Arab Educational Information Network

This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of a training program - designed by the researcher - based on playing in the development of some cognitive skills that were represented in “Language skills, arithmetic skills, discrimination, remembering and concentration”, on a sample of students with mild mental disabilities who are able to learn using the handbook. Educational "One Hundred Selected Games". The objectives of the study were achieved by answering the main question, "How effective is a play-based training program in developing cognitive skills for a sample of students with simple mental disabilities who can learn?" The sample of the study was chosen in an intentional way “to serve the objectives of the study,” which consisted of seven female students with mild mental disabilities ranging in age from “8-12” years who are able to learn at Faisal Al-Husseini Basic School for Girls in Ramallah Governorate. These skills were measured Through the test tool and the observation card - designed by the researcher - and monitoring the strengths and weaknesses, and then the intervention was conducted, which is the play-based training program, which consisted of 20 training sessions, and the study concluded that there is a real effectiveness of the training program in developing the cognitive skills of the sample, which improved Language skills at a very high degree, then arithmetic skills and discrimination skills in the second place with a high degree, and finally memory and concentration skills at a low degree, and therefore the researcher reached some recommendations in the light of the results The study, most notably activating the use of training programs in schools in a more serio us and systematic way, by training resource room teachers to use them, and the need to follow innovative teaching strategies and methods that depend on activating the senses, and activating play in the educational process, especially for people with mental disabilities who are able to learn. (Author’s abstract)