A ran across this news article the other day, and have been wondering ever since, why this is not a part of most schools, curricula, and why there is almost no discussion about this topic. What little I have found about the value in teaching chess in K-12 schools is filled with positive perspectives from literally every side of every perspective in education. It takes little in investment (chess boards and pieces are relatively cheap); it is a game which can be played by almost anyone, irrespective of physical challenges, age, or background. There are studies to show that it does have a positive effect upon developing more structured thinking processes…
I can’t find a downside to this…
So…why aren’t we in the midst of a chess boom in education?
Should every child be made to play chess?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13140772
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.
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.
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.
