Dr. Peg Dawson, a renowned expert on executive skills, emphasizes the positive impact of chess on 11 key mental abilities. Executive skills, crucial for task execution, are managed by the frontal lobes of the brain. Dr. Dawson shares that proficiency in executive skills is a better predictor of academic success than IQ.
Although she has limited chess experience herself, Dr. Dawson recognizes the game's potential in developing executive functioning skills. Chess combines simplicity and complexity, making it an effective tool for teaching these skills. Engaging in fun and interesting activities, like chess, enhances skill application and improvement.
Chess improves response inhibition, as players must think before making a move. Working memory is essential in chess, requiring players to hold and utilize information for complex tasks. Emotional control is fostered by chess's emphasis on sportsmanship and learning from losses.
Flexibility, sustained attention, task initiation, planning/prioritization, organization, time management, goal-directed persistence, and metacognition are all honed through chess. By playing chess, children can improve their executive skills and apply them to other areas of their lives.
To learn more about how chess can help develop the 11 executive skills, check out the full interview here.