SIMA Abacus offers a meticulously designed curriculum featuring 3 Pre-Basic classes, followed by 11 progressive mainstream levels—ensuring a clearly defined developmental path for learners from ages 3 to around 13–14 .
Pre-Basic classes target younger children (around age 3), focusing on foundational number sense and early engagement.
The 11 Mainstream Levels build upon each other, guiding students from concrete manipulation of the SIMA abacus to full mental arithmetic mastery.
Completion timelines:
Starting at Basic A typically takes around 4 years to complete the 11 levels.
Beginning at Pre-Basic may extend to 5 years, reflecting age and developmental readiness .
What Happens at Each Stage
Though SIMA doesn’t publicly share exhaustive level-by-level syllabi, the progression generally follows this logic:
1. Concrete Abacus Mastery
Children first learn to physically manipulate the patented red-and-green color-coded SIMA Abacus, leveraging visual engagement and fine motor control to build foundational number skills .
2. Dual-Hand Coordination
Using both hands simultaneously stimulates both brain hemispheres—logical (left brain) and creative (right brain)—from early stages onward .
3. Rhymes and Flash Card Drills
At intermediate levels, rhythmic learning and rapid flash card practice deepen memory retention, quick recall, and enhance neural connections through consistent stimulation .
4. ANZAN Mental Abacus Technique
Advanced stages train students to visualize the SIMA abacus and perform mental calculations—such as solving numerous roll problems (even up to 20 rolls) in their minds without any calculating device.
Beyond Arithmetic: Whole-Brain Development
At every level, SIMA’s curriculum nurtures far more than just calculation skills:
Neuro-development: Finger-tip interaction with beads fosters new neuron growth and synapse formation, reinforcing memory and concentration .
Life-Long Cognitive Skills: Students gain improved listening, observation, imagination, creative thinking, discipline, perseverance, and a growth mindse