Official instructions for the primary school class that can be achieved through chess in Poland and France

Abstract

Chess teaching is being introduced in primary schools in the European Union following a 2012 European Parliament recommendation. The author had the experience of introducing chess to pupils in the first class of primary school. She set up an innovative scheme that introduces learners to chess while taking into account the disciplines provided for in the official instructions for this educational stage.
In the first part of this article, the “General Curriculum Framework for the Primary School” is related to chess teaching. The author proves that much of the curriculum can be achieved through chess in a lively and diversified way. This approach makes it possible to introduce the general public to chess and, at the same time, to prepare interested and/or gifted individuals for further training. The first class of the primary school is a space of holistic development of the child and cross-curricular teaching can use chess as a canvas.
The second part of the article presents the above thesis in light of French legislation. The comparison of the organisation of the teaching provided in the Polish and French school systems allows for determining the hourly volume of a chess project if it were to be conducted in both countries simultaneously. Moreover, the analysis of the French “Programmes d’enseignement” shows many similarities with the Polish guidelines. The specificities of the basic learning cycle are scrutinised and, for the second time, it is shown that chess contributes to the development of most of the competencies specified by the legislator. The author illustrates how to adapt chess lessons to achieve objectives in mathematics, languages, physical and artistic education as well as in the social and technical fields.
The article is addressed to all those for whom the harmonious education of 7-year-olds is as dear as the appropriate teaching of chess. It is an invitation to consider chess as a unifying element, opening to the Other.