Soroban: The Japanese Abacus
Soroban, the Japanese abacus, provides a visual and tangible tool which allows students to see and manipulate a physical representation of abstract numbers. The soroban can not only help consolidate arithmetic skills and improve concentration, but also allows the exploration of mathematical concepts through the lens of Japan.
Watch our short video to learn more! Teachers can request free soroban loans, including teaching soroban, via our loan resources form. To access tutorial videos by Tomoko Hoult, please complete this short form.
This scheme of work can be used as a complement to your curriculum to help students understand place values, practice number bonds, and manipulate numbers quickly.
Download the Soroban Scheme of Work and All Lesson Resources (Zip file 14.6MB), or visit the lesson pages for more detailed information or to download individual resources.
Learning objectives
- To identify and represent numbers on the soroban
- To use the soroban for addition and subtraction
- To perform multiple operations (addition and subtraction) on the soroban with fluency
See the and lessons for more information.
Note: This is a pilot resource and is being further developed. Some sections may be revised or updated.
Individual Lessons
Lesson 1: Introduction to the Soroban
Lesson 2: Representing Numbers
Lesson 3: Addition on the Soroban
Lesson 4: Subtraction on the Soroban
The Japan Society has class sets of soroban and teaching soroban available to borrow, subject to availability. To request, please visit our loan resources page.