All Kinds of Minds > Resources

There is a lot that can be done to help a student overcome attentional problems. We probably can't completely "cure" attention deficits, but we should not want to change anybody completely anyway. If we can help a student with attention deficits, he or she may have fewer problems in school, at home, and with friends. Well, how do we do it? The following material will give you some ideas.

Use Pictures to Explain Problems: First, we must tell kids with attention deficits what we know about attention deficits. In fact, this book has been written to help such students understand more about themselves and what they need to work on to improve. One way that we help students understand their attention deficits is by showing them pictures that will explain their problems to them. On page 41 you can see what we call the Concentration Cockpit. This can be used to help someone understand his or her attention deficits.

To understand how the Concentration Cockpit can help you understand your attention deficits, pretend you are the pilot of an airplane. The plane itself is like your brain. It is complicated and it is able to fly fast and far. However, in order to use all of the engines well, the airplane (like your brain) needs to be controlled by a skilled pilot in the cockpit.

If you look at the drawing of the cockpit, you will see that there are many different meters and dials that are like the controls of the brain. If you read about each one, it will sound familiar because it has to do with the different parts of attention that we have already talked about. To help a student understand his attention deficits, we review each meter and ask the student to use a pencil to draw in the dial that is about right for him. A zero is poor control; a one is a control that is not so good; a two is good control; and a three is excellent control.

Get Help from Tutors and Counselors: Sometimes a student needs help with his or her attention. A tutor or counselor of some sort can work with a boy or girl to help to improve attention. The student and the person helping him or her can play various games that teach the student to think before doing things, to work slowly, and to pay attention to important details. In other words, a student can practice concentrating. Having someone to help can make it more fun and interesting.

Help Yourself: There is a lot you can do by yourself.First, you need to recognize when you are drifting off and losing your attention. When that happens, you need to try to adjust the knobs in your brain's "cockpit"! If being impulsive is your problem, then you will need practice planning and organizing before you do things and then working slowly. If it is self-monitoring, then you will need to practice proofreading and finding your own mistakes. If you have trouble sitting for a long time, you may need to take frequent breaks while you work. You can also practice sitting for longer and longer periods of time.
In class, it is a good idea to have a pencil in your hand most of the time. As you get older, you can take notes. If you are not yet able to take good notes, you can just write down a few important words as you hear them. You don't even have to spell the words correctly.

Get Help from Your Teacher: It is important to try to sit as close to the teacher as possible. Sometimes you can work out an arrangement, so that the teacher signals you when you are tuned out. He or she should let you know this without the other students knowing about it. For example, the teacher might touch your shoulder when you are tuned out. It is also important for the teacher to tell you each day how your attention has been going.

Do Homework: Doing homework can be tough. Many students find that it is best for them not to work in their bedrooms. This is where they sleep, and when doing schoolwork they should try to stay awake as possible. Some students like to work on the floor of a living room, in the kitchen, or somewhere else. Sometimes kids will actually set up an office somewhere for working. Still others like to move around while they work. They like to use several different rooms or places to get work done. They need to take frequent breaks. Some students find that they hae to listen to music while they study. This, too, is okay - if it works. Music can be an extra filter to block out other distractions. But if listening to music makes concentration worse, it shouldn't be played.

Know the Time When You Work Best: You need to find the best time for you to concentrate. Some students are most able to concentrate right after school. Others can think better in the evenings or early in the morning. you should set up a time that best fits your own attention pattern. Then you should try to work at the same time each day - even if you don't have homework. You could be reading or writing or doing something else as an exercise to strengthen your control over attention.