Rather than using a single hand to maneuver the beads of the abacus, CMA advocates the use of both hands at abacus training. By applying the principles of the soroban (i.e. Japanese-style abacus) alongside mental calculation, and coupled with advanced techniques and multimedia-based learning, students quickly pick up the basics of the base-10 number system to achieve speedy and accurate mental calculations. A student is first taught the basics of the abacus, followed by visualisation training. This unique method enables him to execute mental sums by picturing an image of the abacus in his head and then manipulating the beads of the virtual abacus as though a physical abacus was being held in the hands.
Unlike traditional mathematical education which only uses the left brain, this 'Image Abacus' training ropes in the creative right brain in creating a visual of the abacus while utilising the logic left brain to manipulate the virtual abacus. This concept of two-hand mental arithmetic requires the combined use of both the left brain and right brain.
Aside from the 'Image Abacus' training, CMA's comprehensive mental arithmetic training syllabi also encompass the following: