From Shape to Symmetry: Task-Based Assessment of Visual-Motor Development in Primary School Students.

Abstract

This study investigates the developmental trajectory of visual-motor integration skills among primary school children in Grades 1 to 4 using two standardized task-based assessments: shape copying and symmetry completion. A total of 270 students from public schools completed both tasks, which were scored with a rubric capturing spatial accuracy, contour control, proportionality, and symmetry processing. ANOVA and repeated-measures analyses revealed a significant developmental increase in visuomotor accuracy up to Grade 3, followed by a relative plateau. Students consistently performed better on symmetry completion than on shape copying, suggesting differential cognitive and motor demands across tasks. These findings highlight the sensitivity of accuracy-based visuomotor tasks for detecting age-related differences in motor coordination and spatial processing during middle childhood. The results also provide evidence for the use of rubric-based assessments as practical tools for monitoring visuomotor development in school-aged populations.