Abacus

Web Sites
Books
Video
Games
To Purchase Abacus

Web Sites

A+ Math At Home

Do math flashcard drills on the computer or create custom flashcards for printing
www.aplusmath.com/Flashcards/

American Printing House for the Blind

A good source for abacus books, recordings and products
www.aph.org

Chisenbop tutorial

A method for doing arithmetic on your fingers
www.cs.iupui.edu/~aharris/chis/chis.html

LEGO Abacus

Instructions for making an abacus out of Legos
http://www.ee.ryerson.ca:8080/~elf/abacus/lego/

Position Paper by Terrie Terlau and Fred Gissoni

This position paper on the APH website supports visually impaired student's use of the abacus as equivalent to sighted student's use of paper and pencil
http://www.aph.org/tests/abacus.html

Teaching Math to Visually Impaired Students

Written by Susan Osterhaus, secondary math teacher at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Abacus section includes information on the abacus vs. talking calculator, the counting method, prime factorization, and an abacus internet site packet.
www.tsbvi.edu/math/index.htm

Tomoe Soroban website

How to use an abacus
Links to other abacus sites
Download a free abacus screensaver clock
www.soroban.com/index_eng.html

Touch Math

A tactile approach to learning math
www.touchmath.com/

Books

Abacus Basic Competency: A Counting Method
By Susan M. Millaway

This book offers an alternative way to teach addition and subtraction on the abacus, called the counting method. It is especially useful for younger students and those who have difficulty learning the indirect methods of addition and subtraction. It is available in both braille and large print from APH.

The Abacus Made Easy, 2nd ed.
by Mae Davidow

This instruction book serves as a simplified manual for teaching the Cranmer abacus. It is available in both braille and large print from APH.

Handbook for Itinerant and Resource Teachers of Blind and Visually Impaired Students (1989)
by Doris M Willoughby and Sharon L. Duffy

One section of the book is devoted to the paper compatible abacus, a method similar to the paper and pencil method. For instance, addition and subtraction are done from right to left, just as on paper. Borrowing and carrying are also done, as if on paper. Thus, conceivably, the visually impaired student could learn the same concepts as the sighted child, yet do them on the abacus. It is an interesting alternative to teaching the abacus, especially to a new abacus user who is in the regular classroom.
www.amazon.com

Use of the Cranmer Abacus
by Rita Livingston

This book teaches the counting method as well as the indirect rules method. It is available in print from the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
www.tsbvi.edu/publications/abacus.htm

Using the Cranmer Abacus for the Blind
by Fred L. Gissoni

This manual, complete with practice exercises and answers, provides instruction on the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, decimals and fractions, as well as the extraction of square roots and use of the abacus as a calendar. Available in both braille and large print from APH.

Games

** Abacus Attack

A math board game designed to reinforce abacus math skills. Appropriate for grades 1 to 6. The playing board is magnetic; words are in large print with a braille overlay.
Order from Mostly Mobility
7100 Route 183
Bethel, PA 19507
(717) 933-5681

** Baseball Game

Available from APH, this game is comprised of a large, wooden game board with spinners, pegs and inning score cards. Game scores are recorded on the abacus.

Math Flash

A computer program that lets the student practice math problems or take quizzes in a fun, interactive flash card format with digitized human speech and an animated character. Problems can be customized.
http://www.aph.org

Videos

** Hands-On Experience with the Cranmer Abacus
By Eleanor J. Pester

This video, designed for teachers, will familiarize you with the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers and decimals. A companion booklet is included. Available from APH.

To Purchase Abacus

American Printing House for the Blind

Order beginning abacus, the Cranmer abacus, beginners abacus large-size abacus or coupler.

Maxi-Aids

Combined Arithmetic and Abacus Frame
http://www.maxiaids.com/store/prodList.asp?idstore=0

** Items may be borrowed from Hadley by students that reside within the United States. Canadian students may borrow videos only.

(Submitted by: Susan Fisher and Debbie Siegel; Last updated: August 14, 2009)

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