Anything free for using an Abacus or a program based on it?

[Lovedtodeath]

:D

[Capt_Uhura]

What kind of abacus? A Japanese soroban? A Chinese abacus? The Rightstart abacus? We had great fun learning to use our soroban but for daily math work, you can't beat the Rightstart abacus.

[Lovedtodeath]

I have the cheap kind. LOL It looks like this, but the color changes after 5 beads.

 

[Amber in AUS]

I don't know of anything free but i would get the Activities for the AL Abacus book from RS and just paint your existing abacus into RS colours.

[stripe]

I don't know of anything free but i would get the Activities for the AL Abacus book from RS and just paint your existing abacus into RS colours.

You wouldn't even need to do this, if you have an abacus with 2 colors (every 5 beads). It's $20 at Rainbow Resource ($20 for the workbook), and I think it covers all the arithmetic in the Right Start program. (The activities book is black and white, so as long as you have a dark-ish color and a light-ish color, there wouldn't really be any confusion with the illustrations, which mostly are for the teacher/parent, with the exception of some cards for games.)

[Capt_Uhura]

IMHO, I wouldn't bother w/ that abacus. I'd go for a Rightstart Abacus and the book that goes with it to supplement any math program, particularly one based on 5s, 10s such as RS, SM, MM. It's the 5 blue beads and 5 yellow beads with the first 5 rows starting w/ blues and the last 5 rows being reversed, starting w/ yellow. DC can instantly see that 5 and 1 is six or that 5 blue rows and 1 yellow row is 60. WHen you start adding 2 digit numbers and want to emphasize adding 10s first and then the 1s, the abacus is handy. And then when you're ready to trading, just turn the abacus over and add numbers into the 1000s.

[Lovedtodeath]

See, I had the AL abacus and someone broke it. So I got this other one. If I can use this one I will. I did ask for something free. ;) I have a little booklet that was in the Rightstart game set. Surely that isn't the $20 thing?

 

I do appreciate the input though, all of it, of what would be better. We are dealing with dyscalculia here.

 

And finally, I am exhausted, so I will reread all of this and try to make some sense of it later. :)

[ZeldaRules]

I have the abacus you posted as a picture. I don't have anything specific that I use with it, but we use it a lot. I taught him to count by 10s and 100s with it. We use it to add and subtract when he needs visuals. You can teach multiplication or division with it. So you can use it with your math lessons every day.

 

I guess I'm not much help...just saying it's a great tool to use with math. ;)

 

Have fun.

 

Vicki

[Mert]

:bigear:

[rockermom]

See, I had the AL abacus and someone broke it. So I got this other one. If I can use this one I will. I did ask for something free. ;) I have a little booklet that was in the Rightstart game set. Surely that isn't the $20 thing?

 

I do appreciate the input though, all of it, of what would be better. We are dealing with dyscalculia here.

 

And finally, I am exhausted, so I will reread all of this and try to make some sense of it later. :)

 

I don't know of anything free, but the little booklet that came with the AL Abacus is NOT the $20 Activities book. The Activities for the AL Abacus book begins with numeration and goes through all four operations, place value and more. Here is a link with samples.

[Lovedtodeath]

Thanks to all of you! Keep 'em coming!

[stripe]

As long as you have a 5+5 abacus (where it changes colors), you can use any abacus. You could even make your own! It just should have the color change -- that's important to visualizing the numbers, per the author.

 

I have the Activities book. It's DEFINITELY not the same as the little booklet! Really. It has wire binding.

[Capt_Uhura]

If free really means free, I would color the abacus you have or else make one. The color scheme of the Rightstart Abacus is important. May be even more so if you're dealing w/ dyscalcula. I know of no free guides that would go w/ the Rightstart abacus. I think the book that came w/ yours would get you started at least. And start reciting, Yellow is the Sun, 6 is 5 and 1. Perhaps you can put out a WTB for the Alabacus book and someone will have a cheap one to sell you.

 

If you're trying to figure out 7 on the abacus you have, your DC will have to count by ones each time. With the RS abacus, you immediately see the 5s and add two more. And when doing subtraction such as 34-27, the alabacus makes it easy to see taking it from the 10s.

 

My friend would have her DC take the alabacus w/ them to the grocery store for adding up the groceries. They would take it in the car to practice math facts while traveling etc.

 

is there any evidence that the abacus would help a DC w/ dyscalcula? Have you called/emailed Dr. Cotter? I'm sure she would talk to you and advise you.

 

Capt_Uhura

[Lovedtodeath]

is there any evidence that the abacus would help a DC w/ dyscalcula?

It is suggested in a couple of the LD books, especially for a child who has visual spatial disorders... MUS blocks and Cuisenare rods don't work with that.

 

I bought the book from Amazon last night. I had to take money out of our clothing budget. I feel it is needed, the hands-on aspect.

 

You don't understand... My abacus does change colors after 5 beads. I think it will work. If not, I think painting it is a good idea.

 

 

Thanks for all of your help!

[Lovedtodeath]

http://www.alabacus.com/pageView.cfm?pageID=315

 

I probably could have just gone with this.:glare: