Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Chess: A Learning Tool - Part 1 of 3
  Chess: A Learning Tool - Part 1 of 3 For years, school children in the former Soviet Union, Belgium, East Germany, Zaire, and other countries have been taught chess as a way of improving basic reasoning as well as math and verbal skills. Finally, almost half a century after the Soviets, chess is being introduced formally in our public schools, from New York to California. There are many studies that substantiate the value of chess in the schools. We will take excerpts from several to build our case for "chess is a learning tool." The results as we will see, will lead us to logical conclusion, "Chess exceeds all other thinking development programs available!" (e.g. future problem solving, independent study, problem solving with computers, creative writing, etc.)
Why should we teach chess? What are the hard facts about chess and academic achievement? Chess has been proven to enhance creativity, concentration, critical thinking skills, memory, academic achievement, problem solving, cultural enrichment, intellectual maturity, self-esteem, standardized test scores, and a host of other qualities that every parent and teacher desires. The Margulies' study conclusively proved that students who learned chess enjoyed a significant increase in their reading skills. "Inside Chess" (Feb 21, 1994, p.3) states: "the Margulies Study is one of the strongest arguments to finally prove what hundreds of teachers knew all along, "chess is a learning tool." In Ferguson's third study, which included many poor readers, the students showed significant growth in verbal reasoning skills. After only one year of chess study in Zaire, the students participating in the chess course showed a marked development of their verbal and numerical aptitudes. Chess: A Learning Tool - Part 2 of 3 |
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