{NEW} Visual Perception Reference Sheet

17/8/2015

When reading and applying the strategies in this reference sheet, please keep in mind the following:

Visual perception is just one aspect an occupational therapist may assess and address when working with a child. Visual perception is not usually addressed by an occupational therapist in isolation. For example, a child's difficulty with cutting out a shape may be due to difficulties with eye/hand coordination, bilateral coordination, hand strength, manual dexterity, etc.
Strategies suggested in the reference sheet include ideas to assist with skill development (eg. copy block patterns) as well as compensatory strategies (eg. provide grid paper to assist with letter size).
Visual Motor Integration is the ability to make sense of visual information and then use it appropriately when performing a motor task. It may involve one or more of the components of visual perception. Many of the activities listed in the reference sheet require a motor component and therefore an integration of vision and motor skills.
This reference sheet will suit children age 6 years and older, however there may be some application to younger children as well.

To give you a "taste" of what is in the reference sheet, here is the first component of visual perception that I write about.

Eye-hand coordination
The coordinated control of eye movement with hand movement. This includes the ability to process visual information to guide hand function.

Everyday examples where visual perception is needed and potential areas of difficulty.

· Driving a toy car on a road mat.
· Throwing and catching a ball or beanbag.
· Hitting a ball with a bat.
· Knitting or sewing.
· Using a computer “mouse” or “track pad”.
· Drawing precise straight or curved lines within a visual boundary.
· Cutting out a shape.

Strategies to assist.

Hand over hand physical assistance to guide coordinated movement.
Practicing large (gross) movements control (eg. use a larger bat and ball or cut larger shapes) before moving to smaller movements and smaller tools.
Outline boundaries where appropriate (eg. highlight around area for colouring).
Provide multi-sensory approach so that the child is not reliant only on visual information (eg. verbal cues).

Visual perception is the process where the brain extracts and organises information, giving meaning to what we see. I am pleased to share with you a new reference sheet that I have been slowly working on for the last 12 months. This is a valuable resource especially for OTs and teachers! I wish I had a copy when I first started out as an OT!

It was a great honour to have some of my fellow therapy bloggers review and edit this reference sheet! Special thanks to Lyn (lynaot), Becca (OT mommy) and Jaime (Miss Jaime OT)!

The visual perception reference sheet contains definitions for eight components of visual perception, forty-five every day examples where visual perception is needed and potential areas of difficulty as well as forty-five strategies to assist with visual perception.

Over the coming months I will be sharing information about each component area (bite size chunks so it is not too overwhelming). However, if you would like all the information now then please purchase the reference sheet for yourself from the Your Kids OT Shop!

There are lots of great resources that I am looking forward to sharing with you in the coming weeks to help your child/ren with their visual perceptual skills including a brand new app that has been recently launched.

Purchase your copy of the visual perception reference sheet from the Your Kids OT shop or if you prefer you may also purchase this from Teachers Pay Teachers! Let me know what you think!

STOP PRESS: Are you following Your Kids OT on Facebook? I'm giving away 20 copies of this reference sheet on Monday 17th (Sydney time)! Be quick!

Thank you for your ongoing support!

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Also available at our TPT store!