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Visual processing is how the brain takes in raw visual data. Visual perception falls under the broader category of visual processing and is how the brain interprets and makes sense of that data. Visual motor skills also fall under the broader category of visual processing skills that combine visual perception with physical body movements, such as hand-eye coordination.
Visual Perception is further broken into eight different categories: Visual Attention, Visual Discrimination, Visual Memory, Visual Spatial Relationships, Visual Sequential Memory, Visual Figure Ground, Visual Form Constancy, Visual Closure. For more information on these eight different categories, check out this website: https://www.theottoolbox.com/visual-perceptual-skills/
Visual Perception vs. Visual Acuity
Visual Perception vs. Visual Acuity
Visual Perception is different than visual acuity. Visual acuity is how sharply or clearly the eye sees details and is measured using an eye chart (e.g. 20/20 would indicate normal visual acuity). An optometrist is able to measure visual acuity as well as check overall eye health/structure as well as a few other vision tests and need for corrective lens.
Visual perception is how your brain understands, organizes, and gives meaning to what your eyes see. A student might have perfect vision (e.g. 20/20) but struggle with interpreting the visual information.
Parents:
It is important for children to go for regular eye exams with an optometrist to rule out difficulties with vision. If you are concerned about your child’s Visual Perception, speak to their optometrist during a regular eye exam or discuss with your primary care physician and/or an Ophthalmologist.
Teachers and school staff:
If you are concerned about a student’s skills in the classroom it is important to consider vision as a factor while also working with the school learning team and family/guardians to rule out any other possible causes (e.g., cognitive delay, learning disability, language delay, attention challenges, etc.).
Signs of visual perceptual struggles in the classroom might include difficulties with:
Signs of visual perceptual struggles in the classroom might include difficulties with:
Copying from the board/paper onto paper
Following a line of print while reading
Mixing up similar letters/numbers (b/d, p/q, 6/9, 3/8) even after explicit teaching of how to form the letter and persists into Grade 2 and beyond
Matching letters
Remembering site words
Remembering how words are spelled
Directionality (e.g., left and right, up and down)
Remembering chunks of information (e.g., phone numbers, addresses, info on a bulletin board)
Finding items in busy spaces (e.g., in a desk, coat hook space, locker, etc.)
Doing puzzles
Writing, drawing or completing written work in a timely manner
Judging physical space, clumsiness
Signs of visual motor integration struggles in the classroom might include difficulties with:
Signs of visual motor integration struggles in the classroom might include difficulties with:
Letter and number reversals
Line awareness (floating letters/words, letter generally not sitting on the line or may be scattered around the page)
Using margins effectively
Copying written work (losing place when copying off of the board, or it needs much more time to complete)
Ball skills such as catching, throwing, kicking.
Puzzles
Completing crafts, art activities (e.g. items may be constructed backwards, upside down, in an unorganized fashion).
Strategies and Considerations
Strategies and Considerations
Many of the strategies and accommodations that support students with Visual Processing challenges can be useful for all types of learners and may be beneficial for a variety of students in your classroom
Ways to work on Visual Processing (Visual Perception and/or Visual Motor Integration) Skills:
Ways to work on Visual Processing (Visual Perception and/or Visual Motor Integration) Skills:
Mazes
Puzzles
Matching
Sorting
Card games (e.g. Uno, Go Fish, Memory)
I Spy
Building with blocks /Lego
Simon Says
Patterns
Memory
Where’s Waldo
Spot it
Step-by-step drawing activities
Supporting Students who may have Visual Processing (Visual Perceptual and Visual Motor) Skill challenges:
Supporting Students who may have Visual Processing (Visual Perceptual and Visual Motor) Skill challenges:
Reducing ‘visual clutter’ in spaces (e.g. limiting what is on the wall, desks, workspaces)
Sit student away from visual distractions (open doorways, windows, ‘busy’ areas of the classroom).
Encourage vision breaks, which could include walks, a movement break activity.
Provide a visual model and step-by-step examples/pictures.
Teach efficient scanning patterns (Left-->Right, Top --> Down). (needed for reading, word searches and scanning the arrival/departure board at the airport).
Math/Science - use graph paper to help organize work and align numbers.
Tests/Assignments - have only one question per page, enlarge the font size.
Try color-coding materials/subjects (Blue- Math, Green- Science)
Use of highlighting, circling to draw attention to similar topics and important pieces of information. Try not to use italic, bolding, underlining, highlighting throughout the document as this can make it ‘cluttered’).
Allow extra time for visually demanding tasks.
Use of Assistive Technology:
Use of Assistive Technology:
Take pictures of notes on whiteboard/Smartboard with a tablet to be able to zoom in and highlight important information.
Different fonts are easier to read than others (Arial, Century Gothic, Verdana as examples). Try different font sizing and type to find one that is easier to read.
Convert digital copies of notes into preferred font and size.
Google Extensions can aid with reading and/or visually decluttering websites (removing ads, changing fonts/word spacing) such as:
BeeLine Reader - https://www.beelinereader.com/
Open Dyslexic - https://opendyslexic.org/
Reader View - https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/reader-view/ecabifbgmdmgdllomnfinbmaellmclnh?hl=en
External Resource Links
External Resource Links
The Expert Guide to Visual Motor and Visual Perceptual Skills -https://www.expressable.com/learning-center/online-occupational-therapy/visual-motor-and-visual-perceptual-skills
The OT Tool Box: Information on the 8 different types of Visual Perception Skills -https://www.theottoolbox.com/visual-perceptual-skills/
Tools To Grow: (mix of free and subscription-based access to materials to develop visual perception skills) - https://www.toolstogrowot.com/therapy-resources/visual-perception
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