Practical Ways to Improve Attention
We know that inattention involves impulsive actions, not finishing tasks, switching tasks frequently, having a hard time with transitions, lack of motivation on boring tasks, and difficulty with organization.
We also know that kids who struggle with attention also tend to respond well to positive reinforcement and having choices. We want to minimize the negative aspects of lack of attention and maximize engagement with learning tasks.
Here are some ideas for staying on task and getting work done.
- Plan for tasks are short with breaks in between.
- Plan for tasks that are hands-on and fun. Routine is good, but kids who have attention issues also need novel, fun, engaging tasks.
- Allow flexible seating. Sometimes kids can focus more if they lie on their stomachs on the floor. If you are doing a read-aloud, coloring or building with Legos can help keep hands busy and ears listening.
- Provide small fidget gadgets for fingers to fiddle with when concentration is necessary. A large screw with a nut, thinking putty, a fidget spinner, or a silicone bubble snapper can keep a child engaged on a task longer.
- Plan games. We do regular school four days a week and play games on Fridays. My kids look forward to Game Day on Fridays. If your child loves to learn with games, you could incorporate them into every day. You can find my games for phonics, syllable rules, and math facts on TPT.
- Plan learning centers. In my classrooms and in our homeschool, I have set up variations of learning centers over the years. A system like Sue Patrick’s Workboxes tends to work best for homeschools. Workboxes usually need to be changed each day, so it was cumbersome when I was homeschooling 3 kids at once who were at different levels. If needed, set up one or two new learning centers each week and leave up two from the previous week. That way you don’t have to create an entirely new set of learning centers each week. Cycling through old and new centers allows kids to review and master skills and still have something new and novel to learn. Don’t be afraid to create learning centers for older students. We want them to be independent and practice skills too!
- Technology can increase attention, especially if presented in a game format. Video games actually build important 21st century learning skills. If you save video game time as a reward, you are not only providing an reward that is highly motivating, you are also providing different skills practice than you will get from regular academics. Just keep it balanced and time limited.
Ideas for organization
- Provide graphic organizers to help with organizing thoughts for writing or higher level thinking skill in reading or math. I’ve put many of the graphic organizers I’ve created for my own students on TPT.
Ideas for gaining independence
- Some kids really need the assurance that help is close by when they need it. You may have kids who want you sitting right beside them while they work. Proximity control helps with kids who tend to be off-task, but we also want to help our kids be confident. So if you have one who is super needy and insists that you are right there at all times, plan for super easy tasks for independent work. It could be a dot-to-dot activity or a handwriting task that is short. Give the task and tell the child to work on it while you check the laundry (or clean one thing). Then come back, check to see that the task was done, and praise your child for working independently! Even if there are mistakes. The accuracy is less important than the independence. Gradually, increase the length of the task or the difficulty of the task. Gradually.
- Set up a system where you will reward work completion and sticking to a task. The system may involve marking a chart or graph. If your child is younger, stickers may work for rewards. If your child is older, time to do their current favorite thing is more rewarding.
- Always, for any age, time spent with you helps to satisfy the need for attention. Yes, I’m aware that many kids who have attention issues also never get enough attention. But scheduling helps make them aware that they are getting your attention.
What to do when nothing seems to work
Whatever you do to help your child with attention, do it purposefully. See if the idea works. If not, what can you change to make it better? If it does, what will the next step be that will keep your child moving in the right direction to concentrate better, be less impulsive, and complete tasks more?
If you need ideas, keep checking back here for future posts on impulse control, other executive functions, and other brain skills.
If you need specific help, send Sue an email. Sue can help you with your specific situation.
