Abstract: The author of the article presents a review of modern practical researches of children with the mental regardation (delay of the development of cognitive abilities such as attention, memory, cogitation and imagination). The author of the article makes an assumption that the delay in development can be better overcome if the delay is conditioned by the environmental but not genetic factor. The results of the research show that different researchers have manged to develop cognitive abilities of children with mental regardation, however, healthy children usually demonstrate better results after taking special classes of mental development. Therefore it is very difficult for children with mental regardation to cover the gap between them and healthy children. However, children with mental regardation demonstrate pretty good results when they take creative imagination development classes including art, musical and dancing classes. Imagination is a creative ability and creative abilities are determined genetically, too. Therefore the author recommends to develop creative abilities when working with children with mental regardation. 

Abstract: The author of the article studies efficiency of psychological training of cognitive abilities. The author uses a training program offered by T. Berezina. It has been assumed that all the factors influencing the efficiency of training programs should be divided into two groups. The first group of factors include the fact of participation in a training, teaching a shooler all necessary methods of control over their memory and attention. The second group includes motivational factors. High school students with a high level motivation demonstrated success in training their cognitive abilities. In the course of training their attentional capacity and short-term verbal and numerical memory. High motivation was determined if a schooler particpated in the training on his own will and believed the training would be useful for them. Low level of motivation was determined if a schooler was forced to participate in the training and did not demonstrate much efford during the training. It has been concluded that motivation plays a very important role in the process of education. School psychologists and teachers should not only organize academic activities and develop children's cognitive abilities, but also stimulate their motivation and desire to learn.