Abacus

[Ian_Lee]

Do they still teach abacus in primary school in Mainland/Taiwan/HK?

In my days, they did.

But I heard that nowadays many informal schools in Japan and HK offer evening and weekend classes on abacus (They call it "soroban" in Japan) to primary school students. It is said that abacus skill can help improve the students' mathematical ability.

It is amazing that both Japan and HK are pinoeers in producing hand-held calculators as early as late '60s, however, abacus still can hold a place.

In HK, abacus used to be very common in most retail stores. But now I can only find the use of it by those shops which sell dried abalone/scallop/mushroom in West Point.

[cometrue]

Do they still teach abacus in primary school in Mainland/Taiwan/HK?

when i was a kid, the elementary school textbook had something about the abacus, but in fact we have never been taught that since the lessons were just elective, and we didnt have to finish it. i dont know the conditions right now, but i m afraid the lessons were canceled already.

i think in mainland china, only the finance relative major has to learn it right now...

[skylee]

I was taught to use it at school. And I can use it to calculate up to 4+5 (I think). (I blame the education system. )

[cometrue]

not bad, at least better than me! i can use it to calculate nothing!