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AMcHarg
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Joined: 19 Nov 2008
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Location: Livingston, Scotland
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 Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:37 am Post subject: BBC News - Should every child be made to play Chess? |
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13140772
| Quote: | Armenia is making chess compulsory in schools, but could mandatory study of a board game really help children's academic performance and behaviour?
Every child aged six or over in Armenia is now destined to learn chess. The authorities there believe compulsory lessons will "foster schoolchildren's intellectual development" and improve critical thinking skills.
The country has plenty of reasons to believe in chess. It treats grandmasters like sports stars, championships are displayed on giant boards in cities and victories celebrated with the kind of frenzy most countries reserve for football.
Chess is nothing less than a national obsession.
It may only have a population of 3.2 million, but Armenia regularly beats powerhouses such as Russia, China and the US and its national team won gold at the International Chess Olympiad in 2006 and 2008.
Added to that, the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has just been re-elected as chair of the Armenian Chess Federation.
Creative
Now the chess-mad country is investing nearly $1.5m (£920,000) to teach all of its children. But for other countries constantly strategising about how to boost child development and education, is making study of the Sicilian and the Queen's Gambit a good idea?
Proponents of chess in schools do claim some evidence. A two-year study conducted in the US by Dr Stuart Marguilies found that learning chess improved reading test scores and reading performance in elementary schools.
In Armenia chess players are sports stars Another study by Professor Peter Dauvergne, who is also a chess master, concluded playing chess could raise IQ scores, strengthen problem solving skills, enhance memory and foster creative thinking.
Malcolm Pein, chief executive of Chess in Schools and Communities, a programme that puts chess into UK schools, says there are lots of reasons why chess has a positive impact on primary school children.
"Not only does it give children good thinking skills and improve concentration, memory and calculation, but it teaches children to take responsibility for their actions.
"There are also behavioural attitudes and social attributes to the game too. Children shake hands at the start, and although it's not deathly silent in classes, it's reasonably quiet and disciplined."
Far from it just being the case that more academically-minded people are more likely to play chess, he says the game is a very universal and inclusive activity that can be played at all standards.
Turn off
"Someone who is four can play someone who is 104, someone that can't walk around can play a top class athlete. Sometimes children that have been overlooked in other ways - maybe the quietest or physically smallest child in class - could be the best.
“Chess is a very addictive process, a positive drug for children”
Malcolm Pein
Chess in Schools and Communities
"The other outstanding thing about chess is it's so cheap, so it can really help children in areas that are economically disadvantaged."
Pein is a big supporter of chess being made compulsory at school and recently made a submission to the government's National Curriculum review. It recommended that one class of chess - "or other thinking games like bingo" - is made mandatory every week.
He concedes the game can be challenging for young children, but argues that by the age of six or seven they are more than capable of picking it up.
English grandmaster and Times chess correspondent Raymond Keene agrees with targeting six-year-olds at primary school - and not just because he thinks it is the optimum time to catch children with the potential to make it big.
"Chess draws from brain power, not experience - it's not like writing an epic. So if a child is good at six, they could be a grandmaster by the time they are 12," he enthuses.
He says "chess is a very addictive process, a positive drug for children". Even when it is played online, it is much better than video games or television, he adds.
'Intriguing'
But although he thinks teaching chess in schools could be beneficial, he would stop short of making it compulsory.
"There are plenty of other things that could benefit from being compulsory too, I wonder whether it would be appropriate," he says.
"Also, in Armenia the government is knocking at an open door. Chess is already so embedded in its culture, it's bound up in its national psyche and ambitions. In the UK making it compulsory might actually turn people off."
Chess greats
Russia's Garry Kasparov has been ranked the World Number One most times - 23
Hungary's Judit Polgar has been ranked the World's Number One woman most times - 46
Norway's Magnus Carlsen has been ranked the World's Number One junior most times - 15
Source: World Chess Federation
Chess players may be convinced of chess' credentials, but could education experts be persuaded?
Katherine Birbalsingh, the teacher who came to public notice after a speech to the Conservative conference criticising school standards, and who is now setting up her own free school, says it is easy to see how chess would be a useful tool.
"I'm a great believer in knowledge acquisition - and chess is obviously a skill - so I can understand why it would be a good thing to teach children. My question is, what would you lose instead?
"There is so much to learn, so many subjects to put into the curriculum, it would be a shame to lose something like music or art for chess."
Chris Woodhead, the former chief inspector of schools in England, says providing chess in schools - either through clubs or classes - could be helpful, but compulsory classes are not the way forward.
"I'm not sure whether it would have a beneficial impact, but chess is an activity many people find intriguing and satisfying, so it's got to be a good to have the option," he says.
Russell Hobby, the general secretary of The National Association of Head Teachers says fostering strategic thinking is an essential employability skill. But he can't support the idea of mandatory chess.
"No more compulsory subjects. It's about finding what works with each group of children."
And in a curriculum already subject to numerous priorities, chess may struggle to make the grade.
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admin
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 12:26 pm Post subject: |
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| I agree with that. I started a new school last Thursday. I have never seen 18 youngsters with such a yearning to learn. It was a pleasant surprise |
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AMcHarg
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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| admin wrote: | | I started a new school last Thursday. |
"Howie's School of Chess Mediocrity"?  
We have a bigger population than Armenia so imagine how good we could be at Chess!? |
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Graeme Forbes
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Location: I'm back in killie for anyone wanting to know.
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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| admin wrote: | | I agree with that. I started a new school last Thursday. I have never seen 18 youngsters with such a yearning to learn. It was a pleasant surprise |
I'd also agree with it. |
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Phil Thomas
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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The problem with research into the academic benefits of chess is that very very few peer reviewed* articles on the subject get published in the academic literature. This became abundantly clear to me at the CISCCON conference held at Aberdeen in 2007.
The links from the BBC article taking into account their brevity are as impressive a set of supportive data for benefits of chess playing for young people as I can recall seeing.
Periodically this notice board has comments upon the lack of chess funding and the general desire to improve funding levels.
One just hopes that funding bodies don't base their judgements upon the level of academic debate seen upon this noticeboard.
PS Congratulations to Andy on joining the small* sub set of ChessScotland members who are actively coaching in a school.
* when the second asterisk gets peer reviewed upon this notice board it may well emerge that there are many more members than we thought doing such sterling work in this nation's schools. |
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Paul Denham
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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Now now Andrew..... Howie's school might or might not be mediocre but the teacher would be a strict disciplinarian..... "BOY!!! What is the meaning of this, you have made your 9th move and have YET to gambit a pawn. 100 lines... I must remember to gambit a pawn every game... I must remember to gambit a pawn..."
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It is said that life is too short for chess but that is the fault of life, not chess |
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Paul Denham
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12905994
Another great story about the power of Chess.
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It is said that life is too short for chess but that is the fault of life, not chess |
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Phil Thomas
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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Two BBC chess good news stories on the same day.
Perhaps this means a slow day for news, perhaps its highly welcome publicity that we should thank the BBC for, perhaps its time for Mr Chandler to ask for the Master Game to be revived
Interesting that the first story was listed as the most read item at one stage. I wonder if stats of that type influence BBC perceptions of what is newsworthy. |
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Angus McDonald
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 11:39 am Post subject: |
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It still perplexes me that hundreds of thousands of pounds of public/lottery money ? was found to sponsor a Chess project in Aberdeen which especially targeted the less well off areas (dare I say deprived) of Aberdeen but no money is available to support the talented Chess players who came through from that project. Suddenly it all becomes parental responsibility. No doubt MPs and MSPs will be rushing to play all their expenses for playing the game of politics well?
I know! In a world of nonsensical governmental decisions regarding use of money it should not perplex me!! |
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Stuart Blyth
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 11:48 am Post subject: |
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Angus
I suppose they might be viewed as two separate things?
One could be seen as bringing the general benefits of learning/playing chess to as many kids as possible, while the other is perhaps more concerned with helping those who show great talent for chess to become high class players.
This isn't a judgement on the worthiness/fairness of any of this, simply an observation/thought! |
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Angus McDonald
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 11:53 am Post subject: |
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Quite correct Stuart.
They are different things but the same children. If we are only interested in the bottom then I guess Scotland will remain at the bottom.
This is how STV news reported on the issue.
http://www.stv.tv/weather/69166-aberdeen-chess-scheme-lastest-to-be-affected-by-cuts/
Anyway apologies! I was only on the CS site to get Phil's address to send the £257 for Ian to play in the Glorney. |
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Phil Thomas
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Angus McDonald wrote: | Quite correct Stuart.
They are different things but the same children. If we are only interested in the bottom then I guess Scotland will remain at the bottom.
This is how STV news reported on the issue.
http://www.stv.tv/weather/69166-aberdeen-chess-scheme-lastest-to-be-affected-by-cuts/
Anyway apologies! I was only on the CS site to get Phil's address to send the £257 for Ian to play in the Glorney. |
And its with great regret that I have to charge this much to the players. Makes the car park at Prestwick seem cheap at £2.50 per day. |
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Angus McDonald
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| Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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Prestwick looks like it will be a great tournament. The chance of a family room at a good price also made it attractive but unfortunately work and children's exams make it impossible for us this year.
Point I'm making about the funding is that without support for the emerging talent they will be at a disadvantage to countries where the youth are supported.
The lack of funding for Scotland's youth is also unfair to the organisers who have to request parents to pay for Scotland's representation. |
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Jim Crawford
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Joined: 29 Sep 2008
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Location: Edinburgh
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| Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 6:34 am Post subject: chess in schools |
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great to see chess in schools on the tv this morning
http://www.chessinschools.co.uk/
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David Deary
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Joined: 31 May 2010
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| Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 12:02 pm Post subject: |
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I didn't catch it this morning but here is a link to those who missed it:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13343943
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