Pupils from Scotland, UK and overseas test their mental maths skills online

An international Mental Maths Olympiad for anyone between the ages of 4 and 14 is attracting the attention of lots of ambitious youngsters from all over the country.

Launched by The British Youth International College (BYITC), the Olympiad is based on the school’s innovative Abacus Maths training programme, and its new competition presents pupils with a series of mental arithmetic problems to test the skills they have honed through Supermaths tuition and other learning methods.

BYITC founder Dr Rashmi Mantri said: “The Mental Maths Olympiad is challenging our students, and others, to engage with their training in a fun and interactive way, and also letting them see how far they have already come.

“We know that working on arithmetic problems alone can be monotonous, so we have introduced a competitive element so that students can improve their analytical skills in a more dynamic way.”

The challenge is open to students worldwide. Like the tuition programme itself, the Olympiad, which runs through until 15 February 2023, is split into 4 age categories. The top performers in each will be awarded prizes for their mental arithmetic skills.

Conducted entirely online, students can participate from home at any time that suits them. The Olympiad is being conducted on the BYITC Abacus learning software, with an online scoreboard displaying the top performers in all age categories. And with the efficient use of AI and a camera recording system, this test will be one of the most transparent and open.

Dr Mantri added: “Many children were left behind in their maths learning because of the Covid pandemic and our competition is a modest contribution towards helping them catch-up by raising their interest in mental maths skills.

“We believe Abacus training is one of the most effective ways to learn Maths. But it’s not just about getting good grades – it is a highly effective tool for general cognitive development and we would love to see increased co-operation from all learning organisations that recognise the importance of improved mental maths skills.”

The BYITC is now the largest Abacus Maths classes provider in UK. Founded in 2015, the Glasgow-based academy has grown to welcome over one thousand students around the world through its online classes.

Its original Supermaths programme remains one of the school’s most popular. Split into a junior and senior track, both courses offer a mix of weekly teacher-led Abacus Maths classes and online tutorials. The Abacus method teaches students how to calculate complex sums first with a physical abacus board, then through visualisation.

Dr Mantri said: “We have created a fun and engaging way of learning. Besides helping kids master mental arithmetic and perform rapid calculations, Abacus training has many other proven benefits such as improved memory and problem-solving skills.

“The abacus is widely accepted as once of the most versatile tools to train your brain for mathematical calculations involving large numbers. With it, kids can learn to calculate faster than a calculator.”

Pupils training for the Olympiad can also make use of the world’s first digital abacus maths learning application, developed by the BYITC for its students. The app features a virtual abacus tool as well as videos, practice questions, classwork and homework so pupils and parents can track their progress.

Dr Mantri added: “We hope that by taking part in the competition, our Supermaths students will further develop their enthusiasm for number crunching. Our aim is to not only improve their arithmetic skills, speed and accuracy, but also boost their confidence.”

Information on how to participate can be found on the Supermaths website: https://supermaths.co.uk/mental-maths-olympiad/.

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