As I’ve been discussing Visual Perceptual skills on Patreon this month, a mentee had the question, “Is there a hierarchy of visual perceptual skills?”

Using my clinical reasoning and past knowledge, I understood that visual memory is essential to build other visual perceptual skills. You must know what you’re looking at before trying to discriminate, finish, or find it. 

At the most basic level is the registration of visual input through oculomotor control, visual fields, & acuity. This means that if a child has difficulties with oculomotor skills (ie. Convergence/divergence, eye teaming, saccades, tracking/visual pursuits, etc), they may have difficulties with drawing, writing, reading, and math that require the use of visual perception. Addressing acuity (ie. 20/20 vision) is also important. Imagine trying to copying a drawing without wearing prescribed glasses or contacts. That burred mess is sure to give me a headache! Last, it is crucial to understand what a child sees. Are they using their full visual field or just part? Neglecting or being inattentive to certain fields of vision will impact the amount of information a child can intake in their environment and how it is processed to be meaningful. The ability to fluidly scan the environment will also impact the information taken in be analyzed by the brain. All three component skills, oculomotor control, visual fields, and acuity, need to taken in all information in the environment before it can be processed and perceived.

Next comes pattern recognition. A child must be able to problem solve, predict, and use working memory information to complete and follow a pattern. It also involves understanding the specific detentions and making of shapes and objects.

Build upon pattern recognition is visual memory. This is the first of the typical mentioned visual perceptual skills. Visual memory is the recognition of shapes and forms “in the mind’s eye” (Zoltan, 2007). A child needs to be able to recognize shapes, images, objects, forms, and characters before asked to search for them in a hidden picture, match them to difference sizes, or comprehend the incomplete form.

Last comes visual cognition. This is the functional use of vision and perceptual skills. It  combines discrimination, closure, spatial relations, sequential memory, figure ground, form constancy. Visual cognition is the combination of using learned knowledge, executive functioning skills, sensory processing and modulation, and vision in interaction with one’s environment. It is the highest level of the hierarchy.