Visual Perceptual Skills

Visual Perception refers the brain’s ability to make sense of what the eyes see. This is not the same as the term visual acuities, which means how clearly a person sees (for example “20/20 vision”). A person can have 20/20 vision and still have problems with visual perceptual processing. Good visual perceptual skills are needed for reading, writing, cutting, drawing, completing math problems, as well as many other skills. A child who has problems with perceptual processing might have difficulties working puzzles, copying block designs, or discriminating shapes, pictures or letters.

Seven of the terms that are traditionally included as
“sub-areas” under the term visual perception are listed below. In upcoming posts, I will define these terms and provide activity suggestions to address weaknesses in these specific perceptual “sub-areas”. It is important to note that visual perceptual deficits cannot be remediated with practice. These activities are designed to help children compensate for visual perceptual deficits and assist them to capitalize on their visual perceptual strengths.

Sub-Areas - (According to the Non-Motor Test of Visual Perceptual Skills, 3^rd Edition)

-Visual Discrimination

-Visual Memory

-Visual-Spatial Relationships

-Visual Form Constancy

-Visual Sequential-Memory

-Visual Figure Ground

-Visual Closure

If you suspect that a child has visual perceptual processing problems, you may want to request an evaluation by a professional, such as a psychologist or occupational therapist. There are several assessments available that can determine a child's perceptual strengths and weaknesses such as:

The Non-Motor Test of Visual Perceptual Skills, ^4th Edition

Motor Free Visual Perception Test, ^4th Edition

Beery Test of Visual Perception (a sub-test of the Beery Test of Visual Motor Integration)

For information about therapeutic Visual Perceptual Activities and Products-
Click HERE!

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