Activities to develop visual perception

Pupils who have difficulties in this area may have:

• a poor sense of direction
• difficulties with organisational skills
• reverse words in both reading and spelling (eg. saw for was)
• difficulty understanding abstract maths concepts, paticularly in the areas of shape, space and measure
• problems with comparative language (eg. taller than, shorter than, longer than)
• difficulty completing jigsaw puzzles
• problems with copying from the board
• problems with interpreting and organising diagrams, charts, graphs, maps and other visual methods of recording
• difficulties judging speed and distance
• difficulty with letter and number orientation
• difficulty with structuring and organising written work
• strengths in logic, verbal and non-verbal reasoning
• enjoyment in using multisensory strategies when learning
• a preference for a phonic approach to learning to read
• a preference to use audio methods of recording information.

Order the book: A-Z of Special Needs for Every Teacher for lots more activities and help

Activities to develop visual perception skills:

1. Post-a-shape – matching shapes to the correct opening.
2. Feely bag – ask the pupils to describe a shape or object by feeling it without looking, then describe it again when they can see it.
3. Copying 1 – a shape pattern or picture, using a magnetic board and pieces.
4. What's missing? 1 – complete a 2D shape.
5. What's missing? 2 – complete a picture.
6. Guess what? – ask the pupils to guess the object when only part is visible. A picture of an object could be cut into four pieces and only one part given at a time until the children have guessed what it is.
7. Object/picture matching – using everyday objects.
8. Jigsaw puzzles – of varying degrees of difficulty to suit individual pupils.
9. Matching shape to silhouette – using the correct orientation.
10. Matching picture to silhouette – using the correct orientation.
11. Draw a person – ask the pupils to copy the features of a real person, then compare.
12. Copying 2 – 2D shape patterns and pictures of varying degrees of difficulty.
13. Colouring 1 – symmetrical patterns of varying degrees of difficulty to suit individual pupils.
14. Colouring 2 – symmetrical pictures of varying derees of difficulty to suit individual pupils.
15. Tessellation 1 – arranging magnetic 2D shapes on a board.
16. Tessellation 2 – drawing around 2D shapes.
17. Sensory maze activities – using a variety of materials.
18. PE activities – involving directional and positional language. Use symbols as a reminder.
19. Multi-link pattern cards – and similar activities.
20. Instructions – follow auditory instructions while using a diagram or picture, to show how to build a model.
21. Noughts and crosses – using plastic or wooden pieces.
22. Computer-aided picture and design activities.
23. Brain gym – some activities help to develop perceptual skills.

From A-Z of Special Needs for Every Teacher by Jacquie Buttriss and Ann Callander