Level 1

Week 1

INTRODUCTION TO ALOHA
‘ALOHA’ is a Hawaiian word which means ‘Welcome’. So welcome everyone to ALOHA.
The full form of ALOHA is-

A = Abacus
L = Learning
O = Of
H = Higher
A = Arithmetic (+, - , x, ÷ , a²,√ ,% , ⅞)

ALOHA Mental Arithmetic started it's journey from Malaysia in the year 1993. Mr. Loh Mun
Sung, Founder and President of ALOHA Mental Arithmetic dedicated his entire life for the
betterment of younger children in the globe.

At present ALOHA exists more than 40 countries and more that 40 million students enrolled
in this course. In Bangladesh ALOHA started it’s journey from 2006. More than 60 thousand
students enrolled in this extracurricular program.

TECHNIQUES / METHODS OF ALOHA

There are 3 teaching methods / techniques in ALOHA. They are as follows:

1. Finger Technique
2. Abacus Technique and
3. Mental Arithmetic

FINGER TECHNIQUE
Today students will learn finger technique. In finger technique we can show 0-99 by using our
two hands.
It’s like a magic. Only ALOHA’s student can count 0-99 by using two hands.

IDENTIFYING LEFT AND RIGHT HAND

Now students will learn which one is their left hand and which one is right hand. Tell your
child to open thumb and index finger. How in which hand they can show perfect L that hand
will be left hand and the other hand will be right hand.

INTRODUCE FINGER’S NAME

Index Finger, Middle Finger, Ring Finger, Little Finger, and Thumb Finger.
Now take the note book, put your child’s left hand on the note book and tell your child to draw
hand on the note book. And if possible, s/he can color the fingers one by one.
Thumb = Red, Index = Green, Middle = Yellow, Ring = Blue, Little =
Orange

LET’S LEARN HOW TO COUNT

Right hand is for unit digits / ones (0, 1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Left hand is for Tens Digit. (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90)
HOW TO COUNT IN RIGHT HAND
Now students will learn how to count with their 10 fingers. So, let’s start with “0”. To show 0,
hold the thumb of you right hand with your four fingers. This will be 0 and its look like the
number 0.
Open your right hand’s index finger, this is 1.
Then open/ add the middle finger with index finger, this will be 2.
Now open/ add the ring finger with index & middle finger, this will be 3.
Then open/add the little finger with index, middle & ring finger, this will be 4.
So, you can understand that the value of each finger of right hand is 1 except thumb.
Now close all the 4 fingers and open only thumb. This is 5. So, the value of thumb is 5.

In this way, if you open 1 finger with thumb it is 6, if you open 2 fingers with thumb it is 7, if
you open 3 fingers with thumb it is 8, and if you open 4 fingers with your thumb finger it will
be 9.

In this way if you open all the fingers of right hand this will be 9.

HOW TO COUNT IN LEFT HAND

To show 10 you have to show left hand’s index finger.
After 10, to show 11 we take the left-hand index, it carries 10 and the right-hand index finger,
it carries 1 (10 + 1 = 11). That means you need to open left hand’s index finger and right
hand’s index finger as well.

Now to show 12 to 19 left hand’s index finger will remain open and then count 2 to 9 in right
hand as shown above.

To show 20, open left hand’s index & middle finger and right hand will be 0.

21 to 29 – To show 21 need to open left hand’s index & middle finger and right hand’s index
finger as well. Now to show 22 to 29 left hand’s index & middle finger will remain open and
then count 2 to 9 in right hand as shown above.

Let’s count 30 to 49
In this way the value of each finger of left hand will 10 except thumb and the value of left
hand’s thumb will be 50.

Let’s count 51 to 60

Very good!! You did a great job. Now Let’s count rest of the digits 61 to 99
So, if you open all the fingers of left hand this will be 90 and all the fingers of right hand will
be 9. Altogether this will be 99.

HOW TO DO ADDITION & SUBTRACTION BY USING FINGERS

To do addition & subtraction you have to follow some rules.
1. When we will add we will add from our index finger to little finger
2. When we will subtract, we will do from our little finger to index finger.
3. If the digit we will add or subtract is bigger than 5, suppose 6, 7, 8 etc. in that case we will
add or subtract 5 first.

We will learn addition first. Here in the below there are some examples of addition. Let’s
practice these sums by using our fingers:

Addition
Example: 1+1, 1+2, 1+3, 1+5, 1+6, 1+7, 1+8
10+10, 10+20, 10+30, 10+50, 10+60, 10+70
10+1+5, 12+1+10
Look at the first sum 1 + 1
First you need to show 1 open right hand’s index finger and then to add 1 need to open right
hand’s middle finger. Answer is 2.
 = 2
1+3
First you need to show 1 open right hand’s index finger and then to add 3 need to open right
hand’s middle, ring and little finger. Answer is 4.

= 4

1+8
First you need to show 1 open right hand’s index finger and then to add 8 need to open right
hand’s thumb then middle, ring and little finger. Answer is 9.

= 9
10+50
To show 10 open left hand’s index finger and then to add 50 need to open left hand’s thumb.
Answer is 60

= 60
12+1+10
Now it’s time for bigger sum
Step 1 to show 12 open left hand’s index finger and right hand’s index and middle finger.
Step 2 To add 1 open / add right hand’s ring finger. Now you have 13
Step 3 To add 10 open / add left hand’s middle finger.
The answer is 23.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

= 23
Subtraction
Example: 4 - 1, 4 - 2, 4 - 3, 4 – 4, 9 – 5, 9 – 6, 9 – 7, 9 – 8, 9 – 9
40-10, 40 – 20, 40 – 30, 40 – 40, 90-50, 90 – 60, 90 – 70, 90 – 80
14 – 2 + 5 – 1, 43 + 50 – 90, 22 – 11 – 1 + 6
4–1
Step 1 Show 4 by opening right hand’s index, middle, ring and little finger.
Step 2 To subtract 1 close right hand’s little finger. Answer is 3.

Step 1 Step 2

=3
9–7
Step 1 To show 9 open all the fingers of right hand
Step 2 To subtract 7 close thumb (5) first then close little and ring finger.
Answer is 2.

Step 1 Step 2

= 2
40 – 30
Step 1 Show 40 by opening left hand’s index, middle, ring and little finger.
Step 2 To subtract 30 close left hand’s little finger then ring finger and lastly middle finger.
Answer is 10.

Step 1 Step 2

= 10
22 – 11 – 1 + 6
Step 1 to show 22 open left hand’s index & middle finger and right hand’s index and middle
finger.
Step 2 To subtract 11 close left hand’s middle finger first then right hand’s middle finger. So,
you have now 11 in your hand.
Step 3 To subtract 1 close right hand’s index finger. You have now 10 in your hand.
Step 4 Now to add 6 open right hand’s thumb (5) and index finger.
Answer is 16.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4

= 16

CLASS WORK 1A
Now you are ready to do sums from your book.
1.1 try to finish this portion within 15 min. Page-2
1.2 try to finish this portion within 15 min. Page 2.

ORAL CALCULATION
Parent will tell the sums from fingering part and student need to do and write the answers
maintaining numbering sequences. Listening to sums called out and doing the same to give
answers not only enhances the listing skill but also the hearing sense establish better memory
skills. Ability to do fast and accurate mental arithmetic calculation. Students will write answers
one by one in Exercises 1 and 2.
 HOME WORK 1 B.1
The home work will be 1B.1 page 1

ABACUS TECHNIQUE
Last class we learn how to count, add. and subtract by using our 10 fingers. But that was up to
99. For bigger number we will use Abacus.
WHAT IS ABACUS
ABACUS is a first man made calculator. ABACUS comes from a Greek word ABAX, means
sand. In ancient time people used to count by putting marks on the sand and from this concept
ABACUS has been invented. ABACUS is termed as the Father of computer.
CHARACTERISTICS OF ABACUS
1. The abacus is made of a wooden frame.
2. The shape of the Abacus is Rectangular.
3. The Abacus is divided into two parts. Upper part is called “Upper Deck” and the lower
part is called “Lower deck”.
4. The line divided the abacus into two parts is called “Answer Line”.
5. There are 13 Columns in it, in each column there are 5 beads. In the upper part each
column has only one bead, this is called upper bead and in the lower part each column
has 4 beads, this are called lower beads.

Frame Upper Deck & Upper Beads

Answer Line

Lower Deck
& Lower
Columns Beads

BASIC RULES OF USING ABACUS

There are some basic rules which you have to know and remember before using abacus. The
rules are as follows:
1. Need to make the abacus zero before starting any calculation.
 2. Must hold the abacus with left hand.
3. Always must hold the pencil.

HOW TO MOVE THE BEADS OF THE ABACUS

There are some rules to move the beads of the abacus.
Lower Deck
• To move up for addition, use right hand’s thumb finger.
• To move down for subtraction, use right hand’s index finger.

Upper Deck
• For adding and subtracting use only right hand’s middle finger.

BEADS MOVEMENT PRACTICE

Tell your child to move up the lower beads of each column with their Thumb Finger. Now they
will move down the lower beads of each column with their Index Finger. Make them practice
4 to 5 times.

Now for upper deck move down the beads with Middle Finger and move up the beads with
Middle Finger.
HOW TO MAKE ABACUS “0”
Before starting any calculation in the abacus, we need to make it zero position “0” position
means upper beads will be in the upper portion of the abacus and lower beads will be in the
lower portion of the abacus. For that we will hold our abacus with our two hands then lift it up
on the air & after that put it on the table. Now we will see that the green beads are in the lower
portion of the abacus and upper beads are also touching the answer line. Then we will sweep
our index finger left to right to move the red beads up. Now the answer line is empty. This is
zero position.

HOLDING PENCIL
Right-Handed students will hold the pencil in their right hand while doing calculation by
abacus.

Lefty students will hold the pencil in their left hand while doing calculation by abacus.
ABACUS COUNTING
Unit Column
First column of our right side represents Unit Column / Unit digit (0 – 9)
Each bead of lower deck of our right column represents 1. The upper bead represents 5.
Move up 1 bead of unit column and touch the answer line with thumb finger, this is 1.

Then move up 2 beads of unit column and touch the answer line with thumb finger, this is 2.

Move up 3 beads of unit column and touch the answer line with thumb finger, this is 3.

Then move up 4 beads of unit column and touch the answer line with thumb finger, this is 4.

Now put down all the 4 beads of unit column with index finger and put down the red beads of
upper deck to count 5.

In this way, if you add 1 beads with 5 it is 6, if you add 2 beads with 5 it is 7, if you add 3 beads
with 5 it is 8, and if you add 4 beads with your 5 finger it will be 9.
In this way if all the beads of unit column touch the answer line this will be 9.

Tens Column
In Abacus the second right column will be tens column. Tens column’s each bead of lower
deck will represent 10, and Upper bead of Tens Column will be 50.
Move up 1 bead of tens column and touch the answer line with thumb finger, this is 10.

To show 11, need to move up 1 green bead of tens column and 1 green bead of unit column.

To show 12, need to move up 1 green bead of tens column and 2 green beads of unit column.

In this way we can count 13 to 19.

Then move up 2 beads of tens column and touch the answer line with thumb finger, this is 20.

Let’s count 21 to 29.

Move up 3 beads of tens column and touch the answer line with thumb finger, this is 30.

Let’s count 31 to 39.

Then move up 4 beads of tens column and touch the answer line with thumb finger, this is 40.

Let’s count 41 to 49.

Now put down all the 4 beads of tens column with index finger and put down the red beads of
upper deck to count 50.

Let’s count 51 to 99.

If all the beads of tens column touch the answer line this will be 90 and all the beads of unit
column will be 9. Altogether this will be 99.

HOW TO DO ADDITION & SUBTRACTION IN ABACUS

Example 3 + 1 - 1
Step 1 To add 3, move up three beads of unit column
Step 2 To add 1, move up 1 bead of unit column
Step 3 To subtract 1, move down 1 bead from lower deck.
Answer is 3.

CLASS WORK 1A
Now you are ready to do sums from your book.
1.3 try to finish this portion within 15 min. Page-3
1.4 try to finish this portion within 15 min. Page 3.

ORAL CALCULATION
Parent will tell the sums from abacus part and student need to do and write the answers
maintaining numbering sequences. Listening to sums called out and doing the same to give
answers not only enhances the listing skill but also the hearing sense establish better memory
skills. Ability to do fast and accurate mental arithmetic calculation. Students will write answers
one by one in Exercises 3 and 4.

HOME WORK 1 B.1

The home work will be 1B.1 page 2.