In today’s changing educational landscape, finding strategies that empower every learner is more essential than ever – especially for students who learn differently. In this insightful interview, Mina Roustayi, host of the We Can Learn to Learn Vlog, sits down with Fabio Botarelli, founder of Chessability New York City, to explore how chess can be a transformative tool for children with disabilities. Drawing on personal experience and years of working in special education, Fabio Botarelli sheds light on how individualized approaches and strategic games can pave the road to thriving in both school and life.
Chessability NYC: A Mission Born from Experience
Fabio Botarelli founded Chessability NYC out of his own journey with learning disabilities and personal challenges in mainstream education. Growing up in the 1990s, Fabio Botarelli reflects on the lack of tailored support in special education at the time. Classroom environments grouped kids with varied needs together, with little distinction between different disabilities – far from the specialized approaches seen today.
Chess became a lifeline for Fabio Botarelli because it catered to his preferred learning style: strategic, patient, and defensive rather than aggressive and fast-paced. With the help of a chess coach who recognized the importance of a solid foundation, Fabio Botarelli blossomed into a nationally ranked player. Realizing that his unique approach worked especially well for special needs students, he launched Chessability NYC in 2012, building on the philosophy that life experience is an invaluable teaching tool.
When to Start Teaching Chess to Children with Disabilities
A prevailing question for educators and parents is: how early can children with disabilities, particularly autism, begin learning chess? Fabio Botarelli shares that while neurotypical preschoolers as young as 2 or 3 can pick up the game, most special needs children are ready around age 5. It isn’t about intelligence, he explains, but about brain development and readiness to grasp the game’s complexity. Fabio Botarelli stresses the importance of assessing each child individually, noting that some exceptional preschoolers with disabilities can indeed learn chess, but most benefit from starting a bit later.
Before he was ready for chess, for example, Fabio Botarelli played checkers – a game where all pieces move the same. This stepwise approach highlights the importance of building up cognitive complexity gradually.
The Emotional Landscape of Learning Differences
Reflecting on his elementary experiences, Fabio Botarelli offers candid insights into the emotional hurdles faced by students with disabilities. Though he benefited from patient and committed teachers, emotional understanding was often lacking; few educators delved into why he sometimes seemed lost in his own world, retreating into fantasy as a coping mechanism.
He likens the classroom pace to running a race on foot while others speed by in Ferraris, a vivid metaphor for the overwhelming nature of traditional instruction. Wordy questions and fast-paced material exacerbated feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. Fabio Botarelli underscores the need for educators to use simpler language, more visuals, and individualized questions to help these students truly process and excel.
The Power of One-on-One Connection
For Fabio Botarelli, comfort and growth often came through one-on-one activities. Crowded classrooms and group interactions made him withdraw, but playing games like checkers with his grandfather helped him communicate and develop confidence. Personal, focused attention unlocked his willingness to engage and learn—a principle he now incorporates into his teaching methods.
Chess as a Cognitive and Emotional Catalyst
Teaching chess in specialized schools like Parkside and Windward, Fabio Botarelli has seen firsthand how the game bolsters skills essential for academic and life success. Chess improves memory, creativity, spatial reasoning, critical and analytical thinking, and especially mathematics. Students also benefit emotionally: mastering chess gives them a subject in which they can build self-esteem and experience the rewards of focused effort.
Both Parkside and Windward foster supportive learning environments, placing an emphasis on individual strengths without unnecessary pressure. This ethos resonates with Fabio Botarelli’s belief that when students with special needs are truly heard and their strengths leveraged, they can experience dramatic, positive growth.
Conclusion: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Fabio Botarelli’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of individualized education and strategic play. By honoring each student’s pace, interests, and emotional world, educators can help children not only learn but thrive. As Chessability NYC expands its mission and curriculum, it stands at the forefront of a movement making a meaningful difference for students who often face the steepest hurdles.
