Dynamic games as a means of psychomotor development in students with special educational needs

Dynamic games as a means of psychomotor development in students with special educational needs

Vizitiu Lakhdari Elena

The study investigated the effects of a structured dynamic games program on the development of psychomotor skills in primary school students with special educational needs enrolled in the “Sfântul Stelian” Special Middle School in Rădăuți. The research was conducted in the 2024-2025 school year and included 20 students (10 girls, 10 boys) aged 10 to 11, diagnosed with moderate intellectual disability. The intervention design was organized into three modules: initial assessment September-October 2024, systematic implementation of the program November 2024-February 2025 and final assessment March–May 2025. Psychomotor performance was assessed using standardized motor tests 5×5m shuttle run, 25m sprint, standing long jump, 30s sit-ups, bench press, and a 2min 30s endurance run, supplemented by observation of progress and engagement. The results showed consistent improvements: in girls, the average 5×5m shuttle run time decreased from 16.84s to 15.32s, approx.9%, and the 25m sprint time decreased from 9.36s to 8.19s, approx.12%. Standing long jump performance increased 95.6cm-119.2cm, and endurance running distance improved 261.5m-331.5m, confirming the effectiveness of dynamic games in improving psychomotor capabilities.

1. Bayazıt, F. Tezel, & Çakmak, G. (2021). The Effect of Movement Education Studies Applied to Children with Specific Learning Disability on Psychomotor Development. Pamukkale Journal of Sport Sciences, 12(1), 29-40.
2. C., Ungurean, A., Cojocariu, & Oprean, A. (2017). The use of Dynamic Games in the Development of Motor Skills Among Children with Special Educational Needs. Timisoara Physical Education & Rehabilitation Journal, 10(19). https://doi.org/10.1515/tperj-2017-0033
3. Roșu, F., P.F., Cojanu, Vișan, N., Samarescu, M. A., Ene, R.I., Muntean, & Ursu, V. E. (2024). Structured Program for Developing the Psychomotor Skills of Institutionalized Children with Special Educational Needs. Children, 11(1), 102. https://doi.org/10.3390/children11010102
4. Fotiadou, Eleni, H. Neofotistou Konstantina, F. Giagazoglou Paraskevi, & Tsimaras, Vasilios K. (2017). The Effect of a Psychomotor Education Program on the static balance of children with intellectual disability. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 31(6): p. 1702-1708, June 2017. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001612
5. Karal, M. Kokoç, & Ayyıldız, U. (2010). Educational Computer Games for Developing Psychomotor Ability in Children with Mild Mental Impairment, Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 9, 2010, Pages 996-1000, ISSN 1877-0428, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.12.274
6. Kuznetsova, S. Trachuk, V. Semenenko, O. Kholodova, L. Podosinova, M. Brychuk, O. Varenyk, & Kedrych, H. (2022). Effect of Movement Games on Physical Fitness of Children with Intellectual Disabilities. Physical Education Theory and Methodology, 22(2), 158–165. https://doi.org/10.17309/tmfv.2022.2.02
7. Moldovan, E. (2015). Study on the Role of Physical Education in Educating Psycho Motility for Children with Special Needs. Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov. Series IX: Sciences of Human Kinetics, p. 49-58.
8. Nesteriuc, & E. Vizitiu Lakhdari, Slusar, A. (2025). Dicţionar român -englez/englez-român de termeni din kinetoterapie şi motricitate specială, Editura RISOPRINT Cluj-Napoca, volum 1, ISBN 978-973-53-3486-4, p. 289
9. Kosmas, A. Ioannou & Retalis, S. (2018). Moving Bodies to Moving Minds: A Study of the Use of Motion-Based Games in Special Education. TechTrends 62, 594–601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-018-0294-5
10. Krutsevich, N. Panhelova, K. Larysa, O. Marchenko, S. Trachuk, M. Panhelova, & Panhelov, B. (2020). Effect of motion games on the psychoemotional state of children with intellectual disabilities, Journal of Physical Education and Sport (JPES). ─ 2020. ─ Vol. 20 (2). ─ p. 862 – 869
11. , Ștefănica, I., Mihai, F., Cojanu, P.F., Vișan, D. Roșu, & Potop, V. (2024). Determining the Changes in Psychomotor Behavior of Adolescents with Special Needs. Revista Romaneasca Pentru Educatie Multidimensionala, 16(1), 46-70. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/16.1/811
12. Vizitiu Lakhdari, E. (2018). Rehabilitation of children with developmental disorders through specific therapeutic swimming. In: Sport. Olimpism. Sănătate, Ed. 3, 13-15 septembrie 2018, Chişinău. Chișinău, Republica Moldova: “Print-Caro” SRL, 2018, Ediția a 3-a, ISBN 978-9975-131-65-0. p. 107-108.