TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE (1).......................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................3

1.1 Background of the Study............................................................................................3

1.2 Statement of the Problem...........................................................................................4

1.3 Diagnosis of Problem.................................................................................................5

1.4 Purpose of the Study..................................................................................................6

1.4.1 Objectives................................................................................................................7

1.5 Significance of the Study...........................................................................................7

1.6 Delimitations (Scope)................................................................................................8

CHAPTER TWO(2).........................................................................................................9

LITERATURE REVIEW..............................................................................................9

2.1 Introduction................................................................................................................9

2.2 History of the Abacus................................................................................................9

2.2.1 The Chinese Abacus (suan-pan “counting tray”).................................................10

2.2.2 The Russian Abacus..............................................................................................11

2.3 Calculations through abacus....................................................................................12

2.4 The Importance of Abacus for Mathematical Development....................................13

2.5 Place Value..............................................................................................................14

2.5 Fundamental Facts about Place Value.....................................................................15

2.3.1 Conceivable Pupil Misunderstandings involving Place Value.............................16

CHAPTER THREE (3)...............................................................................................18

METHODOLOGY.......................................................................................................18

3.1 Description of the Research Area and Design.........................................................18

3.2 Population................................................................................................................18

3.3 Instrument................................................................................................................18

3.4 Sample and sampling Techniques............................................................................19

3.5 Data Collection procedures......................................................................................19

3.6.1 Pre-intervention.....................................................................................................19

3.6.2 Intervention...........................................................................................................19

3.6.3 Post intervention...................................................................................................19

3.7 Limitations...............................................................................................................20

3.8 Analysis of data........................................................................................................20

REFERENCES.............................................................................................................21
 CHAPTER ONE (1)

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Universally, in the early stages of the 20th century as according John Dewey (2000)

emphatically stated that, learning comes from experience and active participation of the

learner. Further explanation by Jerome Bruner (1966) encouraged the use of physical

manipulatives as providing scaffolding for abstract concepts. Ideally, Jean Piaget (1996)

was also aware of the significance of manipulatives in a child’s construction of logical-

mathematical knowledge. Correspondingly, Goldstone and Son (2005) contended that

“abstract understanding is most effectively achieved through experience with perpetually

rich and concrete representations.” Practices prove it is of much importance for many

students in our "Intelligent Abacus Community" to learn abacus well. It can help children

form good mental modes and put them into flexible use. Abacus, especially abacus and

mental arithmetic, has gone beyond its original con- notation. The subconscious potential

of human beings can be awaken. For example, mathematics is not difficult any more for

those who avail themselves of abacus and mental arithmetic. Most students today can

benefit greatly by knowledge of this tool that emphasizes place value in a base ten

system. This manipulative tool can be used to model or represent quantities, round

quantities to a specific place value, add, subtract, multiply, and divide (including

regrouping).

This activity will take young people back in time to when Russians lived in New

Archangel and used the Russian abacus. Calculators had not been invented, although the
abacus is thought to be the forerunner to the calculator. Activities included in this kit are

specifically correlated to the Alaska Standards Benchmarks. These standards are derived

from NCTM standards; therefore, this kit can be advantageous for students throughout

Alaska as well as nationwide. Manipulatives are physical models that represent

concretely abstract concepts and appeal to the senses, can be touched or moved

(Clements, 1999). “Manipulatives can help children understand and develop mental

images of mathematics concepts” (Dunlap, 1979); they provide students a concrete basis

from which abstract thinking develops.

Notable examples of concrete representations are Dienes blocks, spinners, number lines,

geoboards (boards with a lattice of pegs and loose rubber bands to wrap around the pegs),

Cuisenaire rods (colored wooden bars cut to integer lengths), algebra tiles, and balance

beams.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

According to UCMAS-Canada (2010), knowledge and intelligence top the characteristics

of human beings. They enable one to maintain a clear mind in his daily life. The

increasing development of abacus and mental arithmetic in the whole world has benefited

many people. Abacus and mental arithmetic not only helps students focus their attention,

have direction and destination, and have responsibility, but also helps them improve their

ability and challenge their extremity spiritually and psychologically. Therefore, we may

say abacus and mental arithmetic can intensify one's excellent personality.

This research besieges the concept of using Place Value in the Abacus model to enhance

the learning of Mathematics at the Primary four (4) stages. Ideally, many reviews have
been conducted to ascertain the curricula being used for teaching Mathematics, likely the

use of different technological models. In a research carried out by Babiniotis (2002), the

Abacus is an instrument used for the execution of numerical operations. It is composed

from the framework of baguettes on which little balls or tiles move, facilitating the

computation of ones and tens.

Unfortunately, most schools within the discus of Ghana Districts have a declining

intervention of models such as the Abacus to enhance Mathematics study. An instance is

the situation of mass failure of pupils at the Primary four (4) stage at the Mampong

Presbyterian Primary School.

1.3 Diagnosis of Problem

Most pupils never realize the value and recognition of Abacus at the beginning of their

study, but their parents played an important role. First and foremost, some pupils were

reluctant to learn Abacus with focus on Place Value as they considered it a waste of time.

The question was “What's more, abacus is not as famous as that in the Western nations

and it is not available in the education courses established by previous Ghanaian

governments. Students will normally feel dull and learn slowly at the beginning, but with

much time much of them will become interested in Abacus and felt strong challenges

behind it when they found Abacus game-like and very helpful. Actually, mathematics is a

very difficult course for Ghanaian pupils especially in the case of the Mampong

Presbyterian Primary School. However, learning Abacus and mental Arithmetic showed

pupil’s fear in mathematics and other courses even when they are given assignments to

practice.
According to the Ministry of Education (New Zealand, 2012), a good understanding of

addition, subtraction, and place value is crucial for strategies in multiplication, division,

fractions, algebra, and statistics. Students initially use counting to solve addition and

subtraction problems. They then start to think strategically, first with smaller whole

numbers, then with larger ones, and later with fractions, decimals, and integers. There are

two central ideas to place value: the place holder, zero, and the concept that if, as a result

of addition or multiplication, the numeral in any place exceeds 9, then 10 of these units

must be traded for one unit that is worth 10 times as much. Conversely, for subtraction or

division, if a unit needs to be broken down, it must be traded for 10 units worth 10 times

less. The idea that once we have 10 of something we call this group one of something

else is not at all straightforward for young students. However, understanding that ten

“ones” are equivalent to one “ten”, for example, is profoundly important. Initially,

students need to crack the language and symbolic code for naming and reading the

number names from one to nine. Saying “ten, eleven, twelve” and writing “10”, “11”, and

“12” may seem no different than counting from one to nine aloud, or writing the words

and symbols for these numbers, but the difficulty of doing this should not be

underestimated. The core idea of place value can be summed up by saying that numbers

greater than 9, whether spoken or written, have different representations.

1.4 Purpose of the Study

The study investigates the learning of Place Value in Abacus to reduce the mass failure of

Mathematics at the Primary four level at the Mampong Presbyterian Primary School.
1.4.1 Objectives

1. To propagate the theories highlighting Abacus in relative to Mathematics

development.

2. To identify the impact of Place Value in Abacus model in teaching Mathematics

at the Primary four level.

3. To ascertain the knowledge level of Primary four (4) pupil’s participation in

learning Place Value as a method in Abacus.

4. To streamline the relative increase of the Mathematical performance of Primary

four (4) pupils upon studying Place Value in Abacus.

1.5 Significance of the Study

According to Masalsky (2016), she expressed that, place value is one of the key concepts

in mathematics curriculum and though it is only explicitly in the standards in the lower

grades, understanding place value (or not understanding it) will follow students through

their mathematics journey. It is essential that students understand the meaning of a

number. In order to help students develop an authentic understanding of place value, it is

crucial that they construct meaning for themselves through applicable, hands-on

activities. This understanding need to begin with repeated and prolonged exposure to the

base ten system. Using ten-frames and Rekenreks help students build their comfort with

tens. 

The use of manipulatives is extremely important in moving past working with just tens.

Place value blocks that help student see magnitude of numbers help them visualize the

differences among place values. When students are asked to regroup, it is important that
the manipulatives and a context support this. Helping students build an authentic

understanding of place value through base-ten work and interesting problems, will help

them be more successful as mathematicians. Recognizing that numbers can be broken

apart, rearranged, and re-formed, gives students a better understanding of how addition,

subtraction, multiplication, and division work. This is especially true when students have

a sound understanding of what each part of a whole number represent

1.6 Delimitations (Scope)

This study compromised a particular influence of Place Value under Abacus for

Mathematics; hence, it limited the study to only Primary four pupils at the Mampong

Presbyterian Primary School.

Presumably, identifying difficulties be expected, and with this research being done

alongside academic work, it will place more restraints on the researcher as regarding the

gathering of data. The researcher hopes to get the needed data and successfully work

within the limited time frame to come out with a better analysis and recommendation.
 CHAPTER TWO (2)

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

This section of the study is purposely outlined from various researches done by expertise

involved in Mathematical learning of Abacus and Place Value teaching. Adherently, it is

based on the specific objectives designed to carry out the project.

2.2 History of the Abacus

According to the Teacher’s Guide to Russian Abacus (2010), the term abacus is derived

from the Greek word abax meaning “calculating board or table” also probably from the

Phoenician word abak meaning “sand” or Hebrew word abhaq meaning “dust.”

Originally, it was an adaptation of a method of counting and keeping track of quantities

by moving pebbles in the sand. Over time, beads threaded onto a wooden frame replaced

the stones. It is believed that the Babylonians used this first place-value number system

between 1000 BC and 500 BC.

According to Heffeifinger and Gary (2004), their emphasis was also based upon the fact

that, Abacus is an ancient calculating device used mainly in Asian culture for performing

arithmetic processes. Abacus device consists of a wooden or plastic frame with beads

sliding on wires. The word abacus dates before 1387 A.D .in Greek “abax” or “abacon”

means table or tablet. In India, first century sources “abidharmakosa” describes the

knowledge and the use of abacus by Indian clerks. Even today abacus is used by

shopkeepers, merchants in Asia and china town in North America presently taught in
Asia including India in preschool and elementary schools as an aid in teaching arithmetic

(Takashi, www.alcula.com).

According to Baddeley, (2011), memory is an act of an immense process of physiological

activities at every act of memorization or information processing approach The

information processing approach divides memory into three general stages Sensory

Memory, Short Term Memory, and Long Term Memory. Abacus is an external agent

extensively practiced to teach learns mathematics for children. Studies have shown that

abacus not only increases the ability of children in performing mathematics calculation,

but also develops memory consistently (Bhaskaran , Sengothiyan , Madhu, Ranganahtan

2006).

2.2.1 The Chinese Abacus (suan-pan “counting tray”)

Universally, as according to the Teacher’s Guide to Russian Abacus (2010), the first

th
record of the Chinese abacus is from the Yuan Dynasty (14 Century). It can be used to

add, subtract, multiply, and divide as well as work more complex problems involving

fractions and square roots. The Chinese abacus is still commonly used in many Asian

countries. The Chinese abacus has a horizontal center bar with rows of beads above and

below (2 beads above and 5 beads below). Numbers represented are read by their

relationship to the center bar. Beads below the bar (earth beads) represent ones and beads

above the bar (heaven beads) represent five’s. So, if there is one heaven bead and one

earth bead moved toward the center bar, the represented number is “6” – one 5 plus 1

one. Each vertical row represents place values (powers of 10). Unused beads are pushed

away from the center bar. Below is the picture of the description.
 Heaven Beads

Ear th beads

2.2.2 The Russian Abacus

The “national calculator” or s’chyoty, was used until the mid-1990’s in Russian businesses.

This abacus consists of eleven wires with beads. Counting from the bottom, wires 1-3 have

10 beads, wire 4 has 4 beads, and wires 5-11 have 10 beads. For the 10 beaded wires, the first

4 beads and last 4 beads are one color and the middle 2 are a contrasting color to enable

quicker, visual counting. The fourth wire seems to be a place holding wire (similar to decimal

point). All wires above that represent whole number place values. Typically, the unit

represented is the ruble (or Russian unit of currency). To enter the number 5874, move to the

th
left edge in the eighth wire 5 beads, in the seventh wire 8 beads, in the 6 wire 7 beads and in

th
the 5 wire 4 beads. (Teacher’s Guide to Russian Abacus, 2010).
2.3 Calculations through abacus

To calculate by using Abacus, two fingers, the index finger and thumb are used. Index

finger is used to move the four units’ beads up and down and the thumb is used to move

one-unit bead up. For instance-to place the figure 7 on the Abacus, index finger needs

two successive motions, first to move down a 5 unit bead and then to move up 2-one unit

bead, the movements are performed simultaneously with two fingers. The movements are

practiced many times until two fingers are moved nimbly & effortlessly. Beads above the

horizontal bar are called Heaven beads and below the bar are called Earth beads (Takashi,

www.alcula.com). With this kind of activity, once practiced, Abacus users can calculate

simple mathematical problems rapidly and accurately. According to Cole (2007), the

users also acquire ability of doing mental calculation utilizing mere the Abacus image,

which allows quick calculation without actually using the Abacus. In the abacus method

of mental calculation, the learners manipulate Abacus beads in their head to carry out

calculation. To do all these proper finger technique is basic in achieving proficiency on

the Abacus which becomes the skill (Millers and Stigler,1991).

According to Bhaskaran (2006), Abacus helps to visualize and manage calculations with

large numbers children use both hands to move the beads for small and large arithmetic

calculation. The quick communication between the hands and brain stimulation promotes

quick, balanced and whole brain development. Abacus trainee had better visual and

auditory memory when compared to non-abacus learners (Bhaskaran , Sengothiyan ,

Madhu, Ranganahtan 2006). According to Irwing increase in general intelligence after

abacus training for about 34 weeks in Sudanese school children using standard

progressive matrices (Irwing,Hamza, Kaleefa, Lynn 2008).

According to ShiowLee (2007), the effects of skill training, children with mental Abacus

and music training compared to their controls showed better performance in all span tests

this resulted that domain specific effects of skill training on working memory was better

(Lee, Yuh-shivow, Minju 2007).

2.4 The Importance of Abacus for Mathematical Development

According to The abacus was invented by Charles Babbage though it’s now being used

by the entire world to turn on the mental abilities of young brains. Abacus training

sharpens our memory and increases our ability to perform mental calculations. Abacus

was designed in such a manner so that the brain visualizes the abacus while performing

calculations which automatically activates the right part of our brain especially when we

move our fingers over the beads and talk aloud while solving the problems. However, one

needs to enjoy the abacus education training process, only then will one be able to truly

benefit from the technique. The energy and abilities of our mind are not limited – it is the

master organ which takes all the decisions of the body. The left brain is also known as the

digital brain whereas the right brain helps in creative pursuits. Both sides of our brain

need to work in sync with each other and that is where abacus training helps us. Abacus

training has become increasingly popular in India of late and helps the young minds

understand the great number plan on which the universe is being run. The abacus

calculation methods help in learning in number manipulation skills, decimal grasp and

digit correlation among other skills. While electronic calculators need numbers as inputs,
in abacus education, children learn to convert the beads into numbers and thus arrive at a

result. The chain just goes on, the abacus sharpens the brains and the brain thus gains

more expertise in solving mathematics problems using abacus. Even the most brilliant

students find the use of abacus a great help while solving problems. The students can use

the abacus training to calculate arithmetical problems rapidly. Later on, the students can

also perform the calculations without using the abacus, by just visualizing the abacus in

their minds. Abacus education also helps them develop new and innovative methods of

mastering arithmetic, rather than being dependent on just the orthodox methods of

learning calculations otherwise taught by the conventional education system. Abacus

answers the primary need of the students to make fast and accurate calculations.

2.5 Place Value

The term place-value is self-explanatory. The placement of each digit in a multi-digit

number determines the number’s place value. In a two-digit number, the values of the

two places are tens and ones, with the tens represented by the digit on the left and the

ones represented by the digit on the right. The place-value problem is this. Unlike

American children mistake, for example, the two ones digits in the number they call

“eleven” (11) as being of equal value. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean children, who call

the same number “ten-one,” do not make that mistake (Miura & Okamoto, 2003). In

consequence, they outperform American children not only on place-value, but also on

multi-digit addition and subtraction (Fuson & Kwon, 1992; Song & Ginsberg, 1987;

Stigler, Lee, & Stevenson, 1990).

2.5 Fundamental Facts about Place Value

Essentially, there are factual derivations that enhance the ability of pupils to learn place

value as an important tool for Mathematics learning; the following are facts of place

value:

1. We use a decimal place value system (based on ten) where there are different

symbols for the natural numbers 1 to 9, and a symbol for 0 which is used as a

placeholder. (Suggate, Davis and Goulding, 2010)

2. There are patterns in the way that numbers are formed, for example, each decade

has a symbolic pattern that is reflective of the symbols 1 to 9 (e.g. 21, 31, 41, 51,

61, 71, 81, 91, etc.).

3. The position of digits in numbers determines what they represent. The lowest

value digits are on the right and the value of each digit is 10 times the value of the

digits on its immediate right. (Van de Walle, 2007)

4. Zero has a double function. Sometimes it represents ‘nothing’ and so represents

no objects and as such makes no difference when it is added to another number.

At other times it represents a placeholder, for example, in the number 208 it

indicates that there are no tens and forces the 2 into the hundred places. (Suggate,

Davis & Goulding (2010)

5. For most numbers we say them in the order that they are written, for example, 29

(twenty-nine), 76 (seventy-six), 81 (eighty-one), etc. The exceptions to this are

the numbers between 11 and 19. 11 and 12 are unusual names in themselves.

Then 13 (thirteen), 14 (fourteen), 15 (fifteen), 16 (sixteen), 17 (seventeen), 18

 (eighteen) and 19 (nineteen) are said in the opposite order to the way that they are

written.

6. One million is the product of 1,000 multiplied by 1,000. This can also be

represented as 106 because it is 103 multiplied by 103.

7. One billion is usually the product of 1000 multiplied by a 1,000,000. This can

also be represented as 109. This is the meaning of a billion in the US and this is

how it is used on the international money markets; however, in the UK it

originally meant a million million which is 1012. (Suggate, Davis and Goulding,

2010)

8. The latter - a million multiplied by a million or 1012- is referred to as one trillion

in the US. This is the most common usage of a trillion. One trillion can mean

1018 in the UK. (Suggate, Davis and Goulding, 2010).

2.3.1 Conceivable Pupil Misunderstandings involving Place Value

 Some pupils have difficulty in understanding the different conventions which are

necessary to say or read the numbers between 11 and 19. Much discussion will be

necessary for these pupils in relation to the names of numbers.

 Pupils often have difficulty saying and reading numbers beyond the thousands.

Therefore, they will need a lot of opportunities to practice saying and reading large

numbers. Often in reading large numbers it is useful to use a comma or a space to

separate the thousands and the millions, for example, 97845327 is more difficult to

read than 97,845,327 or 97 845 327 as 97 million, 845 thousand and 327.
The way numbers are written, that is, ones on the right, tens to the left of the ones, and so

on needs to be introduced as children grapple with grouping and exchanging in tens.

Activities need to be designed so that pupils physically associate a tens and ones

grouping with the oral name for the number and the written name for the number (See

below 11.3 Van de Walle, p.195)

 CHAPTER THREE (3)

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Description of the Research Area and Design

Mampong Municipality is located north-east of Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital.

It is bounded to the north by Atebubu District in the Brong-Ahafo Region, east by

Sekyere Central, south by Sekyere South and Ejura-Sekyedumasi to the West. The

Municipality covers a total land area of 782km 2 with 69 settlements, 58% being

rural.  Its capital is Mampong. The population of Mampong Municipal, according to

the 2010 Population and Housing Census, is 88,051. The district has a sex ratio of 94.

The population of the district depicts a broad base population pyramid which tapers

off with a small number of elderly persons. The age dependency ratio for the district

is 84.1, the age dependency ratio for males is higher (86.9) than that of females

(81.6).

This study will use a cross-sectional approach which will initiate a simple random

sampling method. Assertions are frequently based on predictions of what might

happen in the future. In this context, “predicting the future” refers to a process that

establishes quantitative relations between what is known (i.e., that which we can

observe, data for example) and what is to be predicted (i.e., future outcomes).

3.2 Population

According the Mampong District Analytical Report (GSS, 2010), the percentage of

population aged 11 years and older who are literate is 78.7 percent while 21.3 percent

are not literate. Among the literates 59.9 percent can read and write in both English
and a Ghanaian language. About 18.1 percent of the population 3 years and older

have never attended school while 44.9 percent are currently in school and 37.1

percent have attended school in the past.

According to the Ghana Education Service (2017), it states that, the total population

of the Presbyterian Primary School at Mampong is ………..; hence the Primary four

(4) population is ……………. The study therefore seeks to utilize the a sample

population of the whole class.

A pictorial evidence of Mampong Municipal depicted below

Ghana statistical Service, 2010 (GIS)

3.3 Instrument

This research will see thirty (30) closed questions with the ideology of focusing on

the Primary four (4) pupils only, hence with the exception of the Background of study

that gives two (2) open questions. These closed questions come in the form of

providing possible answers of 3 to 4. Ideally, the questions form one questionnaire for

the study, hence, the general theory is to ascertain at about 80% of the possible

answers correctly.

3.4 Sample and sampling Techniques

The sample for the study will inclusively all the Primary four pupils with the figure

making a total of …………….

The questionnaires will be issued to specific target population to find out their views

with respect to the research topic. This actually forms part of the primary data.

Reviews from archives, files, newspaper publications, articles, opinion polls and other

relevant materials related to the topic will form the secondary data.

3.5 Data Collection procedures

The data collection instrument will come in a form of structured questionnaires with

only close ended questions. Also the personal interview questions based on the

research questions permit respondents the freedom to give answers by freely

expressing themselves (Twumasi, 2001).

3.6.1 Pre-intervention

The data would be collected in the form of personal interviews and group discussions.
Before the distribution of the questionnaires, there will be a pre-test whereby five (5)

students from the school would be picked to answer questions concerning Place

Value in Abacus. All 5 data would be picked and analyzed hence in comparison with

the aftermath of the actual work that is to be carried-out.

3.6.2 Intervention

All tenets concerning administering questionnaires and constraints would be outlined

as a guide for the actual data collection. Inasmuch as learning Place Value in Abacus

is a major priority to alleviate the mass failure of Mathematics at the Primary four

stage, the answers would actually prove to Teachers and stakeholders to help include

across board Abacus learning in all institution and as part of the Mathematical

curricula.

3.6.3 Post intervention

The data would be collected on the basis of knowing the performance of pupil’s

ability to learn Mathematics without any problem. Ideally, pupil’s outcome of

improving in all areas of Mathematics with much focus on Place Value will increase

as to Arithmetic methods.

3.7 Limitations

For tentative purposes of the study, the Ghana Education Service and other classes

would have been included in the study but looking at the nature and duration of the

University’s curricula, the researcher would need to abscond all that. Additions and
Subtraction in Abacus would have been coupled together to enhance open minded

assumptions and learning for the pupils but resources are rare.

3.8 Analysis of data

Ideally, all the data would be represented in Tables and Charts with brief descriptions.

Data from the household survey, public and private toilet observations and toilet exit

interviews will be double-entered into a Microsoft Access database. The data will be

coded and checked in Access. Data from each methodological output will be analyzed

independently in consideration of the approach to sampling.

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