RT Journal Article T1 Atomizados: An Educational Game For Learning Atomic Structure. A Case Study With Grade-9 Students With Difficulties Learning Chemistry A1 Girón-Gambero, Jesús Ramón A1 Franco-Mariscal, Antonio Joaquín K1 Didáctica K1 Estudiantes universitarios K1 Aprendizaje - Trastornos AB Alternative teaching methodologies are required for grade-9 students diagnosed with difficulties learning chemistry. This study examines the progress made in learning atomic structure by 11 Spanish Students Diagnosed with Learning Difficulties (SDLD, experimental group), including those with poor academic performance, specific learning difficulties in reading, writing, and mathematics, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and borderline intellectual disability according to the Spanish curriculum. The study was conducted as part of the Program for Improving Learning and Performance (PMAR) and utilized the game “Atomizados”, specifically designed for this purpose. A written test on atomic structure was used to evaluate learning with three learning levels established (naïve, transitional, and informed). The findings indicate that 63.63% of the SDLD (experimental) achieved an informed learning level (understanding the internal structure of the atom) as a result of utilizing a generative learning strategy. The Mann–Whitney U test demonstrated that this learning was statistically significantly greater than that achieved by other students diagnosed with learning difficulties who did not use the game (SDLD control group). No significant differences were found between the SDLD experimental group and two other groups of grade-9 students with no learning difficulties (NSDLD control groups). However, differences were detected between SDLD (control) and NSDLD (control) in favor of the latter groups. The average for these control groups was a transitional level (identifying some elements of the atomic structure) in the best cases. SDLD (experimental) exhibited a very positive perception of the game’s influence on learning chemistry, highlighting its attractiveness, interest, and potential for generating classroom participation. PB ACS YR 2023 FD 2023 LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/27312 UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/27312 LA spa NO “Atomizados”: An Educational Game for Learning Atomic Structure. A Case Study with Grade-9 Students with Difficulties Learning Chemistry Jesús Ramón Girón-Gambero and Antonio Joaquín Franco-Mariscal Journal of Chemical Education Article ASAP DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00614 NO Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga/CBUA DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga RD 24 ene 2026