Abacus and Mental Math: Why it Matters

Description

What if the ancient tool in your student’s hands is one of the most powerful brain-building instruments in modern education? This session looks at the research behind abacus instruction and Abacus Bee competitions for students who are blind or have low vision. You will learn how abacus practice supports number sense, working memory, reasoning, and independence. The session also explains how Abacus Bee problem formats are designed to measure real math thinking, not just speed or memorization. Finally, you will follow the path from hands-on abacus skills to mental math and gain helpful language to support abacus instruction with families, administrators, and IEP teams.