The invitation to the Chess and Mathematics Conference in London, 6-7 December 2014 is an outstanding opportunity to inform the teachers, schools and students in wider circle about LearningChess.Net. The timing is the best – we have just launched the Android App and the number of students in our Free for Schools Program is dynamically growing.
We review the integration possibilities of online learning into the traditional chess curriculums in our conference presentation, which we will hold jointly with one of the best primary schools in Hungary Pipacsvirag from the village of Telki. We have been working on this hot topic with the school since 2011. We integrated LearningChess.Net into the school’s Chess & Logic Complex Education Program which is very popular in Hungary and is approved by the National Institute for Public Education.
During the preparation of our presentation we came up with the idea to post a summary of all the uses for LearningChess.net in schools.
We recommend the following 4 ways to diversify chess education in schools.
1. Homework or Supplementary Practicing
The teacher gives one or more online lessons to the students as homework, the amount of lessons may vary depending on the students’ interest and determination. Besides that, the students can play and practice chess anytime with the built in chess program, developed especially for children.
2. Extracurricular Activity
Students can enjoy chess in a more friendly setting during extracurricular activities and gain a deeper knowledge of the game. The teacher or coach can show higher level tasks from LearningChess.net that the children can discuss and solve together.
3. Classroom Activity
LearningChess.Net has been built up from the very beginning so that it will be used in classroom education. That is why the chess courses are divided into 36 lessons to cover the complete school year, if one lesson is solved each week. This way the three chess courses provide a syllabus for three years but, of course, it can be completed sooner.
The teacher can introduce the important chess concepts based on the lessons of LearningChess.Net. The students can follow the explanations on a projector or smart board and they can also take part actively with their tablets. This modern solution replaces the manual demonstration, thus offering a high-tech, faster alternative that the children enjoy.
4. English Language Teaching
This is the most complex use of LerningChess.Net especially in non-English-speaking schools. The English teachers can not only use the program as supplementary practice, extracurricular activity, or classroom activity for the students, but also to introduce them to the English language in an interesting and playful manner. It really works! We have received feedback from many schools of its effectiveness.
In our opinion the best method is when LearningChess.Net lessons are built into the framework curriculum in advance, however, it is not absolutely necessary. For example, Pipacsvirag primary school in Telki, Hungary assigns a LearningChess.Net lesson to every classroom activity of the Chess & Logic Complex Education Program.
Did we miss something? Please, share your comments and ideas with us.