Need More Focus? 5 Ways to BOOST Attention Span for Teens and Tweens

As many of us tentatively head back to school, with finger crossed for safety and a sense of ‘normalcy’, we are seeing the results of our past 12-18 months of living in lock down, virtual learning and the impact of trauma and chronic stress. For many staff and students, this presents a variety of challenges, but one that has the potential to derail our hopes of academically bouncing back is the impact on our focus and concentration.

I can recall being proud of my ability to multitask in times gone by, boasting about how many things I could get done in one short window of time, but now I know that not only can that habit increase my feelings of stress and anxiety, but it can also decrease my productivity and effectiveness. There is also increasing evidence that the act of dividing your focus can become habitual, making it less likely that you will have the capacity to sustain your focus when needed.

This is a particularly challenging idea to consider when so many of us are currently considering what methods we have to help kids make up for learning losses heaped on them thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kids who have been plugged in digitally to a series of 15 second TikTok videos and learning semi-independently from a device may be struggling with staying present and engaged with additional classroom distractions and a 90 minute block schedule. So how can you help? So glad you asked!

Take a self-assessment

Increasing self-awareness is the first way to change behaviors. ADDitude Magazine created a quick checklist to help bring awareness to teens around their own executive functioning skills. This can help build momentum for individual sessions or even give classroom staff strategies to try.

Increase executive functioning skills

Unfortunately, most of us are not actually born with the executive functioning skills that we often want to see in a classroom. That’s why it’s important to not only tell kids what to do, but also to teach them how to do it. This packet of tools will help you teach organization and time management tools. This room organization freebie or executive functioning escape room tool can also be used. These make great whole class lessons too.

Utilize a signal

In my School Based Session Planner, I include hundreds of classroom intervention strategies that can be tried by teachers and instructional support teams to help give a prompt to kids whose attention may not b on the lesson. Many teachers mistakenly utilize the same ‘hey guys’ approach to regaining student attention, but alternating a variety of tools can actually increase the amount of time kids are focused in the classroom. Trying new techniques can be helpful.

Encourage self-regulation

Paying attention to the external becomes easier when you are internally regulated. This body scan activity can be used to help kids become centered and ready to learn especially after difficult transitions or periods of potentially nervous system disrupting activities, like navigating the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria.

Screen for deeper roots

While distraction, lack of focus or even a waning attention span can be a normal part of life, occasionally, kids who present as unfocused, daydreaming or zoning out are actually showing signs of anxiety. One of the unexpected perks of the pandemic for some kids was the removal of their biggest stressor, the school building, from their lives. And for other kids, natural fears about social stresses or potential harm due to the virus has increased the distress they feel. In these instances psychoeducation on anxiety and coping strategies can do wonders for boosting attention span.

Do you have a great tool for boosting attention span? Drop your suggestions in the comments. Need more FREE TOOLS like the ones in this post? Check out my MEGA LIST of FREE tools and resources in a handy organized list in the School Based Session Planner. Grab your copy using discount code BLOG today!