No abstract

Background: Studies on physical activity interventions indicated a facilitative effect on cognitive performance in persons with intellectual disabilities; however, research is scarce, especially in low/middle-income countries. Aim: We explored the effects of a 6-week enriched physical education program on inhibitory control and attention functions in Ecuadorian children with intellectual disabilities. Methods: Thirty children with mild intellectual disabilities (10-14 years old) were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Before and after the intervention, attention and inhibitory control were measured using computer-based nonverbal tasks. Results: The findings showed significantly more accurate and faster responses in the vigilance task in the intervention group than in the controls. There were no significant intervention-related changes in inhibitory control; however, there were more prominent accuracy tendencies toward improvement in the intervention group. Conclusions: Results provide evidence of the potential of physical activity programs to enhance attention in this population, which could serve as a mediator for inhibitory control.

This article aims to promote and support the physical education teacher's community in the use of playful practices with pupils with mild intellectual disabilities (MID), as a didactic medium, and a substantial educational resource of quality physical education.  Firstly, it will be reviewed definitions and emergent themes on the subject shaping the theoretical framework on which this study has been built. Later, it will be presented didactic advice and guidelines for the application of playful practices, extracted from the most effective observable practices in the author's teaching experiences in specialized education institutions with pupils with MID and supported by the scientific literature. This article reinforces the notion that playful practices provide variety to meaningful learning, have great potential as a facilitator in pedagogical processes, and provide an appropriate educational response to pupils with intellectual disabilities. It also shows that teachers should reflect positive and reflective disposition to modifications and adaptations of the different elements involved in the playful practices according to educational objectives and the personal needs and interests of the children with MID. Considerations such as the instructions have to be modified to meet students’ needs, play according to children's biological age and systematic registration and monitoring in the teaching-learning process are essential. It is recommended that teachers share their experiences in pedagogical practice to learn from our differences and strengthen our coincidences, to contribute to the still insufficient bibliography in the pedagogical practices in special education.