VISUAL PERCEPTION DEVELOPMENT

1 - 2 YEARS

Visual Perception is the way in which the brain interprets the messages which it receives through the eyes. Visual Perception is the umbrella term used and covers several visual functions which work together to make up Visual Perception. Briefly, these subsections are

• Visual Discrimination:
  This is the ability to see similarities and differences between objects, pictures and symbols. This enables the child to sort , match and categorize. It is an essential skill for reading, spelling and maths

• Visual Foreground and Background Perception:
  This refers to the ability to focus on a particular object while all other objects fade into the background. it is an important function in reading, maths and all other academic learning areas.

• Visual Seriation:
  This is the ability to arrange objects in increasing or decreasing order. It involves understanding the meaning of words and concepts such as few, more, most, etc.

• Visual Memory and Recall:
  The ability to remember what has been seen, and recall this information at a later stage. It involves the ability to remember shape, colour, size and sequence. Visual memory and recall are essential for reading and writing.

• Visual Sequencing:
  The ability to arrange objects, pictures, shapes letters and numbers in a logical order.

• Part/Whole and Whole /Part Relationships:
  This is the ability to break up visually presented items into it’s component parts and then put them back together again. This skill is essential for reading, spelling and maths.

ONE YEAR (approximately)

• Enjoys releasing an object form his/her hand , giving the object away to someone, and receiving it back again.
• Is aware of physical attributes of an object, eg. smooth/rough surfaces.
• Delights in buttons, buckles, flowers and other bright objects.
• Can see emotional expressions.
• Begins to pick up a spoon at the tip of the handle.
• Is able to place objects next to, on top of each other, or into a container if the container is hollow.
• Enjoys playing with bowls by putting them on and taking them off his head again.
• Arms are raised to indicate that he wants to be picked up and looks down to indicate that he wants to be put on the floor.
• Interested in various noises, even those made by objects which he cannot see, e.g. a car hooter a few blocks away and will closely “watch” the car passing by.

ONE AND A HALF YEARS (approximately)

• Can move objects form one hand to the other.
• He wants everything he sees
• Is able to carry toys from one place to another, leaves it in the new place, and later returns to the toy.
• Loves to help to pack things back into their correct places, eg. packing the grocery items away.
• Loves building towers with blocks and
• Using both arms throws balls and other objects over his/her head and behind him/her.

TWO YEAR (approximately)

• Watches what he/she does as he/she does it.
• Looks and then acts.
• Is able to interrupt his looking , stop the activity, and then continue with
• Enjoys watching things that move with circular movements, eg. watching the wheels of a car turn.
• Is fascinated by the moon.
• Very fond of small objects, miniature things.
• Understands the concept of “where?” and can answer correctly.
• Likes to hide toys and look for them in the dark.
• Can turn the head and eyes to the side to see what is happening.