What is UCMAS?
UCMAS is an acronym for Universal Concept of Mental Arithmetic System.
UCMAS is a program that helps children to develop their brain using abacus as a tool and basic arithmetic operations as a base.
The word UCMAS leaves a sense of curiosity in everybody’s mind all the time. People always want to know what UCMAS is and why the world is talking about UCMAS.
UCMAS is a unique and scientifically-proven mental development programme designed for children to develop their latent mental power at a very early age when brain development is reaching its peak.
UCMAS has been recognized worldwide for its proven results – with the most obvious being the learners’ fantastic mental arithmetic ability and speedy calculation after undergoing the mental arithmetic programme. Mental arithmetic compromises arithmetic calculation regardless of the complexity, using only the brain. What initially seems impossible becomes a reality with UCMAS!
It is more than Maths!
On the surface, it can be assumed that arithmetic is the primary focus of this program, and the end goal is to be able to perform outstanding feats of calculation using solely the brain.
Mental Math is an ability to calculate and get a correct answer without using pencil & paper or any other electronic devices.
This is an essential building block that replaces the physical Abacus in the child’s mind. As the children gradually learn to visualize the Abacus in their mind (virtual Abacus), they learn to calculate mathematical problems using the principles of the Abacus, without the use of the physical tool.
However, there is more to this because when the children are learning UCMAS Mental Math, they are actually also undergoing the process of developing other aspects of the mind. When the children have acquired an astonishing calculation speed, it is actually only the end result of having developed the following mental abilities:
CONCENTRATION OBSERVATION VISUALIZATION
MEMORY
Starting with an Abacus and eventually progressing to Mental Math, these young “math magicians” learn to do all arithmetic calculations of up to 10 digits in their head, without relying on aids such as calculators or paper and pencil.
CONCENTRATION
Since UCMAS is a brain development program with emphasis on speed and accuracy, children get trained for immense concentration in the classroom sessions. One second of lost concentration will get them a wrong answer and hence they form the constant habit focusing on verbal number instructions, flashing of cards and visual reading of numbers done by their instructors.
OBSERVATION
UCMAS is a unique program that builds the observation power within a child. Quizzing children on flash cards, trains them to build on observation skills. With the emphasis on rapid image recognition and calculation with the abacus the brain behaves like a scanner, which scans the surroundings and follows the hand-eye coordination thus makes a child more observant.
MEMORY
Memory is the capacity of the brain to Receive, Retain, and Recall (3Rs). In this program, students are trained on the physical and the visual abacus to recognize the beads and calculate using mathematical formulae. When high-speed calculations are embodied using the 3 learning styles: auditory skills with verbal instructions, visual skills with recognition of images and tactile and kinesthetic skills with hands on use of abacus; children quickly identify the image, recall the corresponding number and the formula that has been retained in memory and with consistent practice enhances long-term memory power in a child.
IMAGINATION
Imagination leads to invention. UCMAS uses the concept of semi-image on the abacus. This helps students to unleash the capacity of the brain, which makes them visualize and convert the digits into images using the tangible beads of the abacus. Later, calculate visually and again process them back into written form of numbers.
CREATIVITY
Creativity stems from a highly imaginative well-developed brain. In the UCMAS program, most of the calculation and finger movements are done by the left hand, which is controlled by the right side of the brain. More left hand movement will develop right side of the brain. This enables students to develop their creative skills.
JUDGMENT
Judgment requires a balanced understanding, of perspectives and context of a particular subject. UCMAS enhances creativity and imagination, which helps analyze the vision and perspective engaging right side of the brain. The program also enhances observation and memory to understand logically and analyze the situation, strongly engaging left side of brain. This balanced approach ensures a good sense of judgment within a child.
APPLICATION
Application is the art of understanding a situation or a context and then applying your wisdom and knowledge to give a better meaning to the situation. Comprehending and analyzing with a good judgment and a well-balanced brain will help a child enhance his/ her application skills. UCMAS program enhances all these required skills through very systematic and scientific approach.
REASONING
To reason about anything or with anyone, you require a well-balanced, logical and analytical brain. The UCMAS program constantly triggers both sides of the brain by training children on the abacus and mental math. With tools like flash cards and techniques like jumbled dictation, speedwriting, and more, children apply sequencing and formula recalling in their calculations, which enables them to analyze and strengthen their reasoning ability.
SELF CONFIDENCE
Success and self-confidence have an absolute interconnection. With UCMAS children become motivated learners as they acquire a unique lifelong skill, which gives them a superior standing over others, in their grade and age. Their enhanced cognitive skills and strongly developed mental math ability gives them a great sense of accomplishment and boosts their self-esteem and confidence levels.
