| The whole class can make the figures/players | | | | Life has random events.4. Show them the moves |
| with paper clay and chess boards with paper | | | | of each class of warrior/player. Often the |
| squares or ink. Paper clay is cheap and dries | | | | best way to show the moves is to dive in and |
| in a few days and then kids can paint it.The | | | | play. Kids catch on quickly especially when |
| game of chess is old and like the deck of 52 | | | | the teacher starts killing/taking their main |
| playing cards goes back to feudal times and | | | | players. Stress helps them learn.5. Emphasize |
| the competitive wars between monarchs.This | | | | the power of each player. Example: "The queen |
| game motivates the kids. I especially like | | | | is very powerful. She can go anywhere, in any |
| four children playing (2 on each team) as the | | | | direction and sweep across the board, but |
| team members talk strategy and bicker in | | | | only the Knight can jump over others. The |
| English so much. They can be very ammusing. | | | | pawn is a poor peasant/farmer, a foot |
| The teacher acts as both English coach, peace | | | | soldier. He is fed poorly, can't move |
| and rule keeper and can be the 4th player if | | | | quickly, has little of no armour, poor |
| only 3 children are present.KIDS LEARN:1. | | | | weapons, no horse and is easily killed.6. I |
| Clay, modeling, drying, painting, etc. King, | | | | show kids my own main strategy, which is to |
| queen, bishop, knight (or horse), rook | | | | move a pawn and get the queen out quickly |
| (castle is better) and pawn (peasant | | | | across the board (with the bishops) and to |
| foot-soldier). Kids also learn check, | | | | attack, attach, attack. Kids soon see that |
| checkmate, strategy and many small sentences | | | | this often works well.7. I show the kids that |
| of direction (Take the castle. Ah, you killed | | | | chess can be played solo, by changing seats, |
| by bishop! etc.).2. Teach and ask the kids | | | | or by turning the board around (no ESL |
| about the roles/duties of each segment of | | | | learning in this, however), and with an |
| society. Where are the women and children and | | | | internet partner (little ESL value). I also |
| grandparents?3. Tell them this is a rigid | | | | show them some variations we sometimes play: |
| rule-bound game. Real life is not played by | | | | |
| rules. Some people use poison or marriage, | | | | A. Lead with castles (not the queen). B. |
| alliances and ninja and traps to reach their | | | | Lead with bishops. C. Remove both queens.Kids |
| goals. Some flee their kingdoms or get help | | | | need to be monitored so they use English and |
| from overseas. Sometimes plague breaks out. | | | | not their native language. Enjoy! |