Visual processing describes how quickly and accurately we can identify what we're seeing. Resources in this section are free to use. This chapter in the book helps you to understand more about each of the different aspects of vision, including visual stress, colour blindness (colour vision deficiency) and reading accuracy and fluency. Given that vision accounts for a significant amount of brain activity, it is a critical aspect of screening.

As visual processing can be a 'hidden' difficulty, all children will benefit from being screened with the screening tests linked below.

Don't forget, it's important to check for normal vision and eye health, too. Encourage parents-carers to take their child to the optometrist alongside any screening you do.

This section relates to Chapter 5

NCIM Action Point 5.1:

Visual Stress

British Association of Behavioural Optometry:

Visual Stress Information and Checklist

Find a Behavioural Optometrist Near Me:

British Association of Behavioural Optometrists

Australasia

Worldwide

Evaluating Perceived Stress and Wellbeing:

Identify other stresses in a child's life

NCIM Action Point 5.2:

Colour Blindness (Colour Vision Deficiency)

United States Agency for International Development:

Ishihara Plates to screen for Colour Blindness

Learn more about Colour Blindness (Colour Vision Deficiency - CVD):

Colour Blind Awareness

Buy Marie Difolco's brilliant book for educators

Listen to Marie and Hannah chatting in the NCIM podcast

Want to screen for CVD quickly in your setting?

Access the NCIM digital test (based on the Ishihara Plates) to add this layer into your screening protocol - sign up for the Get Started emails

NCIM Action Point 5.3:

Rapid Automatic Naming Speed

Bonnie Terry's Rapid Naming Drills:

Go halfway down the page and you can download the drill

NCIM Action Point 5.4:

Reading Efficiency

Toe by Toe Reading Accuracy Test:

This test will give you a reading age for accuracy

Burt Reading Test:

This hasn't been standardised for a long time, but was a well-regarded resource in its day.

While these tests aren't written to be timed, if you time someone reading the test, asking them to read as quickly as they can, you will also get a sense of their reading efficiency.

Scholar Within Reading Speed Test:

This resource is American and uses Grades. To work out the English equivalent, simply plus one. So, a Grade 3 test would be a Year 4 test. Tests go from Year 2 to Year 9. They give a reading rate guide.

Below are some data which can help you identify reading efficiency difficulties:

Fischer Family Foundation Reading Fluency Data (Primary):

The Fischer Family Foundation have done some interesting research around reading fluency. Using this guide, you will be able to identify whose fluency is below the relative average.

Reading Fluency Data (Secondary):

There doesn't seem to be any free UK standardised secondary reading fluency data. Let us know if you find some so we can share it with everyone.

Jump to:

Phonological Processing

Visual Processing

Handwriting & Sensory Integration

Executive Function

Social Emotional Mental Health

Physical Health