Unlocking Laser Focus: Strategies for Students to Triumph Over Distractions
By: Brandon Slade and Jack DuFauchard
Focused attention, the brain’s ability for intense concentration, is vital for academic success. Each day brings more things trying to pull our attention from completing the task. Distraction has become a trillion-dollar industry, and our children with executive function deficits suffer the most.
Designing an environment and giving students strategies to improve attention will boost school performance and save time on homework, freeing up time for other pursuits. However, for students with ADHD or other executive function challenges, maintaining focus can seem nearly impossible. Yet, improving our ability to focus can be a game-changer for their academic success, daily tasks, and passion for learning.
Why is focused attention critical for students?
- It helps prioritize tasks effectively with a singular focus.
- Enhances the quality of school work/homework.
- It helps to minimize distractions for optimal concentration.
Signs of a student struggling with focused attention:
- They are not using class time effectively to complete assignments.
- Difficulty with reading comprehension.
- Excessive distraction with other stimuli around them (e.g., other people, toys, electronics, snacks, etc.)
- Difficulty with verbal directions and explanations.
- Excessive fidgeting or restlessness (especially when this is not generally normal for the student).¹
Strategies for parents to help children improve their focused attention:
- Create a study space where the child is comfortable and has minimal distractions. Use this study space solely for productivity.
- Use “Do Not Disturb” or locked browser settings on the student’s electronics.
- Have short study sessions separated by snacks, rewards, or preferred activities.
- Help your child develop a sleep routine.³
- Put instrumental, classical, or lo-fi music in the background while the student completes homework.⁴
Strategies for educators to help students improve their focused attention:
- Incorporate active learning, engaging material, and accountability checks into the lesson plan.²
- Give directions and assignments through multiple modalities (e.g., visually and verbally).
- Allow regularly spaced breaks throughout the period/day. For improved attention, Stress + Rest= Growth.
- For extreme cases, work with the school counselor, special education teacher, or interventionist to look at creative scheduling (ex., PE class in the morning, quiet testing environment, etc.)
CASE STUDY: Jeremy is a student who, during class, doesn’t always appear to be listening. When reading a book, he is observed staring at the page without turning it for a while. During lessons, he seems distracted and does not listen to the instructions. During work time in school or at home, he is observed fidgeting with his pencil or papers, talking with other people around him, and taking regular breaks to walk around the room.
He also has many school assignments requiring technology but often switches to YouTube at school or during homework sessions. As such, completing most of his homework assignments takes him a long time. He is fully capable of completing all assignments at a high level. However, he doesn’t appear to have made much progress between work time at school and home.
In Jeremy’s case, his difficulty focusing during work time in school and class and completing homework assignments on time when he’s on his own may suggest that he struggles with focused attention.
At school, Jeremy’s teacher notices Jeremy’s hyperactivity and struggles to complete work during the focused time. They introduce some physical activity into some of the day’s lesson plans, where students do jumping jacks, jog in place, or dance for short periods during breaks in the lesson. Students are also given short brain breaks between classes to rejuvenate concentration.
Jeremy jumps on the trampoline at home for 15 minutes after the school day ends. He then starts homework near the same time daily (4 p.m.) and completes homework in the same location. He uses the kitchen counter because there are minimal distractions, and it is an area where parents can monitor his tech use. Parents up short focus sessions of 25–30 minutes where Jeremy works on one homework assignment at a time.
During this time, he only has one paper in front of him or one tab open. When finished, he is rewarded with 30 minutes of YouTube before dinner. Parents positively reinforce his attention and remind him of how much freedom he has for the remainder of the evening.
Summary:
Designing an environment to reduce distractions is a challenge many students, families, and educators will face, ADHD or not. With an array of techniques and resources at our disposal — both for parents and educators — students can sharpen their attention. Perfecting this skill opens doors to short-term academic achievements and paves the way for future learning, rewarding careers, and enriched interactions.
Remember, what is best practice for all is essential for neurodiverse students.
We help students learn to develop habits and routines to improve attention. Visit https://untappedlearning.com to learn how we can help your student.
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