Teacher training syllabus
The teacher-training curriculum, session by session, grouped by the student levels each stage teaches. These bands do not prescribe how long a student takes to progress.
Syllabus content is provided in English across both language editions of this site.
Stage 1 · Basic
Levels 10 – 7Foundation skills in abacus operation, number recognition, and single-digit addition and subtraction. Students build the core bead-movement vocabulary they carry through every subsequent level.
Day 1
- History of Abacus and finger-counting
- Development of abacus and mental arithmetic education around the world
Day 2
- 2-digit simple addition & subtraction
- 2-digit 5’s complement addition & subtraction
Day 3
- 2-digit addition & subtraction
- Common student mistakes discussion, practice
Day 1
- How to choose an abacus
- The difference between one-hand and two-hand methods
Day 2
- 2-digit 10’s complement addition & subtraction
- Key points for mental arithmetic with reading
Day 3
- 3-digit abacus addition & subtraction with listening
- 2-digit mental addition & subtraction
Day 1
- One-digit simple addition & subtraction
- 5’s complement addition and subtraction
Day 2
- 2-digit mixed formulae addition & subtraction
- 2-digit practice (all units)
Day 3
- Multiplication
- 2 x 2 (Level 7)
Day 1
- 1-digit 10’s complement addition & subtraction
Day 2
- 9-bead abacus demonstration
Day 3
- Division
- 4 ÷ 1 (Level 7)
Day 1
- 1-digit mixed formulae addition & subtraction
Day 2
- Multiplication
- 2 x 1, 3 x 1 (Level 8)
Day 3
- Level 7 Review and Practice
- Level 8 Certification Exam
Day 1
- Common student mistakes, practice (1-9)
Day 2
- Division
- 3 ÷ 1 (Level 8)
Day 3
- Discussion on first and second year student progress
- or computer flash calculation practice
Day 1
- Mental arithmetic with listening (1-digit)
Day 2
- Level 8 Review and Practice
Day 3
- Certificate Ceremony and sharing ideas
Stage 2 · Junior
Levels 6 – 5Intermediate techniques including multi-digit addition and subtraction with carries and borrows, introduction to multiplication, and the first mental arithmetic exercises performed without the physical abacus.
Day 1
- Abacus and mental arithmetic Q&A
- or Level 7 Certification exam
Day 2
- Addition & subtraction with listening and fractions
- Common student mistakes identification
Day 3
- Multiplication
- 3 x 3 (Level 5)
Day 1
- Addition & subtraction with fractions and negative numbers
Day 2
- Mental multiplication with reading 2 x 1
- Mental division with reading 3 ÷ 1
Day 3
- Division
- 5 ÷ 2 (Level 5)
Day 1
- Multiplication
- 2 x 3 and 3 x 2 (Level 6)
Day 2
- 2-digit mental addition & subtraction with reading (2-4 rows)
- Level 6 Mental arithmetic Review
Day 3
- Division
- 5 ÷ 3 (Level 5)
Day 1
- Division
- 4 ÷ 2 (No over-quotient)
Day 2
- Solving for square roots
- 2-digit roots
Day 3
- Level 5 Review and practice
Day 1
- Division
- 4 ÷ 2 (with over-quotient)
Day 2
- Solving for square roots
- 3-digit roots
Day 3
- Level 3 Slip-file calculation (bank notes) and demonstration
Day 1
- Division
- 4 ÷ 2 (same first digits, special questions)
Day 2
- Solving for square roots
- 2- and 3-digit roots: review and test
Day 3
- Level 6 Certification Exam
Day 1
- Level 6 Review and practice
Day 2
- Discussion on second and third year student progress
- or 2- and 3-digit mental addition & subtraction with listening
Day 3
- Certificate Ceremony and sharing ideas
Stage 3 · Senior
Levels 4 – 3Advanced multiplication and division alongside accelerated mental arithmetic. Students develop the ability to visualise the abacus entirely in their minds to solve problems at speed.
Day 1
- Level 5 Abacus Certification Exam and
- Level 6 Mental arithmetic Certification Exam
Day 2
- Solving for square roots
- 2-digit and 3-digit roots review
Day 3
- Level 3 Multiplication
- Fractions (abstract numbers and denominate numbers)
Day 1
- Multiplication
- 3 x 4
- 4 x 3 (Level 4)
Day 2
- Solving for square roots for fractions
- (with rounding or remainders)
Day 3
- Multiplication Practice
- Level 3 Division with fractions (abstract numbers)
Day 1
- Division
- 6 ÷ 2, 3, 4 (Level 4)
Day 2
- Teaching square roots: demonstration and test
Day 3
- Level 3 Division with fractions (abstract and denominate numbers)
Day 1
- Level 4 Review and Practice
Day 2
- Level 2 slip-file calculation (bank notes) and game with numbers
Day 3
- Level 3 Review and Practice
Day 1
- Addition & subtraction with listening and fractions
- or educational materials explanation
Day 2
- Mental multiplication with listening 2 x 1, 3 x 1
- Mental division with listening 3 ÷ 1, 4 ÷ 1
Day 3
- Instruction demonstration and discussion
Day 1
- Mental multiplication with reading 3 x 1
- Mental division with reading 4 ÷ 1
- 2-digit mental addition & subtraction with reading 5-8 rows
Day 2
- Primary operations and consecutive multiplication and division questions
Day 3
- Level 4 Abacus Certification Exam and
- Level 5 Mental Arithmetic Certification Exam
Day 1
- Contestant training and competition preparation
Day 2
- Discussion on third and fourth year student progress
- or
- 3-digit mental addition & subtraction with listening
Day 3
- Certificate Ceremony and sharing ideas
Stage 4 · Advanced
Levels 2 – 1 and AdvancedExpert-level computation combining all four operations, with advanced abacus and mental arithmetic techniques. Teacher certification has separate training and assessment requirements.
Day 1
- Level 3 Abacus Certification Exam
- and Level 4 Mental Arithmetic Certification Exam
Day 2
- Level 2 and 1 Division
- (abstract and denominate numbers)
Day 3
- Solving for cubic roots (1)
- 2-digit roots
Day 1
- Level 2 and 1 Multiplication
- (abstract and denominate numbers)
Day 2
- Omission technique for division (1)
- (Advanced levels; denominate numbers)
Day 3
- Solving for cubic roots (2)
- 3-digit roots
Day 1
- Omission technique for multiplication
- (Advanced Levels)
Day 2
- Omission technique for division (2)
- (Advanced levels; abstract numbers)
Day 3
- Cube roots: review
- 2- and 3-digit roots
Day 1
- Common student mistakes in multiplication
Day 2
- Common student mistakes in division
Day 3
- Level 1 Slip-file calculation (bank notes) and game with numbers
Day 1
- Mental addition & subtraction with reading
- 3-digit 3 or 4 rows
- Abacus addition & subtraction with listening and fractions
Day 2
- Mental multiplication with reading 2 x 2
- Mental division with reading 4 ÷ 2
Day 3
- Mental multiplication with listening 2 x 2
- Mental division with listening 4 ÷ 2
Day 1
- One-way clear technique
- Multiplication
Day 2
- Demonstration and discussion on classroom management
Day 3
- Q&A Session
- or omission technique test
Day 1
- One-way clear technique
- Division
Day 2
- Discussion on fourth and fifth year student progress
- or
- 3- and 4-digit mental addition & subtraction
Day 3
- Certificate Ceremony and sharing ideas