Three rounds were held to test the ability of the children in Maths
Children from all over the state participated in the 7th Tamil Nadu regional Abacus and mental arithmetic competition held in Chennai on Sunday. (Photo: DC)
Chennai: Around 1,750 children from various parts of Tamil Nadu like Chennai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Madurai and Erode took part in the state-level Abacus competition here on Sunday.
Children were divided into 12 categories based on their expertise in the skill and given question papers accordingly.
Three rounds were held to test the ability of the children in Maths. While in the first round they were asked to do sums with the help of an abacus, the next two rounds tested their ability to envisage it and calculate the numbers without tangibly using the abacus.
Starting with brain exercises to relax the nerves and sharpen their focus, the event started with enthusiastic children focusing on numbers as they got their hands and minds working in unison for five minutes in each round. The abacus is a counting frame used to calculate numbers. Though it is an archaic counting device, it provides an easy method to do sums in a short span of time.
For 12-year-old A.B. Keshav, a book of problems in Maths is no more a problem. “I used to cry during my initial days of abacus classes but as I got to learn the method of using the abacus, I found it engrossing and started enjoying my mind power. I can now concentrate on my subjects as long as I like,” he said.
Even seven-year-old S. Medhaa, who is in the foundation-level skill of abacus, finds arithmetic interesting as she has fun learning. “With friends here, I like to learn numbers that were once my enemies,” she said.
Parents are encouraged to bring their children to such competitions as they are able to connect their children with their peer group who aspire to excel in academics. “My child is able to handle sums easily and even those with less memory power can progress in such an environment,” said Ms T. Vijayalakshmi, mother of a 12-year-old participant.
Speaking on the power of the abacus to improve the confidence level of children, Mr Dinesh Victor, MD, SIP Academy, India Pvt Ltd, said, “The abacus and mental arithmetic enable a normal child to turn into a human computer when presented with problems. Consistent training and practice ensures that the children thrive in the face of complex issues under severe time constraints. It is but natural that they acquire vital skills such as concentration, intelligence, list and evaluate options available and choose the correct one under established time norms. The competition also fosters a competitive spirit amongst these children and motivates them to excel in life.”
( Source : dc correspondent )
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