Chess Teaching in Schools in the European Union
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Library Briefing Library of the European Parliament 06/10/2011 Chess teaching in schools in the European Union In some countries around the world, pupils follow In this briefing: compulsory chess classes during school time. The Issue definition stated aim, claimed by chess promoters, is for children to benefit from the educational merits of Overview of some initiatives in Member this game. States In the EU, Member States are solely responsible for Difficulties faced and debate on chess in the organisation of their education system and schools the content of teaching. Further reading 'Chess in schools' projects are being implemented in several Member States, based on different Issue definition schemes. National and regional chess federations are often involved, particularly to support Promoters of the teaching of chess in schools teachers. These initiatives also sometimes rely on claim that learning the game can provide a digital platforms aimed at broadening access to wide range of educational benefits to pupils. chess. An increase in chess club membership has According to them, chess can improve their been observed in some cases as a result of the concentration, memory, visualisation, logical introduction of chess in schools. and critical thinking, planning, decision making Estimates of the number of pupils taking part in and creative thinking abilities. Advocates of the different 'chess in schools' projects must be teaching chess in schools also generally interpreted with caution, due to the uncertain highlight the likely positive impacts on pupils quality of statistics available. in terms of attitude (e.g. self-confidence and Several international chess organisations (e.g. respect of rules). Moreover, they insist that European Chess Union, Kasparov Chess chess does not require expensive materials. Foundation Europe and World Chess Federation) 'Chess in schools' projects have been in promote chess teaching in schools. place in several countries outside the EU. For The main obstacles to the introduction of chess in instance, in New York City, 400 000 pupils schools are the lack of trained teachers, the low have received chess lessons in the interest of some governments or chess framework of the 'Chess-in-the-schools federations and insufficient financial resources. programme' since 1986 (13 000 in 51 The compulsory character of chess classes, the schools in the 2010-2011 school year). These choice of chess rather than another activity, and lessons are offered by a non-profit the fact that chess might replace other 'more educational organisation. In 2011 Armenia's traditional' school subjects, are some of the issues government made chess compulsory in being debated. primary schools (chess is a very popular activity in this country). Around 40 000 children in 1 500 schools will receive two hours of chess classes each week. Member States (MS) are solely responsible for the organisation of their education system and the content of teaching1. There is no study available providing a detailed overview or a Image Copyright Ivan Josifovic, 2011 systematic analysis of national 'chess in Used underShutterstock.com license from schools' experiments carried out in the EU. Author: Guillaume Ragonnaud 110223REV1 E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 41164 Page 1 of 5 Library Briefing Chess teaching in schools in the European Union The EU and education at fostering the practice of chess in schools (Framework agreement for 2011-2013). This Art. 165 TFEU states that the EU 'shall contribute agreement replaces the previous one that to the development of quality education by covered the 2007-2010 period. encouraging cooperation between MS'. The EU may carry out actions to 'support, coordinate or The new agreement aims at developing the supplement the action of the MS' (art. 6 TFEU). practice of chess in schools, with particular Incentive measures may be adopted by the attention paid to girls and to socially and European Parliament and the Council, acting in geographically disadvantaged pupils. Priority is accordance with the ordinary legislative also given to training teachers and to procedure. However they may not harmonise developing teaching resources (e.g. websites the laws and regulations of MS. The Council, on and teachers’ guides). a proposal from the Commission, may also adopt recommendations. The French Chess Federation has committed itself to support schools locally (through local European cooperation in the field of education clubs) and to organise tournaments and is voluntary. It is based on a Strategic framework championships for schools. The FCF is also to up to 2020, adopted by the Council in 2009. This puts forward four strategic objectives. The contribute to improving the collection of data second axis concerns the improvement of the on experiments carried out locally and the quality and efficiency of education, with evaluation of the results achieved. A working particular attention to literacy, numeracy levels group with representatives from the Ministry of and to making mathematics, science and Education and the FCF will monitor the technology more attractive. A series of functioning of the agreement. benchmarks are set for 2020 (e.g. the share of low-achieving 15-years olds in reading, Chess kits will also be distributed to schools for mathematics and science should be less than free by a foundation ('L'échiquier de la 15% by 2020 (19.8% in 2009)). Implementation réussite'). relies on the open method of coordination. Several initiatives have been developed at a regional level. For instance, in the Corsica Overview of some initiatives in Member school district, in 2011-2012, 7 000 pupils (of States around 25 000) in primary schools will receive one hour of chess classes per week during France school hours. Teaching material has been Teaching chess in primary schools is one made available for teachers and pupils. Fifteen measure in the action plan aimed at improving people from the Corsican chess league (CCL) pupils' competences in sciences and participate in the initiative and provide support technologies, launched in January 2011 by the to teachers. French Minister for Education. Regarding primary schools, the objective is to prevent According to the CCL, in Corsica around 10 to innumeracy (i.e. inability to understand or 15% of pupils who receive chess classes in apply mathematical principles). school become a member of a local chess club. The CCL highlights that it has carried out a One of the plan's three axes concerns the use deliberate strategy of raising public institutions' of games, particularly chess, for learning during awareness of the teaching of chess in schools, school hours. The Ministry of Education which has resulted in a huge increase in club stresses in the action plan that playing chess membership in the region (250 in 1998, 4 850 allows pupils to develop their intellectual in 2010). capacity. In the Créteil school district, a specific task force In this context, also in January 2011, the on the issue of chess teaching in schools was Ministry of Education renewed its partnership created in 2007. Between 2007 and 2011, with the French Chess Federation (FCF), aimed around 1 000 teachers were trained in primary Author: Guillaume Ragonnaud 110223REV1 E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 41164 Page 2 of 5 Library Briefing Chess teaching in schools in the European Union and secondary schools. Teaching material was Figure 1: Statistics on the 'Ajedrez a la escuela' programme also provided. Today, around 5 000 pupils from in the Aragón region (Spain). Number of Year Number of pupils primary to secondary school level receive schools weekly chess lessons. In 2009, it became 2007-2008 19 497 possible for pupils in this school district to 2008-2009 39 1035 choose to sit an exam in chess as part of the 2009-2010 54 1677 baccalauréat examination (access to higher 2010-2011 66 2367 education depends on passing this state Source: Gobierno de Aragón. examination). Italy FCF membership reached a record high in MSP Scacchi, a national organisation 2011. It grew by 8% in 2010-2011, with an supporting chess in Italy, estimates that around increase of the share of young people (70% are 2% of Italian pupils in primary and lower less than 20 years old). This situation is seen by secondary schools receive chess lessons (i.e. the FCF as a direct consequence of its actions 100 000 children). Most of the time chess is towards schools and the agreement with the taught in schools as a result of initiatives by the Ministry of Education: the increase is regional branches of the Italian Chess particularly important in the regions where the Federation. FCF regional branches have implemented In 2009-2010 in Piemonte, 21 000 pupils actions targeting young people. received chess lessons (12 000 hours) in the According to the FCF, 300 000 children are framework of the 'chess in schools' initiative. shown how to play chess each year in primary This initiative, described by Italian chess schools in France (but the Federation does not stakeholders as the biggest in Italy, was explain what exactly this figure covers). launched by the regional branch of the Italian Chess Federation. It has received support from Spain various partners, including from the private An experimental programme ('Ajedrez a la sector, and from the Piemonte regional escuela' i.e. 'chess in school') was launched in government and local administrations. A May 2007 in the Aragón region by the regional regional chess school was also created, whose government. The objectives of the programme aim is to give further training to interested are to provide pupils with some educational children who have received lessons in schools. benefits (e.g. improve concentration as well as A digital platform to learn chess was also logical thinking abilities and memory), to created ('Scacchieducational'), targeting pupils facilitate the integration of immigrants and to between 7 and 10 years old.