Schoolchildren who attend their lessons wearing no shoes are likely to obtain better grades and behave better than those who wear them, a decade-long academic research has revealed.
一項為期十年的研究顯示，學齡孩童不穿鞋上課比穿鞋上課時成績更好，表現也更出色。

'Shoeless' children are more likely to arrive to school earlier, leave later and read more, according to new research by Bournemouth University.
伯恩茅斯大學的新研究發現，平時不穿鞋上課的孩子更可能到校早、離校晚且閱讀多。

Researchers have observed tens of thousands of children who leave their shoes outside the classroom and found that pupils are more engaged in their lessons, which in turn leads to better academic attainment.
研究人員觀察了數萬個把鞋子脫在教室外的孩子，發現這些小學生在課堂上更專注，促使他們取得更優異的學業成績。

The research is in line with policies introduced in schools in England where children who go to class shoeless – following the steps of schools in Scandinavia in an effort to improve their academic standards and behaviour.
為提高孩子們的學業成績，改善其行為舉止，英國的一些學校緊隨斯堪的納維亞半島學校的腳步，推出讓孩子們不穿鞋上課的政策，而此項研究正好與該政策不謀而合。

The study is based on observing and studying tens of thousands of children in over 100 schools in around 25 countries over the last ten years.
該項研究的研究人員在過去的十年里，對約25個國家的100多所學校中的數萬個孩子進行了觀察和研究。

Apart from countries in Scandinavia, researchers have visited schools in New Zealand and Australia. The longest project has taken place in West London where children's behaviour and academic results were analysed all the way through to university.
除了斯堪的納維亞半島的國家，研究人員還訪問了新西蘭和澳大利亞的學校。其中在倫敦西部進行的項目歷時最久，該項目對孩子從小學直到大學的行為舉止和學業成績進行分析。

For decades children in northern Europe have learned with their shoes off because they are left at the school door arrival due to snow, ice or slush.
幾十年來，北歐地區的孩子都已學會脫掉鞋子上課，因為他們在到校時，往往出于大雪、冰水或污泥的原因，只得把鞋脫在教室門外。

And now academics are calling on teachers in England to apply similar 'shoeless' policies "to give children the best possible chance of performing in their exams".
現在專家學者們都呼吁英國的教師實施類似的“赤腳”政策，“盡一切可能，讓孩子們在考試中發揮好”。

Experts believe having children with no shoes in the classroom improves their learning because it makes them 'feel at home' and more relaxed when learning.
專家認為讓孩子們在教室不穿鞋能提高其學習效果，因為不穿鞋讓孩子們學習時“像在家里一樣自在”，身心也會更放松。

Stephen Heppell, lead researcher and Professor at the Centre for Excellence in Media Practice at Bournemouth University, said: "Children are much more willing to sit on the floor and relax if they have no shoes on.
伯恩茅斯大學媒體研習英才中心首席研究員兼教授，史蒂芬?赫佩爾表示：“孩子們在不穿鞋的情況下，更愿意席地而坐，身心也放松得多。

"The last place a child would sit to read is an upright chair and we've found that 95 percent of them actually don't read on a chair at home. When they go on holidays the read lying down.
“孩子們最不愿意坐在直椅背上閱讀，我們發現實際上95%的孩子在家時都不會坐在椅子上閱讀。假日期間，他們都躺著閱讀。

"Having conditions in the classroom that are like those at home means that more boys are reading in the classroom.
“教室擁有和家中相似的條件意味著更多孩子會在教室閱讀。

"In shoeless schools children also arrive earlier and leave later, which translates into half an hour of extra learning a day on average.
“在不穿鞋上課的學校，孩子們也到校早離校遲，這樣算起來他們平均每天的學習時間會多半小時”。

Wearing no shoes also means the cleaning bill decreased by 27 percent and schools need to spend less money on furniture because they don't need to buy a chair and a table for every child as they can sit on the floor.
孩子們不穿鞋上課也意味著學校的清潔成本會降低27%，學校在教室設備上的支出也會減少，因為孩子們可以坐在地上，這樣就無需購買桌椅。

Prof Heppel said that because "everything is going in their favour" children's academic standards tend to improve too.
史蒂芬?赫佩爾表示，因為學校的“一切條件都符合孩子們的喜好”，所以孩子們的學業水平也會提升。

He said: "The key to attainment is engagement and if children want to be there and enjoy being there, universally they do better. When they arrive late and leave early and are disengaged, their performance suffers. Kids with shoes on are less engaged than those without shoes."
他說：“學習成績好的關鍵是全身心地投入，如果孩子們愿意置身其中，并且樂在其中，那通常情況下，他們的學業表現也會更出色。如果他們到校遲，離校早，而且自由散漫，那成績就會下滑。穿鞋的孩子比起不穿鞋的孩子，注意力更渙散。”

On his website, Prof Heppel offers advice to schools on how to implement 'a shoeless' policy.
赫佩爾教授在其網站上就如何施行“赤腳”政策，給學校提供了各種建議。

He says it should apply to all, including head teachers and guests and children need to be given notice so they are not ridiculed. He explains: "Children need to know their wholly socks will not be exposed to mockery from their peers."
他表示，該政策應同樣適用于校長、訪客等所有與學校相關的人員，學校還應把該政策通知到位，如此一來孩子們才不會因為不穿鞋被嘲笑。他解釋說：“孩子們還需知道他們的短襪并不會成為被同學們嘲笑的把柄。”

There are limitations, however. Prof Heppel says: "Short teachers who have been a bit 'stacked' by their heels come back down to earth."
但是，這種做法也有不足之處。赫佩爾教授表示：“穿高跟鞋的矮個子教師就要重新‘腳踏實地’了。”

So far theft of shoes left outside the classroom has not been reported as a problem.
目前為止，脫在教室外的鞋子失竊現象并未被視為問題。

來源：每日電訊報

翻譯：謝海芳（中國日報網愛新聞iNews譯者）

編審：yaning