Getting children to focus and pay attention without being easily distractions is a crucial part of their learning journey.
In a child’s world, paying attention to class assignments maybe harder than you think. Sometimes it can be down right challenging, because there are so many things going on around them competing for their attention.
Recently, I had a conversation with a parent who’s child wasn’t having much success in school. While working on a project, the parent noticed that the child was having problems paying attention. Aggressively searching for answers, they reached out to me for help. As we discussed their concerns, they explained that the child was capable of doing the work. They wanted them to pay attention to details, focus on their work and stop rushing.
Research shows that the average attention span of an individual is about eight seconds. That’s a very short period of time. What does that mean?….. It mean that when you are working with children who are easily distracted and anxious, you must be prepared, at any given moment, to redirect them immediately when their mind starts to wander… so you can get them back on track.
Here are some tips you can try to get the children back on track when their mind start to wander.
Tip #1. Say things to build their confidence and self esteem: Compliment them so they can feel good about themselves. Tell them how amazing they are, and that you believe they have what it takes to get the job done well. Help them to understand that you know they are capable of doing their work, but it is also important that they show their teachers what they can do as well.
Tip #2. Break down homework assignments into smaller manageable pieces: Allow the children to take short breaks to stretch their legs and get a glass of water or juice. This prevents them from getting sluggish.
Tip #3. Give positive feedback and encouragement: Praise them when they do something well. Something as simple as a pat on the back goes a long way toward making them want to try harder. Children love to receive compliments, but be genuine with your comments, because they know when they are being manipulated.
Tip #4. Remove distractions: Getting rid of anything and that could take their attention away from their school work, and cause their minds to wander. Be mindful of individuals using telephones in their presence of children while they are working. Conversations can be most distracting. Video games, the television, the radio, individuals walking in and out of the room can easily grab their attention as well. Removing distractions can free them from the unnecessary noise and increase their chance of finishing their work on time.
Tip #5. Here is a bonus takeaway from this post:
Some children lose their focus and appear uninterested in their school work, because they are bored. When it comes to school work, some children gets bored very easily and are not shy about telling you so.
When a child’s mind start to wander, or they appear to be preoccupied, take some time out, and ask them to tell you what they were thinking at that moment. You maybe surprised at some of the creative thoughts that are going through their minds, when you thought they were actually goofing off.
Final thought: A child’s inability to focus over longer periods can have a negative effect on their academic growth. So when the tips and strategies you’ve tried aren’t working, you may want to consider sharing your concerns with the teacher or other staff member at the school.
Let me know how these strategies work for you by leaving a comment in the box below.
Wishing you much success,
Ruby Freeman, Academic Coach / Founder of HelpingKidsLearn.org / Ruby@HelpingKidsLearn.org
