There are many kinds of abacus. If you google it, check out the images, you'll see at least three kinds.
My dear daughter loved numbers. So when she's about 5, I enrolled her in an abacus class. She loved it. The ability to process four-five digit numbers thrilled her.
After a while, students from her class dropped one by one. Many couldn't stand the homework load. So after a year or so, the teacher decided to close the class.
When she is in K2, I started teaching her addition and subtraction 'the school way'. O ooo... My darling got confused , her young mind was frustrated. Why the way she is accustom to is wrong now. Luckily, it was only at the beginning. After a while, she got it that both ways have similar principles.
My girl is one of many kids with similar experience. One girl I know lived with the confusion until P2. Poor thing.
So to close, hope to draw analogy to my children wise Chinese teacher. She said, don't teach hanyu pinyin before the child can read English. Let the child use the time to master Chinese character. Learning Chinese pinyin before English phonics will confuse them.
So for numeracy, I'd say, let the children learn 'the school way' before abacus. In that way, they will be able to build up confidence on and to be comfortable with numbers.
That's all, good luck to all Mommies. Hope it is useful.
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