LEFT BRAIN

Logic
Analysis
Linear
Math
Language
Verbal
Facts
Think in words
Words of Song
Computation
Sequence

RIGHT BRAIN
Imagination
Feelings
Creative
Arts(Motor)
Rhythem (Beats)
Non Verbal
Intuition
Think in Picture
Tune of Songs
Day Dreaming
Wholistic

The Right Brain

Recent  studies  have  shown  that  the  abacus  method  of  mental  calculation  is  effective in the development of the right brain. At first, this idea was only a hypothesis, but the recent development of high-tech  machinery  has  helped provide tangible research data. In this section, we will present information provided by researchers who study the effects of abacus training.
Contribution
The Ripple Effects and the Future Prospects of Abacus Learning.
Ms. Shizuko Amaiwa
Professor, Shinshu University, College of Education
January 20, 2001
Lecture
What Abacus Education Ought to Be for the Development of the Right Brain.
Dr. Toshio Hayashi, Doctor of Engineering
Professor, Osaka Prefecture University
Director, Research Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (RIAST) August 24, 2000
Contribution
The Ripple Effects and the Future Prospects of Abacus Learning.
Ms. Shizuko Amaiwa
Professor, Shinshu University, College of Education
January 20, 2001

Lecture
What Abacus Education Ought to Be for the Development of the Right Brain.
Dr. Toshio Hayashi, Doctor of Engineering
Professor, Osaka Prefecture University
Director, Research Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (RIAST) August 24, 2000
The Ripple Effects and the Future Prospects of Abacus Learning.
Ms. Shizuko Amaiwa
Professor, Shinshu University, Faculty of Education

Introduction of the lecturer
I have been engaged in  research  concerning the abacus for many years from the perspective of a psychologist.  My  research  findings  show  that  abacus  study  not  only  improves the ability to
calculate  both  on  the  abacus  and mentally,  but also provides a beneficial ripple effect on other disciplines. This paper will explain what ancillary disciplines are influenced and the reasons for it. I will also discuss the characteristics of and future prospects for abacus learning.

The Ripple Effects of Abacus Learning
The first effect is  improvement  of  numerical  memory. The  second  is improvement of memory in spatial arrangement. The  third is  progress  in  solving  general  mathematical  problems  taught in elementary school, including the four fundamental arithmetic calculations and word problems.

The improvement of numerical memory
The first effect, the improvement of numerical memory, can be demonstrated by asking students to remember three- to nine-digit numbers read aloud and to recite the memorized items orally.Abacus students are found to be superior in the accuracy of their memory and the number of digits they are able to memorize when  compared  with  non-abacus  learners  of  the  same  age. This is because abacus students place numbers on the abacus image in their head as they mentally calculate with the abacus method. The retention of the numbers is certain if the number of digits does not exceed the limit of the mental image of the abacus. Utilization of the  abacus image enables students even
to recite the memorized  numbers  backwards. This is  possible because  of  the application  of the procedures used in the abacus method of mental calculation to solving the memorization assignment.