Top 3 Benefits of Teaching Chess to Kids
by Andre Morte - May 2020
The first chess world champion William Steinitz once acclaimed that "Chess is intellectual gymnastics." A game as complicated as chess would undoubtedly spur players into deep thought. Scientists rely on this brain activity to see if there are any mental benefits to playing chess, especially on kids. Below are those that have been corroborated by recent reports and studies showing that chess provides a significant value to developing minds:
1. Cognitive abilities
In a game where the brain is the main weapon, chess definitely stimulates thinking. The practice of sitting in place quietly for a long of time, just trying to logically solve a complicated problem without the help of others sounds like something a regular child would not want to do. When this activity becomes a game, then interest is generated which hones the skills necessary for school work. The current lot of reports that have been corroborated by studies have discovered improvement in the following in children (1-8):
Chess is rife with domain-general cognitive learning (9), which is a nicer term for being able to solve problems, regardless of the information being received. These benefits of chess training become particularly useful in the life of a student when they are applied in school. Scientists call this transfer of abilities between domains. The hope is that the skills in the domain of chess can be transferred to other domains, such as school subjects.
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2. Improves math scores
This brings us to what is probably the main reason a lot parents let their children take up chess: academic performance. There is nothing wrong with wanting your child to do well in school. As parents, we want to find the most direct way for our children succeed, and often we neglect the indirect ways. Chess is one such indirect and fun way and its benefits are apparent in problem solving and pattern laden mathematics. According to studies, the skills inherent to chess play can be transferred to math.
Multiple studies have demonstrated an increase in math test scores after taking up chess, with benefits pronounced more in those who recently learn how to play (10-15). The time allotment of chess classes differ with one study concluding that replacing one class a week of traditional math with chess instruction would tend to be beneficial to math scores (13) while another It suggests that 25-30 hours as the minimum threshold for substantive transfer effects of chess to other domains, on top of math classes(16).
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3. Improves reading scores (less than math)
Visualisation, attention, and critical thinking are a few of hallmarks of good reading comprehension. These traits can be found in spades in chess, thus, a seamless transition of skills should be expected. Surprisingly, reading has proven to be a more heterogenous domain to chess compared to math. Studies have found that the magnitude of the benefits of chess on math are different when it comes to reading (2,17). Some studies have found a significant improvement in reading scores, while a minority have found no significant change at all (11,15).
The mixed results regarding reading scores allude to reading having less in common with chess than math. It should be noted that there are several reports in multiple countries stating that reading scores have increased, which they attribute to their chess program (2). One particular peer-reviewed study noted that children who prepared for and participated in tournaments had significant increases in their reading scores versus those played leisurely or at a club level (14).
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As more and more studies share their findings, scientists can get a clearer picture of the benfits of ches. Currently, what these and other studies highlight is that the cognitive development potentially offered by chess instruction need not be realised primarily through traditionally recognised cognitive outcomes such as math scores and reading scores.
References:
1.Aciego R, et al. The Benefits of Chess for the Intellectual and Social-Emotional Enrichment in Schoolchildren. Span J Psychol. 2012;15(2):551-559.
2.Ortiz-Pulido R, et al. Neroscientific evidence support that chess improves academic performance in school. Rev Mex Neuroci, 2019;20(4):194-199.
3. Kazemi F, Yektayar M, Abad AM. Investigation the impact of chess play on developing meta-cognitive ability and math problem-solving power of students at different levels of education. Procedia Soc Behav Sci. 2012; 32:372-9.
4. Trinchero R, Sala G. Chess training and mathematical problem-solving: the role of teaching heuristics in transfer of learning. Eurasia J Math Sci Technol Educ. 2016;12:655-68.
5. Gliga F, Flesner PI.Cognitive Benefits of Chess Training in Novice Children. Procedia Soc Behav Sci. 2014;116:962-967.
6. Burgoyne A, et al. The relationship between cognitive ability and chess skill: A comprehensive meta-analysis. 2016. Intelligence.59:72-83.
7. Bart W. On the Effect of Chess Training on Scholastic Achievement. 2014Front Psychol. 5:762.
8. Sala G, et al. Checking the “Academic Selection” argument. Chess players outperform non-chess players in cognitive skills related to intelligence: A meta-analysis. 2017;61:130-139.
9. Sala G, Foley JP, Gobet F. The Effects of Chess Instruction on Pupils' Cognitive and Academic Skills: State of the Art and Theoretical Challenges. Front Psychol. 2017;8:238.
10.Sala G, Gorini A, Pravettoni G. Mathematical problem-solving abilities and chess: an experimental study on young pupils. SAGE Open. 2015;5:2158244015596050.
11.Sala G, Gobet F, Trinchero R, Ventura S. Chess instruction enhance mathematical ability in children? A three group design to control for placebo effects. In: Does Chess Instruction Enhance Mathematical Ability in Children? Philadelphia, PA: a Three Group Design to Control for Placebo Effects; 2016.
12. Islam A, Lee WS, Nicholas A. The Effects of CHess Instruction on Academic and Non-COgnitive Outcomes: Field Experimental Evience from a Developing Country. IZA Discussion Papers. 2019.
13. Rosholm M, Mikkelsen MB, Gumede K.Your move: The effect of chess on mathematics test scores. PloS one 2017;12(5): e0177257.
14. Poston D, Vandekieboom K. The Effect of Chess on Standardized Test Score Gains. SAGE Open. 2019.
15. Jankovic A, Novak I.Chess as a Powerful Eduacational Tool for Successful People, In: Tipurić, Darko Hruška, Domagoj (Ed.): 7th International OFEL Conference on Governance, Management and Entrepreneurship: Embracing Diversity in Organisations. 2019;425-441
16.Sala G, Gobet F. Do the Benefits of Chess Instruction Transfer to Academic and Cognitive Skills? A Meta-Analysis. 2016;18:46-57.
17. Dapica-Tejada R.Influencia del Ajedrezen la Comprensión Lectoraylos Movimientos Sacádicos en Niños Madrid. 2016.
1.Aciego R, et al. The Benefits of Chess for the Intellectual and Social-Emotional Enrichment in Schoolchildren. Span J Psychol. 2012;15(2):551-559.
2.Ortiz-Pulido R, et al. Neroscientific evidence support that chess improves academic performance in school. Rev Mex Neuroci, 2019;20(4):194-199.
3. Kazemi F, Yektayar M, Abad AM. Investigation the impact of chess play on developing meta-cognitive ability and math problem-solving power of students at different levels of education. Procedia Soc Behav Sci. 2012; 32:372-9.
4. Trinchero R, Sala G. Chess training and mathematical problem-solving: the role of teaching heuristics in transfer of learning. Eurasia J Math Sci Technol Educ. 2016;12:655-68.
5. Gliga F, Flesner PI.Cognitive Benefits of Chess Training in Novice Children. Procedia Soc Behav Sci. 2014;116:962-967.
6. Burgoyne A, et al. The relationship between cognitive ability and chess skill: A comprehensive meta-analysis. 2016. Intelligence.59:72-83.
7. Bart W. On the Effect of Chess Training on Scholastic Achievement. 2014Front Psychol. 5:762.
8. Sala G, et al. Checking the “Academic Selection” argument. Chess players outperform non-chess players in cognitive skills related to intelligence: A meta-analysis. 2017;61:130-139.
9. Sala G, Foley JP, Gobet F. The Effects of Chess Instruction on Pupils' Cognitive and Academic Skills: State of the Art and Theoretical Challenges. Front Psychol. 2017;8:238.
10.Sala G, Gorini A, Pravettoni G. Mathematical problem-solving abilities and chess: an experimental study on young pupils. SAGE Open. 2015;5:2158244015596050.
11.Sala G, Gobet F, Trinchero R, Ventura S. Chess instruction enhance mathematical ability in children? A three group design to control for placebo effects. In: Does Chess Instruction Enhance Mathematical Ability in Children? Philadelphia, PA: a Three Group Design to Control for Placebo Effects; 2016.
12. Islam A, Lee WS, Nicholas A. The Effects of CHess Instruction on Academic and Non-COgnitive Outcomes: Field Experimental Evience from a Developing Country. IZA Discussion Papers. 2019.
13. Rosholm M, Mikkelsen MB, Gumede K.Your move: The effect of chess on mathematics test scores. PloS one 2017;12(5): e0177257.
14. Poston D, Vandekieboom K. The Effect of Chess on Standardized Test Score Gains. SAGE Open. 2019.
15. Jankovic A, Novak I.Chess as a Powerful Eduacational Tool for Successful People, In: Tipurić, Darko Hruška, Domagoj (Ed.): 7th International OFEL Conference on Governance, Management and Entrepreneurship: Embracing Diversity in Organisations. 2019;425-441
16.Sala G, Gobet F. Do the Benefits of Chess Instruction Transfer to Academic and Cognitive Skills? A Meta-Analysis. 2016;18:46-57.
17. Dapica-Tejada R.Influencia del Ajedrezen la Comprensión Lectoraylos Movimientos Sacádicos en Niños Madrid. 2016.
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