The original HIKARI® program for mental arithmetic is used at the Kid Genius School.
In Japanese, “Hikari ” means light and symbolizes the process of learning and awakening (enlightening) our spiritual (mental) abilities.
The program was created as a result of many years of work by psychologists, pedagogues and other experts in the field of education in cooperation with the prestigious Japanese Tomoe Soroban Institute in Tokyo. It is based on the use of the ancient aid for calculating abacus (算盤, Japanese soroban), the visualization and simulation of movements of which allows for extremely rapid calculation and development of cognitive abilities and skills of children in the early period of life. The program is based on the TBDP approach (Total Brain Development Program) and the VAK method (Visual – Auditory – Kinesthetic).
Whole Brain Development Program
TBDP (Total Brain Development Program) is a whole brain development system that promotes the activation of both hemispheres of the brain from the earliest stages of life. As a result of this activation, a number of cognitive skills improve, such as memory, intelligence, concentration, imagination and visualization.
Multi-layered approach to work – The VAK method
Visually
(Observation of elements and recognition of elements through colors and shapes)
Auditory
(Listening to instructions – mathematical language and answering questions – describing connections)
Kinesthetics
(motor movements and sense of form – touch and movement in space – search for a specific form).
Programme objectives
The aim of the program is to encourage and develop the intellectual and cognitive skills of students from an early age by mastering abacus work in four basic mathematical operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, as well as mastering mental arithmetic skills which represent abacus visualization and paperless and pen-free arithmetic. Cognitive development is achieved in a fun and playful way, with work based on three key aspects: abacus calculation, mental arithmetic and didactic games. Using the abacus activates both hemispheres of the brain, thus achieving maximum intellectual potential. After mastering the work on the abacus, students will be able to perform complicated arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and calculate without any aids, solely by thought. The following tasks can serve as an example: 235 + 64 + 361 – 97 + 196 – 98 = … 453x248 = … 14450 / 34 = .… Rapid arithmetic is clear evidence that our students have improved skills such as clear visualization, focus, concentration, analytics, logical thinking and memory. It improves the way the student hears, processes information and understands, imagines and creates certain mental images, recognizes details, performs certain actions and solves problems. And finally, what we aim for, participants develop confidence and intelligence, which undoubtedly comes with this process.
Program organization
The program is aimed at children aged 4 to 12 years, as this is the period of life in which the human brain develops most rapidly and dynamically and in which most neuronal connections (synapses) occur. Groups . Learning is practiced in small groups (from 6 to 12 participants) through fun activities, various games and competitions, where the most important thing is a relaxing and creative atmosphere and positive emotional relationships. The program is age-appropriate and the following age groups are Kindergarten age – Group A (from 4 to 6 years) Younger school age – B group (first and second grade of primary school) Secondary school age – Group C (third and fourth grades of primary school and fifth and sixth grades of secondary school) The course content is carefully designed taking into account the individual needs of the students. Classes take place once a week - 3 school hours with short breaks for rest. Registration deadline: Winter semester: January/ February Summer semester: August/ September