One child called 36 a prime number. Another yelled out 'no.' So I said: let's find out. They all raced to build equal groups on the abacus — and came back with a dozen different answers. The child who made the 'marvelous mistake' had a lightbulb moment in real time. That's the kind of thing that doesn't happen with counters on a desk. Wish I had this when I was in Grade 4."

“As an educational leader supporting the Tutor Learning Initiative (TLI), I introduced the Linear Abacus to our mathematics tutor groups to assist students requiring additional support. The results have been remarkable. The Linear Abacus proved to be an incredibly effective tool for developing foundational numeracy skills. Its hands-on approach made abstract concepts tangible, enabling students to build a deeper understanding of place value, operations, and number relationships. Our tutors noted significant growth in students’ mathematical confidence and competence. Gaps in understanding that once seemed insurmountable were filled as students engaged with the Linear Abacus in a structured and supportive learning environment. The visual and interactive nature of this tool empowered our students to take ownership of their learning, and the growth we witnessed was extraordinary. I highly recommend the Linear Abacus to educators seeking to enhance numeracy outcomes for students needing targeted interventions. This tool has been a game-changer in our TLI program, setting a strong foundation for future success in mathematics."

"I have had the opportunity to read and review the Introduction to Foundational Numeracy, The Linear Abacus Games Book, and the Additive Thinking Flash Cards. My first reaction is that the resources are structured to support students making sense of mathematics by emphasising the connection between the principles of arithmetic and the representation offered through the linear abacus bead strings. My second reaction is that the resources, taken together, are a extraordinarily well compiled comprehensive set of resources that emphasise not only the mathematics but also the pedagogy of engaging students in thinking about the mathematics. I would encourage teachers and principals to take advantage of any professional learning opportunities offered that illustrate the potential of the particular resource."

" I wish to say how terrific the linear abacus resource worked for a particular student in my class today.
The student I am mentioning is a student with a learning disability.  The students were engaging in a task that required them to work out the area and volume of a particular shape.  It was heartening to see a student who regularly struggles with this type of maths to be able to 'click' with an activity because he was able to manipulate the abacus string/s  to assist his understanding. He was independent throughout and experienced success. My class of 6s have used the linear abacus in many different applications during this year and I've found it particularly helpful in consolidating understanding number tasks "


"Throughout the year I have been using the linear abacus in my classroom. It is an excellent tool for students to understand number concepts, with an easy-to-use concrete tool.  The abacus allows students to manipulate and visualise how numbers work, which is especially beneficial for students who are struggling with a range of math concepts. The abacus can also help students develop their problem-solving skills.  
Some examples of how the abacus has helped my students:
- A student who was struggling with addition and subtraction problems was able to add numbers quickly and easily on the abacus. This gave her confidence in her math skills, and she could transfer this knowledge to her other math work.

- A group of students were working on a problem that involved multiplying large numbers. They were able to use the abacus to collaboratively find the answer and explain their thinking with the abacus.

- A student who had difficulty with fractions was able to show a range of representations on the abacus and then over the course of a few lessons was then able to use the same skills to represent and identify common fractions into decimals.
 
I encourage other teachers to consider using the linear abacus in their classrooms, as it is a valuable tool that can help students to understand numbers and develop essential mathematical skills with an easy to manipulate tool, that enables students to visualise a range of concepts."

"As both a teacher and mother, I have found these Additive Thinking Flashcards to be invaluable tools for enhancing the learning experiences of both my students and my own children. They thoroughly enjoy using these flashcards, and now that I have finished teaching them as part of our unit, I incorporate them regularly as a quick warm up- before each maths lesson. This practice effectively improves and stimulates their addition and subtraction skills. These flashcards are incredibly versatile, serving as effective warmups before lessons, as rich tasks in a unit, as rich assessment pieces, or as additional practice for students who need it. Since integrating these additive thinking flashcards into our routine, I've seen significant improvement in my children's addition and subtraction skills. They particularly enjoy the engaging illustrations and word problems featured on the flashcards. I highly recommend these additive flashcards if you are a teacher or mother of primary children".

"Teaching the three additive concepts—difference, addition, and subtraction—together was beneficial. This approach allowed students to see connections between the concepts, making it easier for them to solve between different types of problems. The tasks really consolidated the concept of subtraction as a difference. Repeated exposure to phrases like "how many more" paired with the hands-on model of naming the beads on the Linear Abacus reinforced this understanding effectively. This consistent use of language and visual representation helped students understand the concept. Overall, in our formal summative assessment we saw students make progress, with growth ranging from 6 months to 2 years in their addition and subtraction post-assessments. Anecdotally, students demonstrated improved ability to reason with word problems, match operations to words, and explain their thinking clearly".

"When I introduced the Linear Abacus to my Grade 1s, I found it to be a very interesting and user friendly tool to teach addition, subtraction, skip counting and counting. Students found it easy to use and engage with. The use of the two distinctive colours helps the students to visualise and comprehend numbers up to 10 effortlessly. It serves as an excellent visual aid and very effective in teaching the fundamental concepts of Maths".

Truly Transformational Program for Our Kids' Maths Learning We’ve been using the Linear Abacus resources with both our children—our 7-year-old daughter (Grade 2) and our 9-year-old son—and it has been nothing short of transformational. ​ Our son had been quite behind in maths for his year level and often lacked confidence when tackling new concepts. Since starting with Linear Abacus, we’ve seen a huge improvement—not only in his skills, but in his attitude. He’s gone from feeling overwhelmed to actually enjoying maths and wanting to learn more. The program has reignited his curiosity and given him the tools to understand and approach maths in a much more meaningful way. ​ Our daughter has also blossomed with this approach. She used to find maths challenging and a bit stressful, but now she loves it. She often tells us how much she enjoys her homework and looks forward to using the resources. Her confidence has skyrocketed, and it shows in both her schoolwork and her willingness to take on new challenges. ​ What makes Linear Abacus so effective is the way it teaches maths through doing and seeing—using tangible, visual tools that help kids really grasp what numbers mean before jumping into abstract symbols. This hands-on approach has made such a difference in how our children learn and retain concepts. We’re incredibly grateful not only for the program, but for the support and passion behind it. To have a resource like this—and such a committed educator—right in our neighbourhood is a gift. We can’t recommend Linear Abacus highly enough!

"The Linear Abacus has been a game changer. As the Coordinator of the Numeracy Intervention Program at Fitzroy Primary School we are dealing with students above and below the expected level. The Linear Abacus allows for explicit teaching that targets important mathematical concepts and makes the focus clear. It extends and supports learners and is easily transferrable between a range of concepts, this allows students to treat mathematics as a whole and not as parts that do not relate to one another. The Linear Abacus is durable, versatile and coming as it does in lines of thirty and a hundred allows access points from Foundation to Grade six and beyond."

"Through using the Linear Abacus and participating in the professional learning and coaching sessions, I began to see the “why” behind the concepts. For the first time, I felt like I was genuinely teaching mathematics, not just delivering it. That shift in my own understanding transformed my confidence. I found myself approaching lessons with excitement, asking better questions, and being more responsive to student thinking. My enjoyment of maths grew alongside my students’, and they became more engaged, curious, and willing to explore different strategies because they could see connections and make sense of what they were learning. It’s been such a rewarding change, both professionally and personally."

"The Linear Abacus™ has proven to be an invaluable, flexible and manipulative tool that supports students in their learning and allows them to show and verbalise their understanding of mathematical concepts. It is a versatile resource that can be utilised in almost all areas of the curriculum. The magnetic Linear Abacus™ supports teachers to effectively model and explicitly teach concepts. Highly recommended by students and teachers of our school."

I personally like the Linear Abacus™ because it makes me learn cm easily. I can even measure myself using it!

"I used the flashcards as part of a Numeracy Conference and I noticed that this student became more confident when solving similar problems and spent less time wondering what he had to do as first steps. Starting at the beginning, he learned to break down word problems and make connections between addition and subtraction problems. This allowed him to see the patterns with number stories, number sentences, and models.  The Additive Thinking flashcards and system allowed myself as a teacher to see this progression. This was the first conference I tried with a student, and once I had a go I could see the enormous potential this had to support my understanding of the curriculum and maths development, as well as how to use it as a meaningful assessment/conference tool for teachers. This program also allows you to hone in on a very specific skill and then build on that. It also allowed for meaningful discussions with the students on the task they were completing and naturally allowed for my questioning to support his understanding."

I like the Linear Abacus™ because it is so much fun to use, especially when doing arrays.

I like the Linear Abacus™ because it has 10 beads in each colour and it has a lot of space to slide back

I like the Linear Abacus™ because it helps me count by 20, 10, 5, 2 and more.

My feedback on the Linear Abacus™ is that it is really a good item to use in skip counting

I like the Linear Abacus™ because you can do maths and you can use it to play maths games too.

I like the Linear Abacus™ because it helps with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

"We are fortunate enough to have Gen attend our school on a regular basis. As a new graduate teacher I find this level of expertise invaluable. University can only prepare you for so much. My mathematical understanding is limited as It has been a long time since I was in school. In fact, I almost gave up on the idea of becoming a teacher because of the LANTITE test. Since working with Gen, I understand the importance of a scaffolded approach to learning. Students have developed confidence with the correct modelling and the use of the Linear Abacus, making learning both hands on and theoretical. We have used it across all numeracy areas. Where once I was reluctant to teach math, it is now one of my favoured subjects, the light bulb moments from both students and myself can be seen on an almost daily basis. In hindsight , my only wish is that I had had Gen to study for the LANTITE test. What seemed complex is now achievable for both the students and myself." 

"I recently used the Llinear Abacus while teaching a unit on fractions. It was a great tool for helping students visualise and understand parts of a whole. Students represented fractions on the abacus and were able show equivalence. Some through their own investigation! Students were able to develop an understanding of fractions broadly and were able to make connections to decimal place value and measurement, partly due to previous experiences with the tool."

The linear abacus has been a valuable tool in our classroom for teaching students about number and algebra concepts. Its color-coded design and arrangement in tens on a string make it easy for students to solve problems and keep the classroom tidy. As a teacher, I find it convenient to model concepts on the whiteboard using my own linear abacus. Our students have successfully used it to learn about place value, fractions, decimals, addition, and subtraction.

As you are aware I have worked with some students from Grades 2 and 3 in the last six months.    The students used the Linear Abacus in this time to work on their multiplication, subtraction and addition strategies.   The students loved using it for the colour and the textile,  This helped them to check their answers and it made them feel confident.  As they counted they automatically knew they had blocks of ten to work with and when they subtracted they were able to see that they had the right amount left over.  In addition they also knew they had blocks of ten to start with so this helped also.  In doing multiplication they would use the whole string to make blocks of 9 for example, and then put them all together to get their answer using blocks of ten. My students loved using the Linear Abacus and if I didn't have it out, they would ask for it. Thank you for this valuable resource.  It was fun and valuable for both my students and me!

"I found the Place value sequence beneficial. Students were able to understand key concepts using the Linear abacus then transform their learnings as a picture, an additive and multiplicative argument. They also were able to extend themselves and enjoyed learning about the powers of 10. I liked how students were able to explore other key concepts and make connections to other areas of number through addition and multiplication. Students gained a better understanding of renaming and how this can be used in other parts of their learning."