The Role of Educational Games in Developing Reading Skills Among Students with Specific Learning Disabilities from The Perspective of Resource Room Teachers in Palestine

Abstract

The study aimed to explore the role of educational games in developing reading skills among students with specific learning disabilities from the perspective of resource room teachers in Palestine, in light of the independent variables (gender, academic qualification, and years of experience). To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher employed a mixed descriptive methodology (quantitative and qualitative) and used both a questionnaire and interviews as data collection tools. The study population consisted of all resource room teachers in the Ramallah and Al-Bireh Directorate schools, totaling 30 teachers, selected through a comprehensive survey method. The findings revealed that educational games play a significant role in enhancing reading skills among students with specific learning disabilities, with a high overall mean score of 4.23 and a percentage of 84.6%. The interview results supported the quantitative findings, highlighting a strong agreement among teachers on the importance of educational games in motivating students and improving their overall reading performance. The results also indicated that there were no statistically significant differences at the 0.05 level in the perceived role of educational games in developing reading skills due to the variables of gender, years of experience, or academic qualification. In light of the findings, the researcher recommended providing appropriate educational games in resource rooms, organizing training workshops for teachers on how to effectively integrate educational games into reading instruction, and encouraging the Palestinian Ministry of Education to adopt game-based instructional strategies for students with learning disabilities.