We love love LOVE the Apple Song!

A child's voice is more captivating to a child. Please try to incorporate a child's voice, male and female.

Also, try to incorporate more variety with baby faces. Specifically, skin tone and facial features (i.e., eyes, nose, lips) should show a broader spectrum to reflect global society.

I know I can add my own pictures and voices, but these modifications will be one less step (or several!) a mother has to do.

Thanks for offering a place to post suggestions. (I guess this is the right forum. I'm clicked the suggestions link on the LM software interface.)

WOW !!! I wish this would be available outside Japan !!! Does anyone know of any classes in other places? Say, UK for example?

Also, how do u combine this with doman...just do both, doman when your baby is younger and this when they are older?

You can check out the UC MAS website for locations in the UK: http://www.ucmasuk.info

If you view the abacus as a sort of manual super-calculator, you can combine it with any math method. My 1 year old uses both the abacus and math dots.

Just need a clarification regarding abacus will it not hinder with the regular way maths taught at the schools?

I guess I'm bumping this topic, but I had to reply to a few questions that have not been addressed.

Abacus learning is calculation only, not methodology arithmetic. Students view abacus math and the resulting mental math as a different subject from regular curriculum maths. They won't get it confused if taught to use the abacus properly. It would help to see the abacus as a calculator, first used by your hands, then by your mind.

[KL]

I'm also very interested in an Arabic language learning program. Which do you use, KL? I'd like to communicate better with my extended family.

I'm very interested in learning more about UC MAS. Please keep posting on this topic.

I think at first I need to know what anzan is! Is it the same abacus method used n UCMAS???

Anzan is mental math.
UCMAS uses a method of 2 fingers (thumb and index) on 2 hands (for simultaneous calculation and activation of both brain hemispheres). I'm sure you know this by now since researching UCMAS, but this is also for other readers.

Cheers!

[Kyles Mom]

I'm extremely interested in the UCMAS program, Kyles Mom. Please post an update when you have the time. I'm requesting a center near me in Nashville, Tennessee. I'm looking to get together with a few mothers/parents and drum up an audiovisual course so we learning facilitators can introduce the abacus at home in the meantime.

In the meantime, I'm looking into the NurtureMinds.com course. They do not teach abacus manipulation the most efficient way (3 fingers on dominant hand, vs. UCMAS 2 fingers on 2 hands), but it seems like a good start if I ignore that part. I've already received the 1st and 2nd year books and the abacus. I also don't agree with the video they posted on Youtube about the instructor hitting the kids in order to teach them. Yikes. Until UCMAS comes our way, we'll have to take the best and leave the rest, as far as math calculation goes.


kizudo, I'm interested to know more about the counting reference. Please share it when you have time.

Also, this is noteworthy among my abacus research: If you have a child prone to epilepsy, research reflex epilepsy related to abacus use; it's like writing epilepsy.

Oh, and as far as counting and reckoning numbers goes, students of mental math look at it as a separate subject than regular math. Mental math is more about brain development, spilling over into other areas of life, whereas other more popular forms of mathematics is specific to that subject. It's like geometry and calculus; they're both maths, but different types.

sveta09: Make sure you read about the YCCR before buying. I'm not sure, but it seems as if it's a beginner course like the YBCR, but it's for a child who has not been exposed to the YBCR or other learning programs. I'm not sure if it's a natural progression, or just a YBCR for older children.

I'm just venturing an opinion here, since I'm still researching this. I think, in the long run, the abacus is more resourceful.

Take a look at this video comparing it to a calculator:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/yj7XbnYrIk0&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/yj7XbnYrIk0&rel=1</a>

Here is another short video on two types of abacuses:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/CvsnftXXKdw&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/CvsnftXXKdw&rel=1</a>

Wow, thanks for sharing! I've recently been introduced to the idea that all math is inspired by the ancient Moors (Arabs and sea farers). This is so timely to my studying.

Thank you so much for sharing this! It always helps to know what a day might look like with an early-taught child.

I'm Terrah, mother to a 1-year-old, and I'm excited to learn more about what BrillKids has to offer. I've been through the Your Baby Can Read program, and was left thinking, "What next?" I came across Doman, and now with BrillKids. I'm interested to know how BrillKids measures along with other methods of early childhood learning. I know that variety is best, and I'm excited to know more about the Little Reader/Math/Musician courses.

I hope to learn much from this forum, and share what wisdom I have to offer, too.

Although this is my experience, this post is somewhat negative.
I learned that YBCR was "stolen" from the Doman method, which is how the doctor/originator of YBCR taught his children. Someone at the IAHP told me that. When they went to sue, it was too late. They don't respect what the man did, but because the program leaves many asking, "What next?" they research and find the Domans, so they hear about YBCR a lot. That said, my child learned to recognize words ("read" according to YBCR) from this program.

I'm ready to try LM/LR now, since the YBCR program leaves me waiting for the next step.

Also, one thing that made me look for other programs was this: my relatives and friends are from very diverse backgrounds, all types. In viewing YBCR, I particularly noticed that the darker-hued children in the YBCR videos did not smile (well, one little girl did once or twice) or act like they enjoyed the actions they were performing (seemingly done only for the video's sake: playing drums, catching a ball, swinging a bat, etc.). They either looked confused or blank-faced, and one little girl looked as if someone suddenly told her to stop shaking toy keys. Another boy was frowning because of the sun, but to a child not yet experienced with this facial expression (or, goodness forbid, experienced with it in a negative context), it might look like he was scowling. I know I would have been questioned on this material from my friends and relatives, not to mention the children (!), had they viewed the whole video.

I'm hoping to be more satisfied with LR.