Chess and Mathematics in Primary Schools Erasmus Project

Project Title

Chess and Mathematics in Primary Schools

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Romas and/or other minorities; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Project background
There had already been some projects in Europe. There was the Mathematical DIdactical Games Project (MDG) in a Private Primary School in Skalica; the teaching of chess and logic in several Hungarian Schools based upon a pilot project at an Intermediate school in Telki; in England some elements of chess and mathematics were included in the training of chess tutors going into schools; in Portugal there was a strong activity in the field. The CHAMPS project brought together these disparate elements and reshaped and concentrated them into the final publication.

Project objectives
Project aims to create well-structured teaching chess in schools particularly related to connection of chess with mathematics and logic. Project is based on research, that children, who learn playing chess have improved academic results as well as improved social behaviour.
Project Activities
The project comprised Transnational Project Meetings (TPM) in London, Bratislava and Girona according to project budget. TPMs kept communication between project partners on high level. The key activity was a Multiplier Event on 8th December 2018 as an individual event within the 6th London Chess Conference. The participants were from Slovakia, Hungary and England. They received intellectual outputs of the project for the next discussion.
Number and Profile of Participants
The project participants include the project partners, the teachers and children using the project content in the classroom, and the attendees at the Multiplier Event.
Regarding the project partners, there were a dozen people who attended one or more transnational meetings. These included representatives from Slovakia, Spain, Portugal and England. These people contributed to the content either in its creation, its refinement or through providing feedback from the classroom.
Regarding the teachers using and testing the material in the classroom, we had three in the UK and three in Slovakia. We estimate that around 200 children were exposed to the exercises that were developed.
Regarding the Multiplier Event in London, 105 attended of which 82 were not from the partners. From UK there were 34, 48 overseas, of that Europe 34 attendees. These comprised an international group of experts in chess and education who are very influential in spreading innovative ideas in their own countries. The overseas countries from which they came: Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden; Australia, Belarus, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Russia, Turkey, USA.
Project Deliverables
1) Resources for Teachers (Intellectual Output 1)
The Project delivered the first Intellectual Output which comprised a structured set of exercises using the chess board, pieces and markers to teach mathematical concepts. We were able to produce a book of 50 Exercises which are suitable resources for primary school teachers to use in lessons for children from age 6 to 11 and above. Each of the exercises was tested in the classroom to ensure that it was accessible to the children and could be understood by the teachers. We have obtained very positive feedback from education experts regarding the range and quality of the exercises.
2) Outline Training Course (Intellectual Output 3)
Whilst some teacherscan work directly from the teacher’s book above, the majority of teachers would benefit from having a dedicated training course. The third intellectual output was an outline of such a training course. The educational theme is problem solving. One of the purposes of the course is to strengthen the teaching profession by having a professional qualification recognising competence in teaching mathematics through games in general and chess in particular. This is assisted by each of the 50 Exercises being classified not only by age target but according as to whether they are suitable for individuals, pairs, quads or groups.
Project Impact
The CHAMPS outputs are likely to be of benefit not only in the short term context. The teaching of mathematics is carefully scrutinised by educationists. We have presented an innovative approach which has been proven to be accessible to children and teachers alike.
Each of the countries involved is proposing to introduce teacher training courses featuring the CHAMPS approach. In addition, the European Chess Union is planning to make such training available to the 54 countries in which has representative federations. In addition to these European implementations, the CHAMPS team have had enquiries from elsewhere in the world including North and South America, China, India and Australia. Such an early level of interest bodes well for the future.
Finally, it must be recognised that the cost of the innovative CHAMPS approach is very low. No computers are required, nor chess experts nor expensive text books. This will be one of the most important drivers in the rise of the games-based approach to learning mathematics.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 60788,38 Eur

Project Coordinator

Slovensky sachovy zvaz & Country: SK

Project Partners

• Associação Ludus
• UNIVERSITAT DE GIRONA
• Chess in Schools and Communities
• Základná skola Velká Ida