment and a well-balanced brain will help a child enhance his/ her application skills. UCMAS program enhances all these required skills through very systematic and scientific approach.

Reasoning

To reason about anything or with anyone, you require a well-balanced, logical and analytical brain. The UCMAS program constantly triggers both sides of the brain by training children on the abacus and mental math. With tools like flash cards and techniques like jumbled dictation, speedwriting, and more, children apply sequencing and formula recalling in their calculations, which enables them to analyze and strengthen their reasoning ability.

Self Confidence

Success and self-confidence have an absolute interconnection. With UCMAS children become motivated learners as they acquire a unique life long skill, which gives them a superior standing over others, in their grade and age. Their enhanced cognitive skills and strongly developed mental math ability gives them a great sense of accomplishment and boosts their self-esteem and confidence levels.