Drawing Diamonds

For those of you who have been following Your Kids OT, you will know that I recently went to New York City.  So indulge me a minute whilst I show you some photos from the trip.

These photos are from Ellis Island which is located on the same ferry route as the Statue of Liberty.  Ellis Island was America's largest and most active immigration station.  It is now a museum which documents the stories of some of those who passed through its halls with their hopes and dreams of a better life.  It was an interesting and moving experience to see what was involved in the "processing" of hopeful immigrants.

As an OT, I couldn't help but notice the picture here "Can you draw a diamond?" in the Ellis Island museum.

It reads...
"Doctors found that this test, which required immigrants to copy geometric shapes, was useful only in the examination of immigrants who knew how to write or were used to holding a pencil.  Illiterate Slavic and Italian immigrants between the ages of 15 and 30 drew these diamonds ca. 1914.  The top group was drawn by immigrants who had never held a pencil before; the middle group by those who had never gone to school; and the bottom group by those who had less than a year of schooling".

We still ask kids to draw us diamonds now as a part of the Beery VMI (Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration).

"Visual motor perception is the ability to copy geometric shapes, letter or drawing in a proper spatial manner... Form-copy tests are excellent indicators of a child's future school performance.  If I had to choose only one test to give a child to determine his school readiness, it would undoubtedly be the form-copy test". K. A. Lane (2005) Developing Ocular Motor and Visual Perceptual Skills: An Activity Workbook .  

As OTs, we place emphasis on copying shapes when assessing visual perception. Copying the "vertical diamond" in the Beery VMI is reported to have an age norm of 8yrs 1mth. The developmental trends in drawing a vertical diamond include drawing vertical lines (3yrs), reflections of vertical and straight lines (4yrs), closed form with angles (5yrs), squared diamond (5yrs 8mths), definitely elongated (6yrs 10mths) and then the acceptable angularity (8yrs 1mth).

Craft sticks and shapes!

When teaching a child to draw a diamond,  I focus on their ability to draw diagonal lines and their ability to cross the midline (taking into consideration the child's age and development).  A multi-sensory approach is key so that the child "feels" the action and can understand how to motor-plan.  This may include drawing in rice and shaving cream, creating with playdough or using craft sticks to create patterns and shapes. 

Have you been to Ellis Island? Can your child draw a diamond? 
  

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