Visual discrimination exercises/activities?

[angelmama1209]

We had my 5yo evaluated by an educational therapist and she scored low on everything but articulation. She scored lowest (1/9) on the visual discrimination exercises, which 100% fit with the problems we've noticed. She has been recommended for therapy, but I was wondering what I could be doing at home besides our regular school. Any thoughts?

[TheReader]

We were suggested Highlights Kids on-line (or print version) for those "find the hidden picture" puzzles, "what's wrong with this picture" puzzles, "find all the (insert object)" puzzles, etc. Also puzzles of the regular variety, mazes, matching games (memory style, and worksheets where she has to match letters to each other, numbers to each other, etc.), and coloring with detail. At 5 her fine motor skills might not be ready for tons of detail but as much as she can muster. I'm also doing "letter searches" in word search puzzles; instead of having my son find a whole word, I just have him scan and highlight or color each of one single letter -- so one page maybe is find all the As on the page.

 

We were passed a subscription website that has a TON of printables for this (and lots of other stuff); if you're interested, it's www.edhelper.com It is an annual subscription, though. HighightsKids.com is free.

[SKL]

When my dd was in vision therapy, one thing we used was a picture bingo game. It was a cheap Christmas version which used pictures of stockings, snowmen, Christmas trees, etc., each of which was different in small details such as the color of the stripes or what kind of hat was worn. It was a fun way of reinforcing the need to look for details.

[PeterPan]

Well what kind of therapy are they recommending? If it's VT, then you'll have homework for that. If the evaluator didn't recommend a vision exam, I'd get that done (and by a developmental optometrist, not a regular one), just to make sure there's no underlying physical reasons. COVD is where you find a developmental optometrist. Won't cost more for a regular exam, but they can screen her for the developmental vision stuff (tracking, convergence, focusing, etc.).

[angelmama1209]

Well what kind of therapy are they recommending? If it's VT, then you'll have homework for that. If the evaluator didn't recommend a vision exam, I'd get that done (and by a developmental optometrist, not a regular one), just to make sure there's no underlying physical reasons. COVD is where you find a developmental optometrist. Won't cost more for a regular exam, but they can screen her for the developmental vision stuff (tracking, convergence, focusing, etc.).

 

 

it's actually an early intervention program through nild called SEARCH and TEACH. i don't know if there will be homework yet or not. she will be starting jan 11.

[geodob]

Visual discrimination is actually a test of the ability to use 'visual capture and retention of an image',

Where the test basically involves looking at an image, and then holding the image in our mind. As we look for the same image a midst similar ones.

But if we can't retain the image, then we will score low with visual discrimination.

Though this isn't a skill that we are born with, but rather a skill that we acquire from practice.

Where it is the foundation of the development of visual working memory. Where it extends to recall of images from memory.

 

So that it basically involves practicing using it.

But a critical element off the tests, is that they 'abstract' images, which can't be named?

For example, a test that used a triangle, a square and a circle?

Wouldn't require retaining the image, as I just need to verbally recall that I'm looking for a square.

Equally if letters and numbers were used.

Or if images of different objects were used, that can be named.

 

So for therapy, you could simply draw random shapes on an A3 piece of paper, and then make a copy of it.

Then cut the first sheet up and use the shapes of flash cards.

Which briefly sees and then has to practice retaining the image, as she looks for it on the other sheet.

 

Though an extension of this, is to begin with immediately looking across to the other sheet?

Where an image disappears from memory after about 5 milli-seconds, unless we retain it.

So that she could begin with immediately looking across to the sheet. To gradually introducing a delay, that might start with half a second?

Then slowly extending it up to perhaps 5 or 10 seconds?

Where it is then retrieved from short term memory.

 

But a further extension, is to use 2 images rather 1.