I am working on ideas for my favorite part of the Xmas shopping: stocking stuffers :biggrin:
I just came across this and ordered it IMMEDIATELY! A Japanese Style Soroban at an great price, correct sized & shaped beads, all wood… For $19.99 
I so hope the quality is good, but here you go!
http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/f151/?pfm=geek-kids_newest_f151_7
Hi Keri, we didn’t have a chance of using a soroban software so I cannot comment on mathsecret. I got my information from one of the better-rated books on soroban “Japanese Abacus by Takashi Kojima”. I’d be happy to forward an e-book copy. Re using left/right/ both hands, Cammie’s and (Ella’s) school bridged over to using the one-hand approach after finding out that that method is being used in other countries. They had an international competition and observed that using one-hand is more efficient/faster in doing computations.
I looked at the soroban at thinkgeek. I think it’s an abacus with a wooden frame and brown plastic beads. I think it’s fine for introducing Alex to the soroban but if you’re looking for a quality soroban, you may want to buy at www.soroban.com. We bought a 13-digit all-wood for 4,200 Japanese Yen. Shipping is free.
Nadia0801,
Thanks so much for the great advice and book recommendation :biggrin: I sent you a PM!
Funnily enough, it was supremely fantastic timing! I have been reluctant to invest in a nice Soroban more from fear of my ability to teach it than anything else. And of course, there is the fact that it is seemingly impossible to get her into a class for at least two more years >:(
However, I recently sent several exploratory emails to faculty at the Uni here, and have discovered a professor willing to meet with her for private lessons–provided he thinks she is ready! I don’t think he believes that she is able to do a fraction of the things we are doing :biggrin:
Unfortunately, he does not have the time to teach her long term, he is willing to get her started!
Oh! I also have to give you a huge thank you for the idea of having the LO give their knowledge of multiplication table facts as a gift. This has been a huge hit in exciting Alex to finish up the remaining facts! (Using the multiplication.com materials, with stories JUST slightly modified/personalized to make them appeal to her.)She is SO proud to work hard on a gift for daddy for a special Xmas present, and she adores keeping the secret until then, with lots of giggles and whispers lol she has been begging to practice them every day this week as she wants it to be perfect, an I love the fact that she is learning that some of the best gifts are not purchased in a store!
I am definitely going to have the video camera ready on Xmas morning!
Thanks for the link to the Soroban site Nadia - I am thinking of purchasing one. I’m wondering if it’s better to start with a small 5 or 5 column soroban for my DD so she doesn’t get overwhelmed. has anyone else used these or just gone straight for a full soroban?
Keri - if you are struggling to find a teacher maybe you could look at distance learning? Our local soroban teacher starts at age 3-3.5 for face to face classes and will post out the materials monthly. You may well be able to find someone in the US who would do this as well? Then the requirement for age is less of an issue as you will be doing the teaching yourself using the materials provided and you can adapt as you see fit (as you have been doing already with all the other learning 
It might also reduce time in the car.
Thanks Nadia for sharing the link. This is the Soroban I’m looking for: a 13-digit all-wood with larger beads and visual indicator for the units rod 
Regarding transition form RS Abacus to Soroban, has anyone tried the Activities for AL Abacus book? http://store.rightstartmath.com/activitiesforalabacus.aspx
Here is the product description:
A manual showing how to use the AL Abacus to teach arithmetic to children K-4 through hands-on and visual work. Topics include place value, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, strategies for mastering facts, [b]and instructions for adding on the Japanese or Chinese abacus[/b].
I’m wondering if using those instructions will make the transition easier for our LOs. Any thoughts?
AB_C-
I have the RS Activities For The AL Abacus, and LOVE it. I will explain, but first let me try to answer your question…
I think that description is very misleading! The book itself is geared toward the AL abacus, although many of the activities, games, and methods could be adapted to either a Chinese or Japanese abacus. However, there really is Minimal instruction on these types. The last unit, Unit 11, has a 5.5 page section with general instruction sheet that includes instructions for using thin bands of tape on the AL Abacus to modify it, and problems to work. It definitely would not be great for a stand-alone introduction, and if you are planning on transitioning fully to Soroban, I think there are more useful instruction methods to use!
HOWEVER!
If, like us, you plan on teaching both? BUY IT!
The text really is a fantastic overall guide to using the AL Abacus. We actually use it as much, if not more often, than the RS Lessons. We are going through all of the lessons regularly in RS B as obviously I want to be very careful not to miss anything or assume full understanding. There are also lots of extras, such as time, money, fractals, etc. But my one pet peeve with RS is that it takes a VERY long time to even get to other operations than addition. And she/we need to know how to do it/teach it (the other operations that is!) in a manner consistent to how she will need it should she continue through all levels of RS.
For example: if you are working through RS A or RS B, the kids master addition before even considering subtraction. In some ways I can see why, but as we are also doing things like Singapore Math, which teaches number bonds, if is MUCH more reasonable to teach addition/subtraction and Multiplication/division together. That is the brilliance of having the Activities book- you get a nice synopsis/guide for teaching all of this without needing to buy all RS levels A-D just to see how it will be presented! We have been using the Multiplication.com materials (Alex wants to surprise Daddy on Xmas morning :biggrin: ), and it was extremely useful to have the Activities book to demonstrate how her facts were shown in ala RS.
In fact, I know that many people have successfully used the Activities for the AL Abacus as a stand-alone curriculum. I wouldn’t recommend that, but if it were used along side inexpensive workbooks, or MEP, or JumpMath, or Singapore…it would be extremely effective on a budget! Especially if one also purchased the RS Games set :yes:
One example of how it worked for us: when I first started teaching Alex math facts (I think she was about two), I was giving her ten objects and letting her divide them up into different piles, demonstrating that the two piles always added up to ten. It was working, but more slowly than I would have thought…the Activities book has a lovely diagram and activity by which the different ways to splitting up ten beads are represented on each wire-providing an awesome visual that not only was quickly understood but taught the Commutative property. In minutes! And so much, much more.
Okay, enough said on the value for money book! Personally, it is packed with so many lovely ideas for LOs that I would highly recommend it regardless of which type of abacus. I just don’t think it would be a nice primary source for Soroban. As a supplement to just about any abacus-style math program, it is an absolute gem
Thanks Keri for your reply. Very helpful! Currently, we are on RS level A but I frequently use the AL abacus to teach subtraction especially when we play Sum Swamp or work on JG. My son loves to mix all the curricula together (last time, I caught him secretly playing a huge matching game with his Montessori number rods, beads, RS cards and JG matrix cards ) Getting the RS activity book can help us do some more “mixing”. As for Soroban, I am still looking for a program that suits my son’s learning fashion who is still very RB. Also, there is an interesting post by TMT about Soroban and she has recently added more links to various programs: http://forum.brillkids.com/product-discussions-and-reviews/overall-abacus-programs-math-discussion/15/
BTW, I am so happy for Alex, she’s doing an excellent job with her multiplication table!
Shhh, let her read that sentence for some more encouragement