In the hope of getting their kids a little extra help with classroom preaching, parents always lookout for academic enrichment programs. There can be various reasons for this search, such as may be the student is struggling with the subject or just needs a little help to get higher marks and knowledge.
Abacus is a handy reckoner adorned with beads to aid easy estimation of not just numbers, but also a cut above mathematical notions. Kumon is a specialized home-based educational system. While these inceptive words are scanty to distinguish them, here in this post we will look into relevant insights.
Abacus & Kumon – Comprehending crucial features
Abacus and Kumon may ensure to help students develop their critical thinking skills, interest, and a better understanding of their effective learning methods. It is one of the most crucial decisions to check out before you make a call to join the program –
“Abacus or Kumon.” Parents or teachers always wish that their students be proficient in math and its concepts. And if you want a program to boost your kid’s learning from an early age, you first need to understand the requirements of your kids and then pick a suitable program for them. Here we’ll help you to understand these two – the Abacus and Kumon thoroughly to give you an idea to make the best decision for your child’s enrichment.
Here are some crucial features to infer:
- Abacus and Kumon both are after-school tools, and they are important to gain enrichment to understand the math concepts with multiple techniques.
- Abacus helps students develop their ability to do speedy calculations with accuracy by using simple techniques. As a result, abacus students can solve the problem and get correct answers almost 4-5 times faster than a calculator.
- On the other hand, Kumon is a math program that makes students practice math problems extensively. In Kumon, they assign practice worksheets in every session for students and expect them to get the solution independently.
- So yes, ideally, both the tools have their benefits and are pivotal, and for that reason, your decision also primarily depends upon your child’s needs.
Abacus: Here is how it adds value to learning
Being an ancient reckoner, the abacus can have a number of edges. Here are those benefiting attributes that may entice you towards the abacus.
1. Improved concentration: Abacus is a tool that helps students develop their concentration levels to focus on learning. Being great for the brain, the abacus helps students to boost their concentration levels as this tool highly depends on the visualization technique that helps them imagine the abacus in their mind and carry out calculations.
2. Observations and listening skills: The abacus helps students strengthen their observation and listening skills which help them further in multiple aspects of their growth. Through the abacus training, the student enhances their observation skill as they get trained to hear the number only once and solve the problem in an instant.
3. Enhanced visualization and imagination: Abacus makes students help them get skilled in visualizing the images in their brains. After that, the further process of calculating the problem happens mentally.
4. Helps in memory strengthening: The Abacus helps improve memory as it makes the students think logically and does the math calculations in their brains. Therefore, by practising abacus methods, students’ capacity to memorize something improves and strengthens their memory.
5. Boosted speed and accuracy: Most of the exams and tests are time-based, and students need to give accurate answers within a specified time. Abacus helps them to learn how to optimize their time with accuracy.
6. Better academic foundation: All the focused points of learning get embedded into a student’s brain to lay a strong academic foundation to make their performance excellent.
Kumon: Here is how it adds value to learning
Being a modern-day strategical pedagogy, Kumon has a separate set of pros. Here are those intriguing traits that may entice you towards Kumon learning.
1. An Independent approach: Kumon is a program that unlocks the students’ true potential by making them solve the problems independently.
2. Ensures Solid command over the subject: The methods of Kumon include an approach to develop a solid command over math skills. Daily practice and mastery of the topics make students more confident.
3. Unique pedagogy: In Kumon, they have their own teaching. Typically, they decide what topic to start with that may or may not match the school syllabus. Students can learn a particular topic; they can score good if they practice continuously to achieve the desired result.
4 Worksheet assignments: In Kumon, students are given a practice worksheet, and they need to solve it by themselves; a facilitator is there to give guidance if they have any questions or doubts.
Learning with kumon: What are the catches?
While we explore through probable advantages, comprehending possible catches can aid in a better decision of choice. Here are some such cons which may not be a concern for every student.
- Kumon’s lesson sheets are repetitive.
- Students repeat the similar worksheet at least six times. It’s good to practice, but this continuous repetition makes it quite boring for the students.
- Instructors are not teaching, just guiding.
- There are class instructors, but they do not teach the topic. They just provide an answer if students have any questions.
- Kumon doesn’t follow the school syllabus. Covering other topics is good to gain more knowledge, but the school syllabus has its importance, but Kumon doesn’t follow the school syllabus.
Abacus vs. Kumon: Which one to opt for?
Abacus is an ancient tool to calculate quickly and accurately, originally developed in China. In Abacus, learning happens in a small gathering, and students can work together. It helps students learn techniques to improve problem-solving through mental calculations and enhances focus and concentration.
On the flip side, Kumon was developed in 1950 by a Japanese educator, Toru Kumon. In Kumon, learning happens on an individual basis, and it emphasizes an independent learning approach. Kumon requires parents’ involvement. Kumon helps in memorization[1]. Daily practice sheets are there to make students learn the topics. Kumon does not teach methods of mental calculations. Kumon’s main focus is on math, reading, and writing.
Abacus is a handy tool we use to learn math that has a sheer number of benefits such as analytical skills enhancement, improved focus, concentration, etc that students gain without even noticing. As a parent, if you wonder what is the minimum age to start learning Abacus? Then you must know that your kid can start learning it as early as four years of age. This is because, in the early years, a child’s brain processes the information in the right way. Therefore, they can grasp early at this age.
On the contrary, Kumon is a program for students between 3 to 16 years of age. Kumon focuses on certain topics and a continuous practice approach. Children have to solve many but similar types of questions. Kumon doesn’t give practice for students’ topics in school.
Abacus Vs. Kumon
Comprehending various insights and edges of Abacus and kumon, here we look into comparison highlighting where they can assist for pupils:
| ABACUS | KUMON |
| Improves concentrations and Listening skills | Ensures solid grip on the Subject due to repeated practice. |
| Can be a noteworthy academic foundation | Can be a source of a class worksheet |
| Ensures speed and accuracy | Enures unique pedagogy that ensures independence |
| Abacus can be started at an age of four | Kumon can be learned at three. |
| Focus is on swift calculation in math | Focus is on math, reading and writing |
Conclusion
Both Abacus and Kumon are programmed to help students to build math concepts. Moreover, the emphasis of the Abacus is not limited just to the practice of concepts and has a wide spectrum with various advantages. Kumon makes students practice certain topics until they get a good score with great understanding.
Abacus and Kumon both have their benefits, and it’s up to learners which methodology to use for their excellent academic performance. We have described both Abacus and Kumon and their key differences. As a parent, deciding on picking one from these should not solely depend upon their features, but you need to make a call by considering your child’s needs as well.
References:
- THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AUDIOLINGUAL KUMON EFL METHOD IN TEACHING ENGLISH AT THE VII GRADE OF SMPN 5 KISARAN. (2018). Cecep Maulana.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,