Difference in Visual Perception and Auditory Discrimination between American Indian and White Kindergarten Children

Abstract

This study examines difference in the development of visual perception and auditory discrimination skills between Nez Perce Indian children and white children from the general population at the Lupwai public schools at the kindergarten age. Five areas of visual perception were tested with the Developmental Test of Visual Perception, and the ability to recognize differences that exist between the phonemes used in English speech was tested with the Wepman Auditory Discrimination Test.

It was found that differences in visual perception and auditory discrimination exist between the Nez Perce Indian child and the white child enrolled in the Lapmi public school kindergarten. It was further concluded that the Net Perce Zndian child was not as prepared as his white cotitemporaries to succeed in reading tasks.