Dyscalculia and chess

I Have Dyscalculia. Can I Still Learn Chess?

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Last Updated on October 7, 2023 by Editorial Team

Indulging in games can be a substantial provenance to enhance crucial skills like visual-spatial abilities, social connections, and intriguing careers. In particular, Chess can drill by ensuring traits like a sense of direction and long-term memory in the players. While some of these attributes need to be uplifted by individuals with learning compromises, they often feel it is taxing to master the game.

Dyscalculics are no different here. Despite having some requisite traits, they often feel uncertain about being involved in this strategy-based game. Correspondingly, we will interpret valuable insights ensuring individuals with this learning compromise perform finer in Chess and other relevant games.

Exploring germane traits to learn chess

Being a war-themed game, Chess can be easily mastered if the players evolve some important strategic traits. Inferring and developing these can make a better Contender. Apart from the passion for the game and being ambitious to win, a few other traits are often necessitated by chess players. Let us comprehend these and their status in Dyscalculics.   

1. Intellect and Extraversion

Any individual with splendid grasping abilities can be an Intellect, which can make them master chess effortlessly. Research at Michigan State University[1]  shows that the IQ of a person can play a significant role in grasping chess quickly. Nevertheless, everyone can learn the game in different time spans as they need.

Extraversion is one of the pivotal personality traits of the Big Five personality theory, which indicates how social and energized a person is. People with extraversion often relish being in public and thus prefer social gatherings. 

Both intellect and Extraversion are related to social skills, which Dyscalculics strive to improve. Research by Ebrahim Rahbar Karbasdehi[2] depicted the same. Fortunately, these skills can be ameliorated by strategies like Self-Regulation empowerment programs[3].

2. Sense of Direction- Tracking those Pieces 

Directions of bishop, queen, elephants, and other pieces are to be mastered; only then can one decide relevant moves at each chance. Compass neurons, also known as PG neurons, are critical to sense direction[4]. These give out visual prompts, thus allowing players to reflect the directions of the pieces accurately. 

Dyscalculics often compromise learning left to right. Sometimes, they feel it is taxing to visualize a three-dimensional object. Consequently, A study by Dr. T. Nagavalli[5] showed that dyscalculics could have issues with a sense of direction. 

3. Visualization and Visual-Spatial Abilities

Visualization skills are believed to be essential for learning chess. Research by Christopher F. Chabris[6] depicted the importance of visualization and pattern recognition in speeding up the game of Chess. These attributes constrain the player from making a blindfold play. Effective cognitive processes along with visualization are often necessary.  

We have also talked about visual-spatial abilities in dyscalculics in our previous post. These can be amplified with certain strategies like mental exercises, games, activities, and visual therapies. 

4. Long-Term memory of positions

Visualizing and retaining various positions of pieces can make players decide their next move. Long-term memory also assists them in anticipating the opponent’s later actions. Bill Wall rightly says-  While the player stores these chunks in long-term memory, they may need to be implemented through short-term memory. 

Dyscalculics are often good at retrieving long-term memories. Research by Liane Kaufmann[7] showed that they could employ Long-term memory to solve simple mental calculations. The research depicts the clear edge that Dyscalculics have in respect to long-term memory. The same can be the case with Chess.

Strategies to brush up chess skills 

One of the salient strategies to train these individuals is teaching them Chess. Research by Markus Scholz[8] showed that chess training has a significant impact on math performance in those with mathematics disorders. Inferring various traits needed for chess can outline that Dyscalculics need to upskill themselves to master the game. Consequently, here are some assisting strategies:

1. Letting them Visualize the Battle

Chess is a game inspired by a battle. Discerning various positions, powers, and moves can make a better player. Let your kid take ample time to acknowledge these attributes, ensuring better inception. For instance, the Queen has a distinct power when compared to a Bishop. Little ones may take some time to distinguish, visualize and understand these strengths and the right implementation. 

2. Choose a Sequential Approach

Sequential learning can give out superlative outcomes to learning, compromising kids. Like this, Orton-Gillingham’s approach is the befitting pedagogy for them. Kick off with preaching to them what a board, piece, and moves are and assist them in connecting these with real-life battle scenarios. Next, play simple chess with them with three basic rules: Grabbing free material, protecting the king, and involving all pieces. 

3. Opting for an Online Chess game

Due to visionary benefits in Dyscalculics and Dyslexics, an on-screen chess stimulator can be a better pick. Research by Luz Rello[9] studied how online games can be accomodating for those with learning disabilities. Some observations here showed the difference in such learners when computer-based chess is employed, this made Luz and the team look for tools and upgrades that can also evaluate them in the educational environment.

Can dyscalculics learn playing Chess?

Comprehending all the obligated traits and their status in Dyscalculics, it can be apparently inferred that most of them need to focus on enhancing their skill sets, maybe a cut above others to ensure they offer a tough competition to their peers.

Personalities like Emma King proved that compromises like Dyscalculia are not a hurdle to growing success. Further, efforts from researchers like Luz Rello have brought Chess a step closer. In essence, ensuring to possess ample position memory, sense of direction, and extraversion can incept their expedition in the game.

Concluding thoughts

Being one of those few games that preaches focus, creativity, confidence, consequences of action, and strategies all at a time, Chess can be evidently a preeminent self-evolving strategy for uplifting Dyscalculics. Due to dwindling social interactions and challenges in academic performance, many students sense themselves unfit for the game. Nonetheless, everyone should recognize that learning Chess can develop them personally. While grasping the notions may charge sometimes, the strategies depicted above can let them be mastered swiftly.  

References:

  1. Michigan State University. (2016). Chess skill is linked to intelligence.
  2. Karbasdehi, E. R. (2019). Comparison of Neurocognitive and Social Skills Students with and without Dyscalculia. https://doi.org/10.30473/clpsy.2019.43615.1385
  3. Cleary, T. J., & Zimmerman, B. J. (2004). Self-Regulation Empowerment Program: A School-Based Program to Enhance Self-Regulated and Self-Motivated Cycles of Student Learning. Psychology in the Schools, 41(5), 537–550. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.10177
  4. Park EH, Keeley S, Savin C, Ranck JB Jr, Fenton AA. How the Internally Organized Direction Sense Is Used to Navigate. Neuron. 2019 Jan 16;101(2):285-293.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.11.019. Epub 2018 Dec 3. PMID: 30522821; PMCID: PMC6336520.
  5. NAGAVALLI, T. (2015). A STUDY OF DYSCALCULIC PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN SALEM DISTRICT AND EVALUATION OF APPLICABILITY OF INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES AS REMEDIAL MEASURES.
  6. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. (2003, February). Visualization, pattern recognition, and forward search: effects of playing speed and sight of the position on grandmaster chess errors. Christopher F. Chabris.
  7. More Evidence for the Role of the Central Executive in Retrieving Arithmetic Facts – A Case Study of Severe Developmental Dyscalculia. (2010). Kaufmann L. https://doi.org/10.1076/jcen.24.3.302.976
  8. IMPACT OF CHESS TRAINING ON MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCE AND CONCENTRATION ABILITY OF CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES. (2008). Markus Scholz.
  9. An Online Chess Game Designed for People with Dyslexia. (2008). Luz Rello.

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