On-line Self-Learning Program
The RLM math program is a self-guided, self-paced, self-learning online program giving students, parents, and teachers the convenience and power of computer-based learning anytime, anywhere. The RLM math program can be used through any computer web browser, although we highly recommend using the free Google Chrome browser (download) that runs on desktop, laptop, and mobile devices.
The RLM math program has a modular design to give students and teachers the flexibility to arrange the training program to best fit individual student needs. The program currently has 3 main training modules: Soroban Training, Facts Training, and Mental Calculation. New training modules are in development and are being added to the program ongoingly.
Soroban Training Module
The Soroban (abacus) Training module had two sub-modules: Skill Training and Level Training. Skill Training is where all students begin their abacus training. Skill Training is sub-divided into six levels where each level introduces 1 new abacus skill or bead mechanic. Students embark on a math journey encountering
the 6 Great Insect Masters: Beetle, Ladybug, Spider, Bee, Grasshopper, and Dragonfly that guide students through their Skill Training. Once completing their Skill Training students will posses the abacus skills to solve any addition or subtraction problem with confidence and accuracy. Addition and subtraction skills are foundations on which multiplication and division can be layered on top. After Skill Training students continue their math journey with Sumo-san in Level Training.
Level Training is a managed progression of 10 levels of increasing math challenges including advanced multiplication and division, decimal numbers, negative numbers, and square and cube roots. Each level presents a new math challenge requiring the student to continue advancing their computational and conceptual math skills for both speed and accuracy. The content of each level is created to provide a succession of incremental math challenges to ensure students continue to achieve success with sustained effort. The result is increasing student confidence, their ability to sustain focus for longer time periods, and most importantly their increased desire as self-learners. The RLM math program aims to produce motivated students willing to take on new challenges and self-learn, continuing their learning journey wherever it may take them.
Facts Training Module
Industry research as sited by the U.S. Department of Education National
Mathematics Advisory Panel Report, has shown educators that it is vital for students to recall the basic single digit math facts of addition, subtraction, and multiplication through 9x9 from memory. Studies have shown students that can
recall these math facts perform better with higher level mathematics because they are not distracted during problem solving with basic number calculations. The RLM Facts Training Module trains students to recall their 9x9 multiplication tables by presenting a limited new set of facts at a time, and focusing on facts that are known for students to be difficult to recall.
Mental Calculation Module
A unique training feature of the RLM math program is the Mental Calculation Training module. The Mental Calculation training takes students through a step by step process of learning how to perform mental calculation with both speed and accuracy. Mental Calculation is founded in student’s visualizing the abacus bead movements in their head. As student’s train with the physical abacus they develop strong mental images of the abacus in the right side of the brain responsible for image processing as suggested by Stanford University Professor Michael Frank.
The Mental Calculation Training program will help students develop their mental calculation skills by utilizing multiple sensory inputs of touch, sight and sound. Students train using Flash Anzan tools that present sequences of numbers visually on the screen, audibly (in multiple languages), or as bead representations on the abacus for students to sum mentally. The Mental Calculation Training program guides students through increasing speed and number size as they build their mental skills. The mental training program trains students to perform all arithmetic operations in their head.