Attention

Attention

Students are most successful when they are engaged during instructional time and remain attentive to the activity at hand for the expected amount of time. For some students, sustained attention and focus are challenging. These can impact both academic and social-emotional development.

What You May See

• Daydreaming or losing focus during instructional time or while completing an assignment

• Interrupting peers and teacher (e.g. blurting out answers, talking to other students, etc.)

• Constantly moving

• Demonstrating out of seat behaviours (e.g. sharpening pencils, putting things in garbage, looking for materials in classroom, etc.)

• Frequently asking to go to the washroom or to get a drink

• Using objects inappropriately (e.g. tapping pencil, rocking back and forth in chair, cutting paper with scissors, etc.)

• Grabbing for shared items

• Displaying inappropriate behaviours following school routines and/or in noisy environments (e.g. assemblies, bus rides, group work, etc.)

• Demonstrating difficulty with emotional regulation by displaying “big” reactions to “small” events

• Experiencing social skill challenges, with both adults and peers (e.g. constantly seeking attention from adults, not able to follow game rules, challenges on the playground, etc.)

• Failing to complete independent assignments (e.g. worksheets, tests, copying homework into agenda, etc.)

• Requiring continuous reminders to stay on task

• Lacking an awareness of time

Possible Classroom Adaptations

• Structure the physical environment so that the student is aware of expectations in each part of the classroom/school

• Consider preferential seating (e.g. near a student who pays attention, close to an exit, back of class, front of class, etc.). Seating arrangements may vary depending upon the activity

• After giving a group instruction, provide one-on-one direction and have the student repeat/explain the instruction to ensure the student understands

• Make sure you have the student’s attention before giving an instruction or asking a question. State the student’s name and wait for the student to look at you before you give further information

• State information in a specific, clear, positive manner (e.g. Say “Walk” not “Don’t run.” or “I like the way you are printing.” vs. “Good job.”)

• Reduce the length of assigned work (e.g. complete 5 of the 10 questions, write 3 sentences instead of 5, etc.)

• Reduce anxiety and increase compliance by providing classroom and/or individual visual daily schedules. Daily classroom visual schedules will help all students understand what is presently expected and what will be happening next

• Provide tasks which involve a multi-sensory approach (e.g. opportunities for movement, hand-on components, visuals, videos, etc.)

• Use fidgets when appropriate. (Note: Please read the Fidget information under the Sensory Regulation Tools Strategies and Supports.)

• Schedule breaks throughout the day to allow for movement (e.g. deliver paper to office, stock the juice machine, deliver memos to each classroom, wash out milk cartons, wipe down tables in cafeteria, etc.)

• Develop a peer buddy system (e.g. pair the student with one who demonstrates appropriate attention abilities)

• Implement a basic communication system for when the student needs to move (e.g. signal to the teacher that a walk or drink from the fountain is needed)

• Give the student a picture or written visual checklist of task requirements (e.g. for a writing task provide a checklist to ensure students check for punctuation, spelling, capitals, etc.)

• Use a visual timer to support time management

• Provide immediate positive verbal and/or gestural feedback (e.g. thumbs-up) for on-task behaviour

• When possible, schedule tasks requiring the most demand on sustained attention in the morning for younger students and in the afternoon for adolescents

• Before completing an assignment that requires a student to focus, provide the student with 5 minutes of “mild” exercise (e.g. playing with fidget toys, singing and completing actions to a song, recess break, etc.)

Strategies and Supports

• Assign a Buddy/Partner/Mentor

• Breaks

• Physical Organization of the Classroom

• Visual Supports

• Visual Timers