Student Observations

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
Updated November 21, 2025
As part of the Functional Vision Evaluation (FVE), it is essential to observe the student in the classroom and across their broader school environment. Ideally, observations should occur at different times of the day and during a variety of activities to gain insight into how the student uses their vision—or other senses—throughout daily routines. ​
Begin with naturalistic observation—watching the student in the classroom without direct interaction, so their behavior is unaffected by your presence. Afterward, schedule time to work directly with the student to complete the formal evaluation.
During observations, pay attention to:
  • Visual behaviors (e.g., head tilts, posture adjustments, eye preference)
  • Use of other senses to compensate for limited vision
  • Task engagement, approach to new materials, and interaction with the environment
Observe routines such as:
  • Classroom learning and instruction
  • Reading and writing tasks
  • Recess and playground activities
  • Meal times
  • Peer and teacher interactions

​Use of Glasses and Optical Devices

If the student wears glasses or low vision aids, document the following:
  • Purpose of the prescription: Confirm whether the glasses were prescribed for distance viewing, near work, both (bifocals/progressives), or to address eye alignment issues (such as prism lenses).
  • Wearing habits: Observe how often and when the student wears them—consistently, intermittently, only for certain tasks, or not at all.
  • Condition and fit: Note whether the glasses are worn correctly, fit properly, and are clean, intact, and free of scratches that could affect vision.
  • Use of low vision devices: Identify any optical devices the student uses (e.g., monoculars, handheld magnifiers, stand magnifiers, dome magnifiers). Record the type, power, and how effectively the student uses them during tasks.

​Collaboration with Therapists and Teachers

To develop a comprehensive understanding of the student:
  • Collaborate with classroom teachers and therapists who work closely with the student. Their ongoing observations provide valuable insight into how the student functions across different settings and tasks.
  • Ask about the student’s daily performance, including progress toward academic and functional goals, visual behaviors, areas of strength, and situations where the student appears to struggle visually.
  • Observe the student interacting with familiar adults, such as teachers, paraprofessionals, or related service providers. These observations help reveal how the student uses their vision during natural instructional routines and how visual demands change across activities.

​Social Interactions

Evaluate how vision influences social development by observing the student’s ability to use visual cues during interactions. Consider the following:
  • Recognition of people: Does the student visually recognize classmates, teachers, or family members? Note whether recognition occurs spontaneously or only when prompted.
  • Response to facial expressions: Can the student interpret smiles, frowns, or other expressions, or do they rely more on tone of voice and context?
  • Eye contact: Does the student make and maintain eye contact during conversations or social exchanges?
  • Functional distance: At what distance can the student successfully recognize people or respond to visual cues? Document whether these skills change in different lighting or environments.

​Mobility and Navigation

When assessing mobility, observe how the student uses their vision to move safely and confidently through different environments. Consider the following:
  • Obstacle awareness: Does the student visually detect and avoid stationary objects (furniture, walls, equipment) as well as moving objects (peers, staff, pets)?
  • Navigation of space: Can the student move around furniture, low-lying obstacles, and crowded or visually complex areas without difficulty?
  • Familiar routes: Does the student travel confidently to common locations such as the cafeteria, restroom, classroom centers, or playground?
  • Transitions and elevation changes: Note whether the student shows hesitancy, uncertainty, or awkwardness when approaching stairs, ramps, curbs, threshold changes, or uneven surfaces.

​Atypical or Concerning Visual Behaviors

While observing the student, look for behaviors that may signal challenges with visual efficiency, clarity, or comfort. These behaviors can appear during academic tasks, play, or mobility:
  • Reduced or inconsistent eye contact during conversation or social interaction
  • Poor hand-eye coordination, difficulty catching, reaching, or aligning materials
  • Head tilt, head turn, or forward thrusting when viewing near or distance tasks
  • Covering or closing one eye, which may indicate double vision or alignment issues
  • Frequent eye rubbing or blinking, suggesting fatigue, strain, or discomfort
  • Frowning or squinting when viewing materials or distant objects
  • Tripping, stumbling, or awkward movement patterns, especially in unfamiliar or cluttered environments
  • Holding materials unusually close or far away, or frequently changing distance
  • Avoidance of visual tasks, frustration during reading or writing, or preference for non-visual strategies
  • Difficulty concentrating or needing significantly more time to complete visually demanding tasks
  • Slow adjustment to lighting changes, such as moving from indoors to outdoors or between bright and dim spaces
  • Increased reliance on touch for object identification or exploration

​Response to Visual Stimuli

When visual responses are limited or inconsistent, it is important to determine the level of residual vision the student may be using. Observe and document the following:
  • Light perception: Can the student detect the presence or absence of light? This may be seen through blinking, turning the head, or changes in facial expression when light is introduced.
  • Light projection: Can the student identify the direction of a light source? For example, do they orient their head or eyes toward a flashlight or bright window?
  • Form perception: Can the student detect shapes, shadows, or outlines of large objects? This may include awareness of doorways, large furniture, or movement of people.
  • Motion detection: Can the student perceive movement across their visual field? Movement should be tested silently, without auditory cues, to ensure responses are truly visual rather than based on sound.

​External Ocular Appearance

As part of the functional vision evaluation, observe and document the external appearance and condition of the eyes. This helps identify characteristics that may relate to the student’s visual functioning. Note the following:
  • Overall appearance: Look at the symmetry, size, and shape of the eyes, as well as the condition of the eyelids, pupils, iris, and cornea. Differences in structure may be associated with certain visual conditions.
  • Presence of observable signs:
    • Nystagmus: Involuntary, rhythmic eye movements that may affect clarity and stability of vision.
    • Blink reflex: Frequency, speed, or absence of blinking, which can relate to dryness, discomfort, or neurological factors.
    • Unusual pupil responses: Pupils that react slowly, unevenly, or atypically to changes in light.
    • Ptosis: A drooping eyelid that may partially block vision.
    • Styes, redness, or matting: Signs of irritation, infection, or chronic eye conditions that may influence comfort or clarity.
  • Use of a prosthetic eye: Note if the student wears an ocular prosthesis, including whether it fits comfortably and how this affects visual functioning with the remaining eye.

​Eye Alignment and Ocular Motility

Observe for the Following Visual Behaviors
  • Alignment: Check whether the reflection of light appears symmetrical in both eyes. Misalignment (strabismus) can impact depth perception, eye teaming, and overall visual efficiency.
  • Eccentric viewing: Note whether the student naturally turns their head or shifts their eyes to a preferred spot in their visual field to see more clearly. This is common when central vision is reduced or when a scotoma is present.
  • Eye preference: Identify which eye the student relies on more frequently for visual tasks. A simple technique is to ask the student to look through a cardboard tube or small opening—this typically reveals the dominant or preferred eye.
  • Muscle balance and tracking: Observe the student’s ability to smoothly track moving objects, shift gaze between targets, and maintain focus. Difficulties may indicate muscle imbalance or challenges with visual efficiency.
  • Response to lighting conditions: Watch how the student reacts to various lighting situations—bright sunlight, dim environments, fluorescent lighting, or glare. Note whether certain conditions improve or reduce visual functioning.
This set of observations contributes essential data to the FVE, helping to identify educational implications of the student’s vision and guide appropriate accommodations, strategies, and service recommendations. For students with significant vision loss, these observations also inform whether tactile or auditory learning modalities should be prioritized.

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