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.

一项为期十年的研究显示，学龄孩童不穿鞋上课比穿鞋上课时成绩更好，表现也更出色。

'Shoeless' children are more likely to arrive to school earlier, leave later and read more, according to new research by Bournemouth University.

伯恩茅斯大学的新研究发现，平时不穿鞋上课的孩子更可能到校早、离校晚且阅读多。

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 attainment¹.

研究人员观察了数万个把鞋子脱在教室外的孩子，发现这些小学生在课堂上更专注，促使他们取得更优异的学业成绩。

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.

为提高孩子们的学业成绩，改善其行为举止，英国的一些学校紧随斯堪的纳维亚半岛学校的脚步，推出让孩子们不穿鞋上课的政策，而此项研究正好与该政策不谋而合。

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.

该项研究的研究人员在过去的十年里，对约25个国家的100多所学校中的数万个孩子进行了观察和研究。

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.

除了斯堪的纳维亚半岛的国家，研究人员还访问了新西兰和澳大利亚的学校。其中在伦敦西部进行的项目历时最久，该项目对孩子从小学直到大学的行为举止和学业成绩进行分析。

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.

几十年来，北欧地区的孩子都已学会脱掉鞋子上课，因为他们在到校时，往往出于大雪、冰水或污泥的原因，只得把鞋脱在教室门外。

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".

现在专家学者们都呼吁英国的教师实施类似的“赤脚”政策，“尽一切可能，让孩子们在考试中发挥好”。

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.

专家认为让孩子们在教室不穿鞋能提高其学习效果，因为不穿鞋让孩子们学习时“像在家里一样自在”，身心也会更放松。

Stephen Heppell, lead researcher and Professor at the Centre for Excellence² 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.

伯恩茅斯大学媒体研习英才中心首席研究员兼教授，史蒂芬•赫佩尔表示：“孩子们在不穿鞋的情况下，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.

“孩子们最不愿意坐在直椅背上阅读，我们发现实际上95%的孩子在家时都不会坐在椅子上阅读。假日期间，他们都躺着阅读。

"Having conditions in the classroom that are like those at home means that more boys are reading in the classroom.

“教室拥有和家中相似的条件意味着更多孩子会在教室阅读。

"In shoeless schools children also arrive earlier and leave later, which translates into half an hour of extra learning a day on average.

“在不穿鞋上课的学校，孩子们也到校早离校迟，这样算起来他们平均每天的学习时间会多半小时”。

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.

孩子们不穿鞋上课也意味着学校的清洁成本会降低27%，学校在教室设备上的支出也会减少，因为孩子们可以坐在地上，这样就无需购买桌椅。

Prof Heppel said that because "everything is going in their favour" children's academic standards tend to improve too.

史蒂芬•赫佩尔表示，因为学校的“一切条件都符合孩子们的喜好”，所以孩子们的学业水平也会提升。

He said: "The key to attainment is engagement³ 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."

他说：“学习成绩好的关键是全身心地投入，如果孩子们愿意置身其中，并且乐在其中，那通常情况下，他们的学业表现也会更出色。如果他们到校迟，离校早，而且自由散漫，那成绩就会下滑。穿鞋的孩子比起不穿鞋的孩子，注意力更涣散。”

On his website, Prof Heppel offers advice to schools on how to implement⁴ 'a shoeless' policy.

赫佩尔教授在其网站上就如何施行“赤脚”政策，给学校提供了各种建议。

He says it should apply to all, including head teachers and guests and children need to be given notice so they are not ridiculed⁵. He explains: "Children need to know their wholly socks will not be exposed to mockery from their peers⁶."

他表示，该政策应同样适用于校长、访客等所有与学校相关的人员，学校还应把该政策通知到位，如此一来孩子们才不会因为不穿鞋被嘲笑。他解释说：“孩子们还需知道他们的短袜并不会成为被同学们嘲笑的把柄。”

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，这种做法也有不足之处。赫佩尔教授表示：“穿高跟鞋的矮个子教师就要重新‘脚踏实地’了。”

So far theft of shoes left outside the classroom has not been reported as a problem.

目前为止，脱在教室外的鞋子失窃现象并未被视为问题。