Examining the Predictors of Naming Speed among Thai Preschoolers: Confirming the Important Roles of Visual Perception and Sustained Attention

Abstract

Investigations of reading readiness among early preschool children in Thailand have revealed contextual language and social elements that are different from speakers of other languages. The goal of this study was to further understand important variables that predict future reading readiness among Thai children, namely, the influence of visual perception and attention on naming ability. There were 158 preschoolers aged 5 -6.8 years of age, who performed the following tests: Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM), Attention Sustained (AS), Visual Perception (VP), and Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) tests. A cross-sectional correlational research design was conducted in this study. The results, which were examined using multiple regression, revealed a strong association among sustained attention, visual perception, intelligence, and naming speed. Sustained attention and visual perception were found to be strongly associated with rapid naming ability. There was a relationship between intelligence and attention. However, intelligence did not appear to be associated with naming speed. Sustained attention and general visual perception were shown to predict the speed of color naming up to 12.2% (Adjust R2 = .12, p < .05) and the speed of digit naming up to 14.1% (Adjust R2 = .14, p < .05). In conclusion, the visual perception and sustained attention abilities of Thai preschool children can predict their rapid naming ability. During early childhood, the importance of developing attentiveness and visual perception is indicated since it offers a positive reading acquisition ability.