Maths Combat Abacus Training Ignites a Love for Mathematics Anwarul Islam Junior Grammar School Eleyele, Ibadan.
Summary
About the Community:
Eleyele, a densely populated area in Ibadan, Oyo State, faces significant educational challenges, including limited access to modern learning tools and over-reliance on traditional teaching methods. Many students in the community struggle with numeracy and problem-solving skills, making it difficult to develop confidence in mathematics.
About the Program:
Anwarul Islam Junior Grammar School, a mixed-gender school in Eleyele, has average discipline and academic performance. However, teachers observed that students required extra effort to stay focused, and logistical issues led to a delayed start of the training. Due to the school's packed schedule, the Maths Combat Abacus Training was conducted only four times over two months, yet it still yielded positive learning outcomes.
Program Overview:
- Location: Anwarul Islam Junior Grammar School, Eleyele, Ibadan, Oyo State.
- Community Type: Underserved urban area with limited access to modern educational resources.
- Step-by-Step Skill Building: Simple concepts were introduced before advancing to complex arithmetic.
- Duration: 2 Months (4 training sessions).
- Participants: 60 students.
- Objective: Improve students' arithmetic fluency, speed, and cognitive skills using visual learning techniques with the abacus.
Description:
The Maths Combat Abacus Training aimed to enhance students’ mental arithmetic abilities through structured, hands-on learning. The program introduced counting, place value recognition, addition, and subtraction, helping students develop confidence and accuracy in calculations.
Training Methodology
Despite the limited number of sessions, the program adopted an interactive, structured approach, including:
- Team-Based Learning: Encouraging collaboration and friendly competition.
- Live Demonstrations: Instructors showcased real-time calculations for better understanding.
- Hands-on Practice: Students actively engaged with the abacus to solve problems.
- Step-by-Step Progression: Concepts were introduced gradually for confidence-building.
- Gamified Learning: Competitions and math challenges helped sustain interest.
Challenges and Solutions
- Student Engagement Issues: Some students were easily distracted.
- Solution: Competitions and interactive activities improved focus.
- Limited Training Sessions: Only four sessions were conducted.
- Solution: Students received take-home exercises and participated in peer-led study groups.
- Varying Skill Levels: Some students grasp concepts faster than others.
- Solution: Grouping students by skill levels ensured targeted learning experiences.
Impact & Results
- 45% of participants successfully completed the program, showing noticeable improvements in arithmetic fluency.
- Students became more confident in math, Only four sessions were conducted.th some expressing interest in learning multiplication and division on the abacus.
- Teachers reported increased enthusiasm for mathematics in regular lessons, proving a lasting impact.
Conclusion & Recommendations:
The Maths Combat Abacus Training at Anwarul Islam Junior Grammar School, Eleyele, Ibadan, demonstrated that even a limited number of interactive sessions can significantly enhance students' mathematical skills.
For future programs, recommendations include:
- Increasing the frequency of training sessions for better retention.
- Introducing advanced arithmetic concepts like multiplication and division.
- Integrating digital learning tools to enhance engagement and accessibility.