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Student Services » Focus

Focus

A student who struggles with focus may...
 
  • be off-task or distracted
  • struggle with multi-step directions
  • ask repeated questions (or questions that have already been asked/answered)
  • appear confused
  • say "What?!"
  • have difficulty completing work
  • seem to jump from topic to topic/seem disconnected
  • get "lost" in tasks, pages, adding on to the conversation, etc.
 
 
When supporting a student who is trying to focus, some general strategies involve
 
  • hydrate
  • keep lecture times developmentally appropriate  (2-5 minutes per year old)
  • consider the Zones of Proximal Development
  • use multi-modal strategies
  • reduce competing demands for attention
  • write directions out/visualize them with icons or images
  • break tasks down into smaller segments
  • use choral response
 
Interventions may include
 
  • use visual anchors
  • paperclip important segments/pages that you want the student to be ready for
  • use colors to draw attention to key aspects of presentations or information
  • give the student a specific task/job to assist in the presentation of information
  • pair written and verbal directions
  • use non-verbal cues or signals to help the student "check back in"
 
Literature Links
This Morning Sam Went to Mars by Nancy Carlson
What Does it Mean to be Present by Rana DiOrio
Pay Attention Emily Brown by Linda Burton
Howard B Wigglebottom Learns to Listen by Howard Binkow
Why Should I Listen by Mike Gordon
Whole Body Listening Larry at School by Kristin Wilson
 
 
 
 
Teacher Reading