AN EVALUATION OF VISUAL SPATIAL ORIENTATION IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
Journal Title: Acta Neuropsychologica - Year 2009, Vol 7, Issue 1
Abstract
Current research on spatial orientation indicates that, so far, we do not fully understand how spatial orientation develops in onto-genesis. Similarly, one encounters difficulties when searching for norms concerning orientation, e.g. the body scheme in adults. Another unsettled issue is the claim that a given child has disturbed spatial orientation. Certainly it is impossible to diagnose a disorder when there is no norm established. The aim of our research was to explore the level of spatial orienta-tion skills in kindergarten children. 1055 children were assessed: 523 girls and 523 boys from var-ious regions of Poland. We applied an experimental method based on diagnostic experiments used to assess children’s com petence in spatial orientation. We observed a certain order of spatial orientation competen -ces: knowledge of body scheme; directions in space from one’s body; projecting one’s own body scheme onto another person and establishing directions in space from the body, while simul-taneously speaking about the action being taken; and finally spatial orientation on paper. Simultaneously, the research shows that a majority of 6- and 7-year-olds manage the first two skills well, while orientation on a flat piece of paper is a demanding task even for 7-year-olds. The exercises in notebooks or books so often used by thera-pists should definitely be preceded by exercises in natural con-ditions, i.e. in three-dimensional reality. Should we ignore these indications, based on the ontogenetic development, we cannot expect a child to improve her functioning.
Authors and Affiliations
Ewa Czaplewska, Katarzyna Bogdanowicz
Keywords
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