Students with specific educational support needs, particularly those with late entry into the educational system, tend to have low motivation and develop low expectations regarding their abilities. This study proposes using board games through an intervention program to develop executive functions and Spanish vocabulary. A quantitative pretest-post-test study with a control group was conducted to evaluate the program’s effectiveness using the Rey Complex Figure Test (Rey, 2003) and Verbal Fluency from Evaluación Neuropsicológica de las Funciones Ejecutivas en Niños (Portellano et al., 2009). The study involved 46 immigrant students who had a late entry into the educational system at a school in a socially disadvantaged area of Andalusia. The results show that participants in the experimental group benefited from the program, with significant differences observed in the studied variables. It is concluded that game-based learning can be an effective educational tool for developing cognitive abilities and fostering vocabulary in students requiring linguistic adaptation.
Article Details
How to Cite
Ait-Abdellah-Sefian, H., Rodríguez-Ferrer, J.-M., Rodríguez-Moreno, J., Aguilar-Parra, J. M., & Manzano-León, A. (2024). Promotion of executive functions and fluency through games in students with late entry into the educational system. Ocnos. Journal of reading research, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.18239/ocnos_2025.24.1.483
Ait-Abdellah-Sefian, Rodríguez-Ferrer, Rodríguez-Moreno, Aguilar-Parra, and Manzano-León: Promotion of executive functions and fluency through games in students with late entry
into the educational system
INTRODUCTION
Over the past two decades, Spain has experienced a significant and steadily growing
migratory process (). According to statistics from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD), Spain is among the top five countries worldwide for receiving immigrants.
points out that this immigration is characterised by marked diversity in economic,
social, educational, and healthcare conditions, which presents substantial challenges
in integrating this group into Spanish society.
The successful integration of immigrant students has been -and indeed is- a significant
challenge for the Spanish educational system (). The right to education is firmly established as a universal right and, in the Spanish
context, is supported by Ley Orgánica 4/2000, de 11 de enero, sobre Derechos y Libertad de los Extranjeros as amended by Ley Orgánica 2/2009, de 11 de diciembre. This is further reinforced by the current education law Ley Orgánica 3/2020, de 29 de diciembre, por la que se modifica la Ley Orgánica 2/2006,
de 3 de mayo, de Educación. The act underscores the importance of education in promoting children’s capacity
to recognise, understand, and respect diverse cultures and individual differences.
This includes fostering equality of rights and opportunities between men and women
and non-discrimination based on ethnicity, sexual orientation or identity, religion
or beliefs, disability, or other conditions.
However, as recent research indicates, the educational integration of students with
migrant backgrounds is far from a consolidated reality (). Instead, there is a trend towards disparities in their academic paths, school segregation,
early school leaving, and a low access rate to higher education.
notes that the integration of migrants within the educational environment has gained
increasing importance, as it stems from the socio-educational function of our system,
becoming a vital tool in promoting social equity. Therefore, educational institutions
must ensure that migrant students acquire the knowledge and skills for effective participation.
also highlight the essential role of educational institutions in reducing social
and economic inequalities. Formal education plays a crucial role in the personal development
and economic and social integration of groups at risk of exclusion, including the
immigrant community.
Immigrant students often face significant challenges in acquiring reading skills in
Spanish, which can impact their academic performance, their integration into the educational
system, and their sense of belonging in society (). The linguistic and cultural diversity these students bring to the classroom can
be a valuable source of enrichment. However, it also raises the need to address the
linguistic and cultural barriers that may hinder their effective participation in
the traditional curriculum.
In this context, implementing Game-Based Learning (GBL) emerges as a strategy to transform
the teaching and learning process into a more participative and engaging student experience.
This approach involves using games as a learning tool, fostering skill development
across multiple areas of growth and academic dimensions ().
Higueras (2020) highlights the effectiveness of this pedagogical approach in promoting
the social and educational inclusion of immigrant students. Introducing game elements
into the classroom makes reading comprehension more accessible and encourages active
student participation in the class group. GBL offers a playful approach to engaging
immigrant students, allowing them to approach reading comprehension in a less intimidating
and more appealing way and enabling them to play and participate in activities related
to reading in a group setting. This approach can significantly contribute to their
academic development and sense of belonging in the classroom.
A systematic review by emphasises the benefits of using games in vocabulary acquisition. The authors point
out that games increase motivation in the learning process and encourage friendly
competition and collaboration. This, in turn, improves communication skills and offers
students opportunities to use the target language in a playful environment. examine the use of board games to improve reading processes in secondary school students
in disadvantaged areas. The results indicate that board games can be an effective
educational tool for promoting the development of reading processes, including word
and pseudoword reading, reading speed, and reading comprehension. A significant improvement
in lexical, syntactic, and semantic skills was observed after implementing the GBL
program.
Games allow for natural repetition and vocabulary reinforcement in a way that is not
monotonous for students. Games like Story Cubes enable students to use and repeat words and phrases in various narrative situations,
facilitating vocabulary retention and comprehension. Consistent use of these games
has proven beneficial for developing oral and written language skills ().
Furthermore, GBL promotes student social interaction and communication, which is essential
for language development. highlighted that social interactions in digital games can facilitate morphological
awareness and other literacy skills in a second language. English as a Second Language
students improved their reading and writing skills through interactions in the game.
Another noteworthy benefit of GBL is its potential to enhance the development of executive
functions in students (; ). Executive functions are cognitive skills that include planning, organisation, self-regulation,
attention, working memory, decision-making, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory
control. These skills are fundamental for learning, behaviour, and daily life ().
Working on executive functions for students who are latecomers to the educational
system may be interesting for several reasons. Firstly, these skills improve their
ability to learn and assimilate new knowledge (). Additionally, strengthening executive functions enhances their ability to adapt
to new situations and environments (). Secondly, developing these skills fosters student autonomy, helping them make decisions
and manage their time more effectively (). Lastly, executive functions play a role in emotional regulation (), which is essential for social inclusion and successful integration into the school
environment and society in general.
In summary, GBL has positively impacted multiple aspects of the educational process.
Recent studies (; ) highlight its benefits in academic performance, active participation, fostering
autonomy, cooperative skills, socio-emotional competence development, and the enhancement
of cognitive abilities. Moreover, authors such as support the effectiveness of GBL, emphasising its ability to address curricular content
in a motivating way and adapt to the diversity present in the classroom, an essential
feature in inclusive education ().
This research explores game-based learning to enhance vocabulary and executive functions
in immigrant students who are latecomers to the educational system. For this purpose,
an extracurricular educational program using board games was designed, consisting
of twelve hours spread over six sessions implemented in the second term of the 2022/2023
academic year. The research questions were as follows:
1) Can game-based learning enhance executive functions in students with late entry
into the educational system?
2) Does game-based learning influence phonological and semantic fluency development
in students with late entry into the educational system?
METHOD
Design
A longitudinal quasi-experimental design was conducted with a pre-post-test evaluation
using a control group and an experimental group.
Participants
The sample consisted of a total of 46 immigrant primary school students enrolled in
the support, guidance, and assistance program in public schools under the Ministry
of Educational Development and Vocational Training of the Andalusian Government (PROA Andalucía program), aged between 8 and 13 years, with an average age of 10.56 years. The control
group comprised 14 boys and 10 girls, with an average age of 10.8 years, and the experimental
group consisted of 12 boys and 10 girls, with an average age of 10.3 years.
The sample was collected from students participating in the PROA Andalucía program from the second and third cycles of Primary Education within the Linguistic
Support for Immigrant Students line. This program aims to strengthen the Spanish language
proficiency of newly arrived immigrant children in Spain. The participants in this
study were selected through a non-probabilistic sampling process based on the willingness
of educational establishments to participate in the research and the subsequent signing
of informed consent by the legal guardians.
Once the educational establishments were selected, the groups were randomly assigned,
considering the classes’ natural distribution. These groups were divided into two
categories: a control group, which received conventional reinforcement classes supported
by technological resources, and an experimental group, which participated in reinforcement
classes using the GBL methodology.
To participate in this research, participants had to meet the following criteria:
a) have signed consent to participate from their legal guardians
b) have attended at least 80% of the sessions during the intervention period.
Instruments
The following instruments were used:
1) Rey Complex Figure Test - Primary (Figure B) (.
This neuropsychological instrument assesses visuospatial and visuomotor skills through
a graphic execution task. The test is also helpful for evaluating executive and visual
functions, making it an integral tool in clinical practice and research.
The test is closely linked to executive functions and essential cognitive processes
for planning, controlling, and executing complex tasks. The copy phase of the test
assesses the participant’s planning and organizational abilities. To accurately copy
the figure, the individual must develop an effective strategy that reflects their
planning and organizational skills.
During the memory phase, the test challenges the participant’s working memory, as
they must retain and manipulate visual information to reproduce the figure from memory.
Cognitive flexibility is also assessed, as the participant may need to adjust their
copying and reproduction strategy as needed. Additionally, inhibitory control is evaluated,
requiring the participant to inhibit incorrect responses and avoid errors during figure
reproduction.
This test was selected due to its greater independence from cultural and linguistic
context. As a graphic execution task, it does not implicitly require specific linguistic
skills, making it particularly valuable for use with non-Spanish-speaking migrants.
This feature allows for a more equitable assessment of individuals from diverse cultural
and linguistic backgrounds, ensuring that differences in scores reflect genuine variations
in cognitive abilities and are not influenced by language barriers ().
2) Evaluación Neuropsicológica de las Funciones Ejecutivas en Niños ().
The Evaluación Neuropsicológica de las Funciones Ejecutivas en Niños is a comprehensive tool designed to assess various executive functions in children.
Among the multiple tasks included in this battery, the verbal fluency task, which
is divided into two parts: phonological fluency and semantic fluency, was used for
this study. This task measures the child’s ability to generate words under specific
constraints within a limited time.
In the phonological fluency task, each participant has one minute to say aloud as
many words as possible that begin with the letter "M." This part of the test evaluates
the child’s ability to access and retrieve words from their lexical-semantic memory
under a specific phonological constraint, requiring effort in searching and retrieving
information from long-term memory. The second part, semantic fluency, instructs participants
to name as many words as possible that belong to the category "animals" within one
minute. This test focuses on the child’s ability to access a specific semantic category
and retrieve related words, which also involves organizational and semantic access
skills."
Procedure
Initially, a preliminary assessment was conducted to ensure that the groups were equivalent
in the variables studied. On the one hand, the intervention with the experimental
group consisted of six 120-minute sessions spread over a trimester in alternating
weeks, aimed at achieving an adequate level of proficiency in using Spanish as the
vehicular language. On the other hand, the control group followed a traditional methodology,
including teacher-led classes and the use of ICT resources such as PowerPoint, Canvas,
and Educaplay. Both interventions occurred within the school during extracurricular
hours and were part of the PROA Andalucía program.
The experimental group engaged in a Game-Based Learning methodology with a pirate-themed
narrative. This pirate narrative served as a thematic framework for the activities
and provided a coherent and engaging structure for the sessions. Students were immersed
in an imaginary world where they assumed the roles of daring pirates embarking on
exciting adventures and missions to retrieve a golden treasure. This narrative immersion
aimed to capture the students’ attention and motivate them, encouraging active participation.
The GBL methodology for the experimental group was structured into two-hour sessions
organised around the following activities:
- Session start: A message on the blackboard assigned one participant to open the
magic box. This participant scanned a QR code and read the letter of the day, which
introduced the challenge and activities for the session.
- Daily challenge (the letter’s content): The "Lords of the Island," characters from
the narrative represented digitally, asked the students to complete the games proposed
for each session. These daily challenges were aligned with the learning objectives
and designed to be achievable yet challenging.
- Assembly: At the end of each session, an assembly was held, during which the captain
of each group wrote on a sheet of paper the name of the game used and their positive
and negative evaluations of the session. This reflective activity was intended to
help students assess their performance, identify their achievements, and identify
areas for improvement.
In each session, students earned medals or points based on their performance concerning
their participation, conflict management during the games, and positive attitude,
according to a rubric prepared for the workshop. A selection of board games was made
that could effectively work on executive functions or reading-related skills, with
the most commonly used being Carrera de Letras (Editorial Lúdilo), Código Secreto (Editorial Devir), Dixit (Editorial Asmodée), Ikonikus (Editorial Zacatrus), Monster Kit (Editorial Tranjis Games), y Taco Gato Cabra Queso Pizza (Editorial Lúdilo) (see Annex).
Figure 1Photographs of the GBl intervention
In contrast, the control group used a traditional teaching methodology, including
instructional classes and ICT resources such as PowerPoint, Canvas, and Educaplay.
The researchers did not design this intervention; instead, the methodology previously
implemented by the teachers in the PROA Andalucía program was documented and used as the control group. The main teaching elements
were:
- Instructional classes: These consisted of lessons delivered by the teacher, focusing
on vocabulary development and language acquisition. The teacher used traditional teaching
techniques, such as direct explanations, written exercises, and group reading activities.
- PowerPoint: PowerPoint presentations were employed to structure the lessons and
visually teach vocabulary and key concepts. These presentations included slides with
new words, example sentences, key points, and summaries.
- Canvas: This platform distributed learning materials, assigned tasks, and provided
feedback. Activities on Canvas included readings with graphic representations and
matching and word-drawing exercises.
- Educaplay: This tool was used to create interactive activities such as crosswords,
word searches, and quizzes.
Data analysis
The study was conducted following the objectives. Initially, the questionnaires used
were corrected to obtain direct scores. Due to the small number of participants in
each group, a normality study was carried out using the Shapiro-Wilk statistical test.
The results of this test indicated that the scores did not follow a normal distribution.
Therefore, non-parametric tests were chosen for the comparison of means.
The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the means between the control and experimental
groups (independent samples). The Wilcoxon test was employed to compare means within
each group (dependent samples). After completing these mean comparisons, Cohen’s d
was calculated to assess the magnitude of the observed differences.
RESULTS
To verify the initial equivalence of the groups (control and experimental) in the
variables studied, a Shapiro-Wilk test was conducted, and the results indicated that
the scores did not follow a normal distribution in both groups (p < .05). Due to this,
non-parametric tests were chosen for the comparison of means. Table 1 presents the means and standard deviations of the direct scores obtained at the two
measurement points (pre- and post-test).
Table 1Means and Standard Deviations of the Control and Experimental Groups in Pre- and Post-Test
Measurements
Pre-test
Post-test
Control
Experimental
Control
Experimental
M
DT
M
DT
M
DT
M
DT
Rey Complex Figure Test – Copy Phase
Number of items
18.75
2.19
19.82
1.94
18.83
2.12
20.55
1.26
Position of secondary items
13.00
2.04
13.36
2.42
12.83
2.28
13.91
2.35
Items Quality
17.08
3.08
17.73
2.62
10.83
2.04
13.73
1.98
Size (proportionality)
4.79
1.41
5.64
3.53
4.58
1.35
5.45
1.10
The relative position of the four principal figures
4.33
1.17
4.82
3.58
4.46
1.14
5.59
1.62
Rey Complex Figure Test – Memory Phase
Number of items
12.25
3.35
11.55
3.49
13.75
3.50
16.00
2.62
Position of secondary items
6.42
3.49
5.55
3.54
8.00
3.64
10.73
2.59
Items Quality
10.83
4.02
10.50
3.42
8.33
2.87
11.36
2.57
Size (proportionality)
3.42
1.79
4.23
2.27
3.33
1.37
5.00
2.00
The relative position of the four principal figures
3.33
1.31
3.82
2.38
3.17
1.13
5.45
1.84
Evaluación Neuropsicológica de las Funciones Ejecutivas en Niños
Phonological fluency
2.66
1.58
2.54
1.53
3
1.35
4.72
2.05
Semantic fluency
1.42
1.21
1.27
1.03
1.26
0.96
2.5
1.26
The decision to use non-parametric tests was based on the number of participants in
each group and on the normality analyses conducted previously, indicating a lack of
normality in the obtained raw scores. To determine whether the groups (control and
experimental) were statistically equivalent before the intervention, means were compared
using the pre-test scores (see table 2). The results showed no statistically significant differences, suggesting that the
groups were statistically equivalent on the measured variables at the start of the
intervention.
To address the research questions, post-test scores of the groups were compared (see
table 2). The results revealed statistically significant differences in all the studied variables
between the control and experimental groups, favouring the experimental group. Additionally,
table 2 includes effect sizes calculated using Cohen’s d (). The found effect sizes range from medium to large. Notable significant findings
include Element Quality, both in copying and recalling the Rey Complex Figure Test,
and Semantic Fluency in the Evaluación Neuropsicológica de las Funciones Ejecutivas en Niños test.
Table 2Non-parametric tests for related and independent samples
Wilcoxon Related Samples
U de Mann-Whitney Independent Samples
Control
Experimental
Pre Control vs Experimental
Post Control vs Experimental
p
d
p
d
p
d
p
d
Rey Complex Figure Test – Copy Phase
Number of items
.564
0.04
.070
0.45
.539
0.52
.012
0.59
Position of secondary items
.185
0.34
.485
0.23
.647
0.16
.001
0.67
Items Quality
.001
1.39
.001
1.72
.284
0.23
.002
1.44
Size (proportionality)
.438
0.15
.097
0.07
.469
0.32
.027
0.71
The relative position of the four principal figures
.444
0.11
.000
0.28
.751
0.18
.021
0.81
Rey Complex Figure Test – Memory Phase
Number of items
.014
0.44
.001
1.44
.435
0.2
.035
0.73
Position of secondary items
.095
0.44
.000
1.67
.315
0.25
.007
0.86
Items Quality
.012
0.72
.000
0.28
.691
0.09
.002
1.11
Size (proportionality)
.001
0.06
.005
0.36
.285
0.4
.006
0.97
The relative position of the four principal figures
.728
0.13
.012
0.77
.810
0.26
.000
1.49
Evaluación Neuropsicológica de las Funciones Ejecutivas en Niños
Phonological fluency
.489
0.23
.001
1.21
.761
0.08
.003
0.99
Semantic fluency
.686
0.15
.006
1.07
.741
0.13
.002
1.11
In addition to comparing the groups with each other, within-group mean comparisons
were conducted to assess their internal development. The results of these tests are
reported in table 2.
In the control group, some statistically significant changes were observed in the
studied variables, with medium effect sizes and a large effect size in the case of
Element Quality.
In the experimental group, statistically significant differences were found in comparing
post-test scores with the control group and pre-and post-test scores within the experimental
group across all studied variables, except for the Number of items and Position of
secondary items. The effect sizes for variables with statistically significant changes
were small or medium. It is important to note that these two variables did not show
significant changes within either group when comparing intra-group. Therefore, the
statistical differences observed in this group are attributable to the intervention
carried out, except for the variables Number of items and Position of secondary items,
where the observed differences might be due to accumulated differences between the
groups.
Thus, as indicated by the results shown in table 2, the control group shows within-group improvements. These improvements are consistent
and attributable to several reasons. Firstly, the activities carried out in the PROA Andalucía program with traditional teaching and ICT tools provided a structured learning environment.
Secondly, the natural maturation of the students, as the study was conducted over
a term, was sufficient for immigrant students to experience growth in their second
language vocabulary. Thirdly, familiarity with the test, due to its repetition, may
have facilitated better student performance.
However, where the GBL was implemented, the experimental group showed significantly
more improvement within and between groups, as reflected in the effect size, with
statistically significant differences in all evaluated variables. This suggests that,
in addition to the previously mentioned factors such as maturation and test familiarity,
the use of board games and a gamified narrative provided additional and substantial
benefits.
DISCUSSION
Adapting to a new environment, an unfamiliar language and a different culture can
be complex and challenging. A review of the existing literature provides a broad perspective
on games’ capacity to improve reading processes (; ). However, research on its use with immigrant students is limited despite demonstrating
significant results in favour of playful strategies ().
The results of this study indicate the positive impact of this methodology on the
fluency of immigrant students. These results align with previous studies on Spanish
as a foreign language, which suggest that using playful materials enables students
to improve their understanding and use of Spanish in a fun and engaging way (; ). Reinforcing this idea, highlight that play provides a rich and dynamic context in which students can practice
the language and benefit from repetitive processes creatively and flexibly without
losing motivation.
Conversely, the connection between game-based learning and the development of executive
functions is a crucial aspect of this study. The development of executive functions,
which include skills such as planning, attention, and working memory, can be crucial
for academic performance and social adaptation. Using board games promotes the natural
and motivating practice of these skills (). For example, during a board game, students must plan their strategy, decide their
next move, etc. These activities involve constant practice of executive functions
as students need to maintain attention, remember the rules, and adapt to new situations
that arise during the game. This active and playful learning type is particularly
effective for developing these skills practically and engagingly (; ; ).
Although the results suggest promising advances for applying Game-Based Learning to
students with late entry into the educational system, certain limitations must be
considered. Firstly, the current study is limited by the relatively small sample size.
Future research would benefit from conducting quasi-experimental studies with more
extensive and comparable samples, allowing for greater generalization of the findings.
Another limitation lies in the sample selection method, as data were collected in
the natural classroom setting. To address this issue, future research could employ
random sampling techniques. Lastly, the study design was based on pre-and post-quantitative
tests. Future research on this topic would benefit from a qualitative exploration
of the educational community’s perceptions of this methodology and a longitudinal
assessment of the long-term impact on the studied variables.
CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that GBL is an effective tool for developing Spanish vocabulary
and executive functions in late educational system integration students. The intervention,
consisting of six two-hour sessions, demonstrated that participants in the experimental
group achieved significant improvements in verbal fluency tests, both phonological
and semantic, compared to the control group.
The study also showed a notable improvement in students’ executive functions in the
experimental group. Skills such as planning, organization, working memory, and cognitive
flexibility were significantly enhanced, demonstrating the positive impact of GBL
on overall cognitive development. The activities’ structure and the games’ narrative
may have contributed to creating an engaging learning environment, fostering active
participation and enthusiasm among students.
A detailed analysis of the results revealed that, while the control group also experienced
improvements, these can be primarily attributed to factors such as the natural maturation
of the students, regular classroom activities and teaching, and familiarity with the
test due to its repetition. Although these factors may have influenced the experimental
group, the improvements observed in the experimental group were significantly more
significant. They can be directly attributed to implementing the GBL methodology,
as both groups were equivalent before the intervention, and the intra-group and inter-group
changes were more significant in the experimental group.
In conclusion, the study demonstrates that Game-Based Learning can be a valuable methodology
for enhancing Spanish vocabulary and executive functions in immigrant students in
late educational system integration. Implementing similar programs in other educational
settings could provide a relevant and practical approach to addressing the challenges
faced by immigrant students, thus contributing to their academic and social integration
in a more efficient and motivating manner.
CONTRIBUTION OF AUTHORS
Hajar Ait-Abdellah-Sefian: Data curation; Writing – original draft; Research; Methodology.
José M. Rodríguez-Ferrer: Formal analysis; Writing – review & editing; Methodology; Software; Supervision;
Validation.
Javier Rodríguez-Moreno: Supervision; Visualisation.
José M. Aguilar-Parra: Supervision; Visualisation.
Ana Manzano-León: Project administration; Conceptualisation; Writing – review and editing; Resources;
Supervision.
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ANEXO 1
ANEXO 1
Board games used in the experimental group
Name and publisher
Game Type and Components
Description
Reading processes worked on in the game
Executive functions worked on in the game
Carrera de Letras (Editorial Lúdilo)
Competitive by teams. Board, cards, tokens, clock.
In teams, they compete to form words using letter cards. Each team selects a word
and moves the corresponding tiles on the board. The goal is to be the first team to
move eight letter tiles off the board.
Word identification: Players must identify and select correct words. Letter recognition:
Each letter used moves on the board, promoting visual letter recognition. Vocabulary
development: By forming words, players expand their vocabulary. Reading Comprehension:
Players must understand the clues to select the correct word. Spelling: The game reinforces
the correct writing of words.
Working memory: Remembering the rules of the game and the letters available to form
words. Planning: Selecting the most effective words and anticipating the opposing
team’s moves. Cognitive flexibility: Adapt to new letters and change strategy according
to the game’s circumstances. Inhibitory control: Wait your turn and follow the game’s
rules without impulsivity. Fluency: Finding words that fit the available letters and
given clues improves the ability to generate words fluently.
Código Secreto Imágenes (Editorial Devir)
Competitive by teams. Cards and board.
Players are divided into two teams, and each team has a leader who knows the locations
of their team’s cards on a 5x4 grid. The leader’s goal is to give clues in images
so that his team correctly guesses all the associated cards before the opposing team.
Visual Comprehension: Players must interpret abstract images to communicate clues.
Association of ideas: Relate images to relevant concepts or words. Analysis and synthesis:
Break down and combine visual elements to understand and create messages. Inferential
reasoning: Deducing the correct image based on visual cues provided by the team leader.
Attention and working memory: Players must concentrate and remember images to interpret
and give accurate clues. Planning: Strategize to choose the best images that match
the tracks. Cognitive flexibility: Adapt to new tracks and change strategy as the
game progresses. Inhibitory control: Avoid revealing clues that may benefit the opposing
team. Fluency: Generate and understand visual cues quickly.
Dixit (Editorial Asmodée)
Competitive. Cards and board.
Players use illustrated cards to tell stories. A player acts as the narrator, choosing
a card and giving a clue as a word or phrase. The other players select cards from
their hands that match the clue. Then, all the cards are shuffled and voted on to
guess the narrator’s card. The goal is to be imaginative enough for some, but not
all, to guess correctly.
Visual comprehension: Interpret and understand the illustrations of the cards. Inference:
Making assumptions based on clues given by the narrator. Storytelling: Creating imaginative
stories or descriptions for the cards.
Attention: Players should keep an eye out for clues and cards. Working memory: Remembering
the cards seen and the clues given. Planning: Strategizing how to give and guess clues.
Cognitive flexibility: Adapting thinking to new clues and interpretations. Fluency:
Invent and understand descriptions and stories based on images.
Ikonikus (Editorial Zacatrus)
Competitive. Cards.
Players use cards illustrated with emoticons to communicate how they would feel in
various situations proposed by other players. In each round, one player describes
a situation, and the others select a card representing their emotional reaction. The
player who best interprets his teammates’ emotions wins the game.
Narration: Explain why a card represents an emotion in a specific situation. Effective
communication: Express and justify card choices.
Attention and working memory: Staying focused to correctly interpret emotion cards
and remember previous emotions and situations discussed in the game. Cognitive flexibility:
Changing perspectives to understand how other people might interpret emotions. Planning:
Select the most appropriate emotion card for each situation presented. Inhibitory
control: Wait your turn and do not choose cards impulsively. Fluency: Explain and
justify the emotions selected in various situations.
Monster Kit (Editorial Tranjis Games)
Individual without competition. Cards.
Players design their monsters using different pieces with the help of cards. The goal
is to create the most impressive monster according to the established categories,
such as the strongest or the most sympathetic. It can be used with different game
modes. In this case, the monsters were designed with the cards, and the players had
to create stories about them.
Initial reading and writing (pseudowords): The game includes components that encourage
essential reading and writing. Each part of the monster contains syllables to form
the monster’s name.
Attention: Players must focus on correctly selecting and combining the monster pieces.
Working Memory: Remembering the available parts and the requirements of the monster
they are creating. Planning: Designing a monster following specific guidelines or
characteristics. Cognitive flexibility: Adapt the monster’s design based on the available
pieces and the game’s rules. Creep: Describe and explain the characteristics of the
monster created.
Taco Gato Cabra Queso Pizza (Editorial Lúdilo)
Competitive. Cards.
Players must get rid of their cards matching the word they say: "Taco", "Cat", "Goat",
"Cheese" or "Pizza". When a card matches the word, everyone must put their hand on
the center pile, and the last to do so takes all the cards. The goal is to be the
first to run out of cards.
Association of images and words: Relate the images of the cards with the corresponding
words.
Attention: Players should be attentive to detect matches between cards and words.
Working memory: Remembering the sequences of words and cards played. Inhibitory control:
Resist impulsivity and act only when there is a coincidence. Processing speed: Quickly
process visual and verbal information.
