CHESS AND EDUCATION LONDON CONFERENCE

Successes and Challenges

Improving School Chess Practice, Research and Strategy

Saturday 7th - Sunday 8th December 2013 Olympia Kensington Saturday, 7 December

10.00 - 11.00 12.45 - 13.45 Registration and Get Together Video Lunch (Foyer)

Corsica, Land of Chess 11.00 - 12.30 (France, 4 min) The Opening Session Presented by Léo Battesti / Corsican Chess League Chaired by Stefan Loeffler, Chess in the Public Interest Psychomotricity (Italy, 6 min) Welcome Presented by Alessandro Dominici / Malcolm Pein, Scacchi a Scuola Piemonte Chess in Schools and Communities

Kindergarten Chess Keynote (Israel, 6 min) Prof. Aram Hajian, Presented by Boris Alterman, Chess in a New Way American University of Armenia Educating a Nation with Chess The Chess Palace Programme Aram Hajian is the Dean of the College of (Hungary, 15 min, dir. Csaba Sass, Science and Engineering of the American ed. Tamas Breitner) University of Armenia in Yerevan. The Presented by Ferenc von Maurer / Judit Pólgar Stanford and Harvard graduate is a board Chess Foundation member of the Armenian Chess Academy.

13.45 - 15.30 Prof. Fernand Gobet, University of Liverpool The Research Session A Research Agenda for Scholastic Chess Chaired by Jonathan Rowson, RSA

Whether chess instruction transfers to other fields is still an open question. This talk Keynote will address two issues. First, what kind of Dr. Michelle Ellefson, University of Cambridge research should be pursued to establish Does Chess Make Children Smart? beyond doubt whether chess instruction Insights from Cognitive Science is beneficial outside the chess board? Second, what should be the content of chess A number of cognitive benefits have been instruction? More specifically, I propose that attributed to playing chess. However, there the school curriculum (e.g. in mathematics are a number of methodological and design and language) should strongly inform the limitations in current findings that prevent way chess is taught. strong conclusions about which type of thinking skills might be influenced by learning Fernand Gobet is a cognitive scientist at to play chess and whether it is those thinking Liverpool University interested in learning, skills that might lead to the academic gains language aquisition and expertise. An related to chess playing. During this talk, I International Master and former national present the case for why chess might improve team player for Switzerland, he has one area of thinking skills called executive conducted many studies on chess. functions. I explore how these skills are beneficial for academic achievement and why they are the focus of a chess intervention 12.30 - 13.45 programme that I am running with an Lunch Break international team of collaborators.

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Further, I include a discussion on how certain which she won a three year Reach for Change aspects of cognitive science might be useful grant to develop chess as an educational tool for exploring the impact of playing chess for for children with special needs and education. for integration. She has studied social psychology and is a trained “Kaospilot”, Dr. Ellefson is a lecturer in Psychology & i.e. social entrepreneurship and leadership. Neuroscience in Education with the Faculty She is based in Kopenhagen, but her projects of Education at the University of Cambridge. are in . Her work integrates cognition, neuroscience, child development, and education into a multi-disciplinary research programme aimed Prof. Christopher Chabris, at improving maths and science education. Union College / Albany Medical College She is principal investigator of the Mind Match Finding the Active Ingredients in a Chess Chess project (2011-2014). Intervention

Christopher Chabris is Co-Director of the Roberto Trinchero, University Torino Neuroscience Program at Union College and Giuliano d´Ereditá, University Palermo Adjunct Assistant Professor of Neurology Can Chess Improve Math Scores? An at Albany Medical College. He has many Italian Experiment Goes International scholarly and popular publications on cognitive psychology including a number of chess related We show that a chess intervention with studies. For many years he organized chess in-presence lessons and online training can at Harvard. improve significantly the scores of children on the OECD-Pisa Mathematics Scale. We are now testing the role of digital chess instruction in 15.30 - 15.45 an international research project. Coffee Break

Roberto Trinchero is Professor of Education Research at the Deparment of Philosophy 15.45 - 17.00 and Science of Education at the University The Best Practice Session of Torino. The trained sociologist has Chaired by John Foley, CSC lead numerous studies on the effects of chess teaching. Carl Fredrik Johansson, Giuliano d´Ereditá is Lecturer in Didactics of Mathematics and Physics at the University Who are the Chess Teachers of the Future? of Palermo and the school chess coordinator of the . I will talk about the path we have chosen in Sweden to get Chess in School as strong and durable as possible. In particular, I will talk Johanna Valentin, Utsiktstornet.se about the chess trainers of the future, and the Chess as an Educational Tool for Children success we hope to achieve after we finally have with Learning Disabilities realized that chess players in general are pretty bad teachers. There are plenty of non-conventional possibilities within the chess game for social Carl-Fredrik Johansson is President of the and intellectual development. My talk Swedish Chess Federation since summer 2013. will include research on the subject and In 2005 he founded the Uppsala School Chess experiences from working with chess in Society. Besides being a trainer for the best schools and with children with special needs. juniors in town, he trained teachers, taught Johanna Valentin is the founder and director children and helped to introduce chess in more of Utsiktstornet (The Vantage Tower), for than thirty schools.

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Ferenc von Maurer, Judit Pólgar Chess Foundation author and translator, he was the school chess Chess in All Subjects - The Chess Palace coordinator of the from Programme 2008 until 2013.

Judit Pólgar’s Chess Palace Programme goes beyond Marisa van der Merwe, Mini the normal boarders of chess teaching, and focuses Game Changer - A Primary Chess Curriculum on improving academic skills, logical, creative thinking and problem solving, preparing children I will focus on the development of age specific to be able to accept the challenges of the digital curriculum content, implementation and materials society they live in. The teaching material has (Learner Workbooks, Teacher Manuals & lesson exceptionally strong skills training through cross- plans as well as teaching aids) over the course of curricular links with is completely integrated into more than twenty years in South African classrooms, the regular elementary school curriculum. using chess-related activities for critical capacity building in 5 to 9 year-olds. Mini Chess has been Ferenc von Maurer is the Educational and PR the subject of several studies, of which the roll- Manager of the Judit Pólgar Chess Foundation out and results will be shared. It targets teacher for Educational Benefits. He combines a broad empowerment, job creation and bridging cultural academic and professional background as a teacher and language barriers. of English, physical education and drama, as a TV sports presenter and as a PR strategist for different Marisa van der Merwe is the founder and director sport organizations. of Mini Chess, a curriculum she has recently roled out in several African countries in cooperation with Jérome Maufras, Académie de Créteil Kasparov Chess Foundation Africa. She is co-founder Mini Games - Improving Academic Skills of the charity Moves for Life and was manager of with Chess the Waterkloof Chess Center for eight years.

Those in favour of the development of chess in schools are enthusiast as long as you are talking 17.00 - 18.30 about convincing people to embrace their cause. The Worldcafé Session They are more silent, however, when it comes to the (Three sessions of thirty minutes of debating, after pedagogic methods that should be used to make it thirty minutes everyone changes table) work. One thing is for sure: the debate cannot only be reduced to teaching how to checkmate, deliver How We Deceive Ourselves about the Benefits a fork or sacrifice on h7, or else chess will remain a of Chess (Room 2) competitive and fun game confined to after school Hosted by Prof. Christopher Chabris, time but it will not be considered by educators and Union College / Albany Medical College parents as a tool to develop or improve academic skills. I think the educational potential of chess has How to Make Chess Less Scary for Girls and not been fully exploited yet. The development of Female Teachers? chess in schools is still too competition-oriented, Hosted by Sarah Kett, TSK Chess not only in its goals (training new players) but in its methods (developing chess skills) as well. I will How to Make Chess More Inclusive and show how mini-games or chess-like situations Socially Integrative? improve not just chess skills but also academic Hosted by Johanna Valentin, Utsiktstornet.se skills, how this conception of chess in schools development can help chess to fit in with teachers, Should Chess be a Subject or an Educational parents and pupils expectations, and how this Toolkit? will help chess to develop and become a popular Hosted by John Foley, CSC activity at a wider scale. What Do We Need Research to Tell us? Jérome Maufras is Director of chess in schools (Room 2) development for the Créteil Academy, the Regional Hosted by Leontxo García, Education Authority of Eastern Paris. Also a teacher, Chess in the Public Interest

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10.00-12.30 Lesson Ideas and Variations for Your The Workshop Session Chess Class Chaired by Stefan Loeffler, Chess in the Public Interest Chaired by Leontxo García with presentations by Boris Alterman, Chess in a New Way (Israel) Keynote Leo Hofestad, Raindrop Chess (Netherlands) Mads Jacobsen, Skoleskak Denmark Andrea Nel, Mini Chess (South Africa) How to Build a Business Model for Walter Rädler, German School Chess Scholastic Chess in Your Country Foundation

I will talk about Scholastic Chess versus Chess in Chess Curriculum Development Schools and about how to develop a sustainable and Evaluation finance model for Scholastic Chess. (Room 2)

Mads Jacobsen is the director of Skoleskak. He Chaired by Prof. Lars Holmstrand started a school chess club at 14 and became with presentations by a regional coordinator at Skoleskak at 17. In John Foley on curriculum development 2006 he lead relaunched the formerly volunteer at CSC organization as a professional organization Tal Granite on the Chess and Goal Setting that successfully runs many projects for Danish for Youth at Risk curriculum in Canada ministries and municipalities. Eva Gyarmathy on consulting for the Chess Palace programme in Hungary Lars Holmstrand on basics of curriculum 10.45 - 12.30 research Workshops Ebenezer Joseph on the Winning Moves Please register your workshop choice at the curriculum in Tamil Nadu, India registration desk until Saturday 15.45. Marisa van der Merve on the Mini Chess curriculum in South Africa Funding - Opportunities and Requirements (Room 2) Strategy Bootcamp: School Chess Chaired by Mads Jacobsen and Your Federation with presentations by (Room 2) Jan Callewaert on corporate funding Alessandro Dominici on EU funding Chaired by Stefan Loeffler Mads Jacobsen on public project funding with presentations by Riho Liiva on fundraising events Carl Fredrik Johansson, President of the Swedish federation, on its new approach Stefan Loeffler on the new Survey on School Training, Supervision and Support for Chess in the EU Primary School Teachers Who Teach Chess Niki Varholakova on the Slovak federation´s Chess in School programme Chaired by Jérome Maufras and a case study group exercise. with presentations by Margit Brokko on the Chess into Schools (programme changes and additions are quite programme in Estonia possible) Jerome Maufras on Teacher Training and Support in France Walter Rädler on the German Schulschachpatent 12.30 - 13.30 teacher training Lunch Break

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13.30 - 14.45 14.45 - 15.00 The Feedback Session Coffee Break Chaired by Stefan Loeffler, Chess in the Public Interest 15.00 - 17.00 The Societal Challenge Session Reports from the Workshops Chaired by Jonathan Rowson, RSA & World Café

Jan Callewaert, Kasparov Chess Foundation Keynote Chess in the Digital Classroom Leontxo Garcìa, Chess in the Public Interest Stop Asking what Society can Do for Chess Founded by World Chess Champion Garry and Ask What Chess can Do for Society! Kasparov and Jan Callewaert, and being the driving force behind the European Union’s Leontxo García is veteran chess journalist, endorsement for the “Chess in Education” presenter and author. A long-time magazine program, the mission of the Foundation is editor and columnist, he also trained teachers to bring the educational benefits of chess to for chess instruction and consulted many children and youngsters throughout Europe. chess related research and social projects. The Foundation promotes chess as a cognitive The co-founder of Chess in the Public Interest learning tool in curricular classes and after- propagates the social uses of chess, which he school programs for elementary, middle and high argues in his recent book Ajedrez y Ciencia: schools. KCFE provides schools with an unique Pasiones Mezcladas, that is now in its fifth web-based software enabling teachers to teach edition since being published in June. chess in the classroom and empower pupils to further learn and practice at home. Panel Discussion Jan Callewaert is the founder and Executive Should Chess Organizations Rethink their Chairman of the wireless technology company Approach to School Chess? Option and Chairman of the Kasparov Foundation Europe. He is a qualified Commercial Léo Battesti, Corsican Chess League and Managerial Engineer in Management Leontxo García, Chess in the Public Interest Informatics and has a Baccalaureat in Philosophy Carl Fredrik Johansson, Swedish Chess Federation from the University of Leuven. Garry Kasparov, FIDE Presidential Candidate

17.00 End of Conference

Some useful phone numbers Conference on the Web

Emergency: 999 or 112 www.londonchessclassic.com/conference

Urgent Assistance: 020 7935 3445 facebook.com/chessinschoolsandcommunities

Hotel Lily: 020 7381 1881 twitter@londonclassic

Stefan Loeffler, Conference Director 077 0931 5723 Tweet questions & comments #ChessEdLCC

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Aram Hajian Ferenc von Maurer

Fernand Gobet Garry Kasparov

Giuliano D’Eredità Johanna Valentin

Leontxo Garcia Marisa van der Merwe

Michelle Ellefson Jan Callewaert

Successes and Challenges Improving School Chess Practice, Roberto Trinchero Research and Strategy

7 Registered and Expected Participants CHESS AND EDUCATION LONDON CONFERENCE

Forename Surname Affiliation/Organization Email Forename Surname Affiliation/Organization Email

Yuri Agafonov Latvian Chess Federation [email protected] John Jerrim Institute of Education [email protected] Balvinder Ahluwalia Copthorne Prep School / Carl Fredrik Johansson Swedish Chess Federation [email protected] Sussex Junior Chess [email protected] Ebenezer Joseph Emmanuel Chess Center Boris Alterman Alterman Chess in a New Way [email protected] Chennai [email protected] Luba Alterman Alterman Chess in a New Way Garry Kasparov Kasparov Chess Foundation Gianluca Argentin University of Milano [email protected] Dasha Kasparova Kasparov Chess Foundation Sergiu Bargan Moldova Chess Federation [email protected] Sarah Kett CSC / [email protected] Matt Barrett Chess Club and Scholastic Center Karol Lalla German Chess Foundation / of Saint Louis [email protected] Chess for Africa [email protected] Léo Battesti Corsican Chess League [email protected] Olivier Letréguilly Olibris Chess Publishing House Margit Brokko Kasparov Chess Foundation [email protected] Riho Liiva Kasparov Chess Foundation Jan Callewaert Europe Europe [email protected] Kasparov Chess Foundation [email protected] Berit Lindholm CSC [email protected] António Caramez Pereira Europe Stefan Loeffler Director of Conference / Chess Portugal Chess Federation [email protected] in the Public Interest [email protected] Christopher Chabris Union College / [email protected] Smbat Lputian Armenian Chess Academy [email protected] Albany Medical College Sean Marsh CSC Teesside [email protected] Robert Chandler CSC [email protected] Jérome Maufras Académie de Créteil [email protected] Gagik Chobanyan Chess Coach Baird Mcclellan Chess Coach [email protected] Neill Cooper [email protected] Paul McKeown CSC [email protected] Filipe Costa Barcelos Chess Academy, Donald Moir [email protected] Portugal [email protected] Brian Mwanza Claremont Chess Club [email protected] Jane Da Costa Studio Anne Carlton [email protected] Andrea Nel Mini Chess South Africa [email protected] Giuliano D’Ereditá University of Palermo / Italian Oliver Palotás Chess Teacher, Germany [email protected] Chess Federation [email protected] Brigitta Palotásné Tornyai Chess Teacher, Germany [email protected] Manoharan Dilukshan [email protected] Walter Raedler German School Chess Ferdo Dizdarevic CSC Bristol [email protected] Foundation [email protected] Alessandro Dominici Chess in Schools Piemont, Italy [email protected] Gerard Reilly Irish Chess Federation [email protected] Matthias Draeger German Chess Foundation / Devina Rishi CSC [email protected] Chess for Africa James Robinson CSC [email protected] Michelle Ellefson University of Cambridge [email protected] Jonathan Rowson RSA [email protected] Debbie Evans CSC / Chess Academy Wales [email protected] Sandy Ruxton CSC [email protected] Andrew Farthing CSC [email protected] Giovanni Sala University of Turin [email protected] Chris Fegan CSC [email protected] Robin Shaw West Australian Ahess John Foley CSC [email protected] Association [email protected] Robert Fontaine Kasparov Chess Foundation [email protected] Louise Smith Witham Hall School [email protected] Leontxo García Chess in the Public Interest [email protected] Peter Sowray CSC [email protected] Fernand Gobet University of Liverpool [email protected] Jan-Oliver Suer Kasparov Chess Foundation Christian Goldschmidt German Youth Chess Association [email protected] Europe [email protected] Tal Granite Chess Institute of Canada [email protected] Malola Prasath Thittanimuttam Foundation for Learning Christian Grundekjøn Chess Olympiad Tromso 2014 [email protected] Research in Chess [email protected] Frank Gulley Southend Chess League [email protected] Vanessa Tombs Witham Hall school [email protected] Aram Hajian American University of Armenia [email protected] Roberto Trinchero University of Turin [email protected] Claire Holgate Graphic Facilitation [email protected] Johanna Valentin Utsiktstornet.se [email protected] Lars Holmstrand Scientific Advisor, Swedish Karel van Delft Chesstalent.com [email protected] School Chess [email protected] Marisa van der Merwe Mini Chess South Africa [email protected] Leo Hovestadt Raindropchess [email protected] Niki Varholakova Slovak Chess Federation [email protected] John Illingworth CSC / Stratford Library Chess Jishore VM Chess Coach [email protected] Club Newham [email protected] Ferenc von Maurer Judit Pólgar Chess Foundation [email protected] Viorel Iordachescu National Chess Academy of Peter Walker Chess in Schools [email protected] Moldova [email protected] Kajetan Wandowicz CSC [email protected] Nicholas Jackson EPSCA Cambridgeshire organiser [email protected] Sharon Whatley Gibraltar Chess Association [email protected] Mads Jacobsen Skoleskak Denmark [email protected] Gary Wilkinson [email protected] Richard James CSC / Richmond Junior Chess Winston Williams CSC [email protected] Club [email protected] Robert Willmoth Chess Coach [email protected]

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