Research Paper on:
Importance of Perceptual Motor Skills

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
the many areas that experts examine when evaluating a childs developmental progress. However, as this brief examination of this topic demonstrates, this construct is crucial to the learning process and  failure to develop adequate VPM skills has serious implications for the overall learning success of the child. For example, if VPM skill is inadequate, a child may have trouble  finding a specific place on a certain page along with the rest of the class. In some cases, VPM is so poor that a child cannot fixated on specific letters  or numbers long enough to differentiate between their various forms. VPM also encompasses that component of vision that enables gaze shifts to be smooth and rapid, which allows an  individual to scan multiple groups of letters in near space. This skill is essential for many academic tasks, such as copying schoolwork from a chalkboard, which necessitates students continuously shifting  their gaze from far to near and back again (Erhardt and Duckman, 1997). When VPM skill is evaluated, three components are examined. These are: 1) how well can the  child see (vision acuity); 2) is the child processing visual data accurately (perception); and 3) are eye movements coordinated and accurate (motor) (Erhardt, 1989). In regards to what evaluators consider  in judging vision specifically, they look for: 1) localization, which refers to the eyes reaching out to find a target; 2) fixation, which is the eyes maintaining contact on a  target; 3) ocular pursuit, which refers to the eyes tracking, converging, or interacting with the target; and 4) gaze shift, which refers to the eyes letting go of the target  (Erhardt, 1989). When a child has difficulty developing the appropriate level of VPM skill for his or her age, experts recommend activities designed to increase VPM skill. For