Abstract
Visual perceptual skills exert a significant impact on academic achievement, particularly in reading and writing. Early learning programmes play a pivotal role in nurturing these skills, influencing a child's readiness for formal schooling and long-term educational success. This study explores how early childhood educators perceive their readiness to address visual perceptual difficulties. The use of an interpretivist paradigm and qualitative methodology, as well as in-depth interviews with early childhood educators, revealed their perceptions and experiences. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s bio- ecological systems theory and Gibson's ecological theory of perception, this research highlights complex interactions shaping educator readiness. Four key themes emerged through thematic content analysis: limited understanding of visual perceptual difficulties, educators' focus on broader concerns overshadowing visual perceptual difficulties, inadequate experience in addressing such difficulties, and insufficient prioritisation of supportive interventions. These findings underscore the need for educators, ECD centres, and educational institutions to reevaluate current practices and policies, ultimately enhancing the quality of early childhood education.
Keywords: visual perception difficulties, readiness to support, early childhood educators