Students depend greatly on their visual motor skills, from their handwriting to maintaining an organized desk, to successfully navigate the various aspects of school life. In my role as a school-based occupational therapist, I am dedicated to assisting students in enhancing these essential skills and suggesting appropriate accommodations, all in an effort to make their educational journey smoother and more enjoyable.

In today’s educational landscape, a significant portion of the information students encounter is presented in a visual format. As part of their learning process, students are tasked with processing and retaining this visual content, often through actions such as note-taking, typing, or using digital devices like iPads to record it. This method of visual learning and information capture places a substantial reliance on the development of robust visual motor skills.

Visual motor skills encompass a diverse range of abilities that harmonize to enable us to execute precise and coordinated movements. These intricate abilities hinge on our capacity to interpret visual data effectively, translating it into appropriate motor responses involving our arms, legs, and overall body coordination.

For a more in-depth exploration of visual motor skills, we encourage you to explore the insights shared in this informative post.

Why are Visual Motor Skills Important in School

As human beings, we are inherently visual creatures, and this characteristic holds true for children as well. Our society has established various systems and constructs aimed at fostering order, well-being, and progress, and a substantial number of these systems rely heavily on our capacity to effectively process visual information. Educational institutions, such as schools, are integral components of these systems, where the primary mode of information delivery is predominantly visual.

According to a comprehensive study on visual learning featured in The Journal of Education and Practice, a remarkable 75% of all information processed by the brain is presented in a visual format. The researchers conducting this study further emphasize that information is more comprehensible and accessible when it is conveyed through visual means.

The significance of motor skills in an educational setting stems from the predominant use of visual information in student learning. Effective visual motor skills are crucial because they play a pivotal role in a student’s academic performance and overall enjoyment of their school experience. When students possess well-developed visual motor skills, they are better equipped to excel academically and actively engage in a fulfilling school life.

What are Examples of Visual Motor Skills in school?

In the classroom, the majority of activities students engage in rely to some extent on their visual motor skills. Here is a compilation of typical school-related activities that depend on the use of these essential skills:

• Handwriting
• Taking notes.
• Using a finger as a guide while reading.
• Copying from near and far.
• Cutting and pasting (arts and crafts).
• School projects requiring cutting and pasting.
• Coloring
• Painting
• Using a stick ruler.
• Using a protractor.

“Visual motor skills encompass a diverse range of abilities that harmonize to enable us to execute precise and coordinated movements. These intricate abilities hinge on our capacity to interpret visual data effectively, translating it into appropriate motor responses involving our arms, legs, and overall body coordination.“

How Do You Help Students With Visual Motor Difficulties

In my role as a school-based occupational therapist, my central objective is to empower students to achieve the highest level of independence and success within the school environment. My foremost priority revolves around identifying and addressing areas of deficit, working diligently to help restore function whenever possible. Nonetheless, it’s important to recognize that success isn’t always achieved solely through restoration. At times, the key to success lies in adapting the activity or offering accommodations that enable students to perform tasks effectively and achieve their goals.

As a general approach, I find it valuable to begin by assessing the learning environment in which students are expected to thrive. My first step typically involves engaging in a constructive dialogue with the teacher. During this conversation, we delve into the student’s specific needs as outlined in the Individualized Education Program (IEP), discuss the educational goals that the student is working towards, and explore potential interventions that can be implemented to enhance their prospects for success. This collaborative effort ensures a comprehensive and tailored approach to support the student’s academic journey.

In our initial approach, our focus is directed toward making classroom accommodations that cater to the specific needs of the student. We explore various interventions aimed at enhancing the student’s learning experience. For instance, if preferential seating is deemed beneficial, we carefully consider the optimal seating arrangement, ideally placing the student at the front of the class with an unobstructed view of the smartboard. We also recommend minimizing any potentially distracting visual elements around the smartboard to facilitate the student’s focus on relevant information.

It’s worth noting that sometimes, the most straightforward solutions can yield significant results. For instance, ensuring that students who have been prescribed eyeglasses wear them can profoundly affect their academic performance. Surprisingly, self-consciousness about appearance can deter some students from wearing their glasses, adversely affecting their schoolwork.

In addition to seating arrangements and eyewear, we work with teachers to prioritize salient information in lessons, including techniques such as highlighting, underlining, and using bold or larger fonts while reducing background distractions on the smartboard. While educators often employ creative methods to engage students, we emphasize the importance of simplicity for those with visual motor deficits.

Addressing copying skills, we suggest that copying from a near point rather than a far point may help students maintain their place when looking between the board and their paper. Tools like three-ring binders, pencil grips, or build-up pencils can facilitate writing tasks. Typing is an alternative for students with significant handwriting difficulties, and using a reading strip can assist in maintaining their place while reading.

We recommend loop scissors for easy cutting and pasting for projects and arts and crafts activities. We also demonstrate proper techniques with arm support on a flat surface for stability.

Regarding coloring or painting activities, we propose using markers for their ease of handling and reduced hand movement requirements. Painting can be simplified using sponges or small pieces of cloth for improved control. We have summarized our suggestions in the list below.

Throughout my career as an occupational therapist, fostering strong working relationships with teachers has proven invaluable in implementing these recommendations effectively. Despite time constraints and caseload demands, consider this collaboration an investment not only in the school environment but also in the lives of our students. Your efforts can make a lasting impact on their educational journey.

Helpful Ideas

• Accommodate the classroom.
• Provide Preferential seating.
• Minimize distracting information around classroom walls.
• Make relevant information more salient.
• Decrease visual effects or unnecessary information in the smartboard.
• Take note of the student’s complaint of eye discomfort.
• Encourage students to wear their prescription eyeglasses.
• Make important information more salient.
• Facilitate near-point copying.
• Facilitate reading by utilizing a reading strip.
• Facilitate arts and crafts or school projects by utilizing.
• Facilitate Handwriting by utilizing a three-ring binder.
• Facilitate coloring activities by using markers.
• Facilitate painting activities by using a small piece of cloth or sponge.

I’ve offered some suggestions to encourage you to consider ways in which we can support students with visual motor deficits, making their school experience more manageable and productive. By adapting the classroom environment and modifying everyday school-related tasks, we’re creating a more inclusive learning space for students with visual motor deficits and potentially benefiting those with diverse learning needs.

In the interim, we continue to work closely with students, employing a combination of exercises and engaging activities during therapy sessions to enhance their visual-motor skills. If you’re interested in discovering fun and effective activities to promote visual motor skill development, I invite you to explore the content in this informative post.
In summary, a substantial portion of school-related information is presented visually, placing the onus on students to perceive, process, memorize, and learn this information effectively. Visual motor skills play a pivotal role in this learning process, as students must respond motorically to visual content through activities like handwriting, typing, or using devices such as Chromebooks or iPads.

Moreover, students must initiate adequate motor responses in tasks like completing assignments, projects, and assessments. Fortunately, there are numerous avenues through which we can assist students with visual motor deficits in meeting these educational demands, including classroom accommodations, activity modifications, and efforts to restore visual motor function. I trust you found this post both helpful and informative.

“Always remember, empowering our children goes a long way in helping them become independent and build their self-esteem.”