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Introduction
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Attention
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Mathematics
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Reading
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Writing
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Resources
If students are asked: “What does it mean when someone asks
you to pay attention?” they might say, “It means to concentrate,” or “It means
to look at the teacher.” When asked how they might concentrate harder on the
teacher, a typical response might be: “Just pay attention more.” But attention
is much more than just “paying attention.”
Attention is a system of controls that can help students with
such things as working consistently each day, focusing on the right details
when reading, and thinking ahead about what to say. Every day,
students are expected to use their attention skills to succeed with schoolwork,
control behavior, and relate well to others. Different students will show
different strengths and weaknesses in this area. For example, some students
might find it easy to concentrate on information that isn’t very exciting, but
have a hard time staying awake while sitting still. Helping students understand
the different controls of attention and ways to strengthen all aspects of
attention can increase their success throughout life.
Careful observation over time can offer some insight into what a child may be
experiencing and helps direct parents and teachers to appropriate responses.
Many researchers are developing an understanding of how brain function
contributes to attention, and what interventions may work for some students.
Dr. Mel Levine views attention as consisting of three control systems: Mental
Energy, Processing, and Production. Some children experience difficulty with
all of these attention systems, while others may show strengths and weaknesses
in different systems and within systems. The following tables include examples
of common observations adults may make at home/school that possibly could be
related to attention. They are not meant to be used as a checklist; rather they
are a starting point for observing aspects of attention.
MENTAL ENERGY
The first attention control system, Mental Energy, regulates
and distributes the energy supply needed for the brain to take in and interpret
information and regulate behavior. Children whose mental energy is not working
effectively may become mentally fatigued when they try to concentrate or have
other problems related to maintaining the brain energy needed for optimal
learning and behavior.
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Mental Energy Controls |
Definitions |
Common Observations at Home/School |
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Regulates the flow of
energy so a child can concentrate when necessary and keep away mental fatigue |
At home: Has difficulty finishing
homework without exhaustion; can’t sit still on car trips, at church, at the
table, etc.
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| In school: Yawns, fidgets,
contorts the body during class
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| 2. |
Sleep and arousal balance |
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Affects the brain’s
ability to promote a good night’s sleep so a child can stay fully awake during
the day |
At home: Resists going to bed; cannot fall asleep at a
regular time; has a hard time getting up in the morning
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| In school: Does not really
wake up until late morning; yawns, stretches, appears tired during class
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Supplies the energy
required for a student to start, work on, and complete a task |
At home: Requires heavy
prodding to do homework or study for tests; have to “light a fire” under him to
do chores
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| In school: Lags behind other
students when starting an assignment or project; puts off tasks that are
particularly hard or unappealing
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| 4. |
Performance consistency |
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Works to ensure a
steady, reliable flow of energy from moment to moment and day to day |
At home: Energy level and
interest in tasks—even favored task—are unpredictable
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| In school: Turns in school work that’s
inconsistent in quality and amount
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PROCESSING CONTROLS
The second attention control system is called Processing. This
system helps a child select, prepare, and begin to interpret incoming
information. Children who have difficulty with processing may have a range of
issues related to regulating the use of incoming information.
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Processing Controls |
Definitions |
Common Observations at Home/School |
| 1. |
Saliency determination |
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Selects important
information for use and puts unimportant information aside |
At home: When given a list of chores,
cannot distinguish which are more important than others; may have a hard time
making a decision when presented with many options
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| In school: Distracted by
sights, sounds, or events happening close- by; takes detailed notes, not
distinguishing between main and less important
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| 2. |
Depth and detail of processing |
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Controls how deeply
students concentrate on details in order to capture the information |
At home: Has to be told directions or
information several times before it “sinks in”
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| In school: Misses critical
details, like operational signs in math or punctuation in writing
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Triggers prior knowledge
and experience when students are learning new information |
At home: May either seem
unengaged and disconnected (cognitive underactivation) or bounce around
seemingly random topics (overactivation)
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| In school: Disengaged from
classroom discussions (underactivation) or disrupts discussion with irrelevant
ideas and associations (overactivation)
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Allows a student to
focus for the right amount of time on important information |
At home: Jumps from activity
to activity without finishing; may overuse the TV remote
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| In school: Stops focusing in the middle
of an activity; is not prepared when class begins a new subject
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Controls how deeply
students concentrate on details in order to capture the information |
At home: Only concentrates on
things that interest him; may exhibit an extreme hunger for material
possessions (the “latest” thing)
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| In school: Disrupts other students when
bored; does not focus in class unless the topic is of great interest
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PRODUCTION CONTROLS
The third attention control system is Production. This area
governs output - including what children generate academically, behaviorally,
and socially.
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Production Controls |
Definitions |
Common Observations at Home/School |
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Helps students consider
more than one action or response and anticipate the outcome of a choice |
At home: Has trouble thinking through the
possible consequences of her actions, even when prompted by parents
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| In school: Does not use
outlines to plan a paper or project; has a hard time estimating answers to math
problems; difficulty in predicting events in or endings to stories
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| 2. |
Facilitation and inhibition |
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Allows students to
exercise restraint and not act immediately, to consider various options, and to
choose best response or strategy in a situation |
At home: Tends to do the first thing that comes
to mind without considering possibilities; can’t resist temptation (e.g.,
sneaking treats before mealtime)
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| In school: Blurts out
responses in class discussion without being called on; says whatever is on his
mind
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Adjusts the rate at which students complete a task; enables students to produce
things at an appropriate rate
| At home: Either rushes
through homework or never seems to allot enough time for it
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| In school: May do poorly on
timed tests, even when she knows the content; is still completing assignments
when others are done or finishes tasks far too quickly resulting in errors
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Allows students to
evaluate how they are doing while performing and after completing a task |
At home: Child does not check
his work, leaving chores unfinished or poorly done
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| In school: Has trouble editing his own
work; doesn’t “pick up“ when his behavior is bothering other kids
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Helps students respond
or act based on prior experience |
At home: Gets into trouble
over the same problem despite past interventions or consequences
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| In school: Keeps making the same mistakes
despite tutoring or re-teaching; is insensitive to punishment and reward
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Helpful Tip: If any of these signs occur inconsistently or in
a particular subject area, they may be pointing to a different learning
difficulty, such as memory or language. For example, when children struggle
with reading because of a breakdown that hinders their decoding ability, it is
very difficult for them to concentrate and stay focused.
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