The Effect of Motor-perceptual Skill Training on Cognitive Function of Third Grade Girl Students with Learning Disorders

Document Type : 78

Authors

• malihe esmaielpour ¹
• majid pakdaman ²

¹ M.A in Psychology and Education of Exceptional Children, Ghayen Azad University, Ghayenat, Iran. *(Corresponding Author): [e-mail]

² . Ph.D. in Educational, Department of Psychology, Ghayen Islamic Azad University, Ghayenat, Iran.

Abstract

Background and Objective: Today’s environment in which children grow, is so dangerous and complicated that they are prevented from touching and being in situations where a lot of movements and perceptual information are available for them. They lose lots of experiences needed for the development of their motor abilities. Therefore the most emphasis on learning disabilities is on motor-perceptual processes and activities. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of motor-perceptual skills training on cognitive function of third grade girl students with learning disorders.
Method: This was a semi-experimental proposal with a control group. Thirty girl students from third grade with learning disorder and poor motor-perceptual skills were selected via convenience random sampling from elementary school of Ghayen and were randomly assigned to a control and an experimental group. The children were given the necessary training by a researcher for a month (12 sessions, 3 sessions a week). To access motor-perceptual skills, Lincolen-Oseretsky motor proficiency test and to measure cognitive function, Wechsler’s subtests were applied.
Results: Analyze of covariance showed that motor-perceptual skills training leads to cognitive function improvement in third grade girl students with learning disorders.
Conclusion: By strengthening motor-perceptual and development skills, most of issues with unwanted impact on social communications which caused by misunderstanding of others behaviors, will be eliminated. Compatibility and success probability of people with learning disorders is more likely in difficult living conditions.

Keywords

• Motor-perceptual skills
• Cognitive function
• Learning disorder

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