Abstract
Abstract: :
The literature has shown a relation between academic ability and visual skills. Visual processing skills are often assessed during vision examinations, however it would be desirable if a group-administered test was available as a screening tool. Purpose: This was a masked investigation of the relation between academic achievement and performance on a new group-administered test of visual processing. Methods: All children in grades 2 through 6 at a school in Columbus, Ohio were invited to participate. One hundred thirty seven children consented and participated. A Modified Clinical Technique vision screening was performed. A new test of visual memory/imagery was group-administered to each class. The school administered the Gates-MacGinitie reading test to all children and the TerraNova Reading and Math tests to children in grades 4 through 6. The Phonological Awareness Skills Program was administered as a measure of phonological skill. The school administered the InView as a measure of cognitive ability. Multiple linear regressions were performed to determine the relation between performance on the new test of visual processing and reading and math achievement. Controls for age and cognitive skill were included in all analyses. A control for phonological ability was included in analyses for reading achievement. Results: Performance on the test of visual memory/imagery was significantly related to reading (TerraNova Reading: p=0.010, adj. R2= 0.307; Gates MacGinitie: p=0.036; adj. R2=0.515) and mathematics achievement (p = 0.002, model adj. R2 = 0.588). Conclusions: A new group-administered test of visual memory/imagery ability is significantly predictive of current achievement in reading and math while controlling for age, cognitive skill and phonological ability.
Keywords: reading • memory