THE INFLUENCE OF MENTAL ARITHMETIC ON THE INTELLECTUAL ABILITIES OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

Mental arithmetic is a method of rapid mental calculation using the Japanese abacus. The Japanese abacus is composed of an odd number of vertical rows on which marbles are strung. By moving the marbles up and down different arithmetic operations are performed - addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, square root, cube root. As a result of mental arithmetic training, students learn to calculate very fast complex arithmetic problems. Mental arithmetic classes are known in the literature to have a beneficial effect on cognitive processes and mathematical abilities. It is well known that mathematical abilities can be seen as a variety of intellectual abilities, and it is mathematics education that appears to be one of the most effective means of developing intellect. The aim of the present study is to determine the impact of mental arithmetic training on the intellectual abilities of primary school students. The study is part of a larger research that will take place from October 2021 to May 2025. It involved 44 first grade students (6-7 years old) who study in the same school in Sofia (Bulgaria) under the same school system. The students were divided into two groups - experimental, which includes 22 students (13 girls and 9 boys) and control group, which also consists of 22 students (11 girls and 11 boys). The experimental group have been taught mental arithmetic within one school year, while the control group have never been taught mental arithmetic. The students in the experimental group received mental arithmetic training from October 2021 to May 2022. Students in the control group have no experience in abacus calculus and are not familiar with this method of calculus. At the beginning and at the end of the school year, all students were assessed with Raven's test to measure their intellectual level.The results showed a decrease in the number of students with low and average intellectual level and a serious increase in the number of students with high intellectual level in the group that received mental arithmetic training within one school year. In addition, there were significant differences in the rise of intelligence level in favor of the experimental group compared to the control group. From the experimental work conducted and the measurement of students' intelligence using the Raven's test, it became clear that mental arithmetic instruction has a high potential to enhance the intellectual abilities of primary school students.