Visual Tracking and Academic Performance – Part 1

In my experience, “visual tracking” is a term that seems to be universally recognized by classroom teachers, yet frequently misunderstood for the relationship of this visual ability to reading and learning. In a general way, teachers have learned that visual tracking refers to an eye movement and coordination ability. Plus when a child has trouble with visual tracking it typically results in behaviors that usually involve skipping lines when reading and copying which can lead to reduced reading skill. However, while most educators are familiar with this, they often have questions about what to do when a child has a problem with “tracking”.

Specific to this point, recently I heard from Jennifer R., a 4th grade teacher from Indiana, who emailed me with some questions about this topic of “visual tracking”. Jennifer was particularly interested in trying to understand how this one area of eye coordination, visual tracking, could impact performance of her 4th grade students. Furthermore, once identified, what can be done if a child has poor visual tracking ability. It is because of Jennifer’s thought provoking questions that begins this series – Visual Tracking and Academic Performance. The following are Jennifer’s questions:

1. How do professionals define visual tracking?
2. What types of symptoms/ actions do children exibit who do not develop these skills normally?
3. How/ when do visual tracking skills normally develop in children?
4. At what age does this typically become noticeable?
5. What type of implications can a lack of these skills have on children academically?
6. Is there a way to tell that reading problems are the result of a visual tracking problem rather than something else (learning disability, etc.)?
7. What does therapy in an office such as yours include, generally?
8. What kind of modifications can teachers use in the classroom to help these students be successful?
9. Are there any commercially available programs you recommend for use in schools or homes to work on developing visual tracking skills?

To begin this series, we begin with Jennifer’s first and second question: How do professionals define visual tracking and what are the signs and symptoms?

Read this post at the VisionHelp Blog:

http://visionhelp.wordpress.com/2010/11/27/visual-tracking-and-acad...

Dan L. Fortenbacher, O.D.,FCOVD