Calculating Confidence: APH’s Abacus Bee

As STEM careers become more prevalent in the world, it is more necessary than ever to provide students with a solid foundation of skills that will support them. APH recognizes the importance of math within STEM curriculum and realizes that it can often be overlooked for students who are blind or have low vision. There are a variety of traditional learning methods used to practice math skills, such as calculators, or the use of paper and pen, but one device has been utilized for thousands of years – the abacus.

Why an Abacus?

The abacus is a manual calculating tool with beads or discs that represent digits used for basic arithmetic operations. It introduces students who are blind or low vision to early math concepts and number operations, as well as abacus terminology. It supports concepts and skills such as:

• one-to-one correspondence
• number sense
• addition
• subtraction
• multiplication
• division
• procedural fluency

Abacus training is critical for children who are blind or low vision as it is useful in gaining procedural fluency, a fundamental mathematical practice involving the ability to perform mathematical procedures flexibly, accurately, and efficiently. With this accessible and manipulative tool, students can confidently navigate complex mathematical equations, fostering a deeper understanding of mathematics.

Get Your Bee On

Does this sound like something a student you know would enjoy? Want to help set up an Abacus Bee for your region? Join in the excitement and help build a fascinating world of mathematics and beyond using the Abacus Bee! Learn more about the Abacus Bee and its different events, or contact our Northcentral Region Outreach Specialist, Jennifer Brooks,​ at: Jbrooks@aph.org for more info.