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15 Strategies For Managing Attention Problems

The following strategies are offered foraccomplish this task. They will likely need
enhancing attention and managing attentionspecific instruction, followed by modeling,
problems. This listing is by no meansthen guided practice, and finally feedback on
exhaustive, but rather is meant as a place toperformance. The concept of previewing should
begin. The best resources for strategies arebe explained to the students and they should
the creative, inventive minds of enlightenedbe aware of the fact that the activities they
assessment professionals, teachers andare engaging in will help them develop
parents, in partnership with the studentspreviewing/ planning skills. It is helpful if
they serve. Together they can create multiplethey are first given practical examples of
alternative  strategies.planning,  such  as  planning  for  a  party.
1.  Take  the  Mystery  Away10. Use Behavior Modification and
Self-Assessment
The first and perhaps most important
management strategy is to insure that allThe use of behavior modification and
students understand how attention works andself-assessment strategies can be helpful in
identify their particular profiles ofincreasing desired behaviors (e.g., task
attention strengths and weaknesses. Then,completion) and/or decreasing behavior
students should be taught attentionproblems (e.g., impulsive blurting out during
management  strategies.class). The specific behaviors that need to
be changed should be identified (e.g.,
2.  Understand  Consistent  Inconsistencycompletes reading classwork; raises hand
before answering questions; brushes teeth
Teachers and parents should understand thatbefore going to bed; puts dirty clothes in
the inconsistency of children with attentionlaundry). The specific consequences for
problems is not evidence of a poor attitudebehavior change should also be identified.
or lack of motivation. It is a part of theirThe consequence for positive behaviors must
biologically based attention dysfunction, andbe more rewarding to the student than failure
is  beyond  their  easy  control.to complete the positive behavior. For
example, if the child is allowed to stay up
3.  Explore  the  Option  of  Medicationan extra 15 minutes in the evenings, this
behavior must be more rewarding than leaving
For many children and adolescents, medicationhis/her dirty clothes on the bathroom floor.
can be helpful in dealing with attentionalAdditionally, performance of the targeted
difficulties. Medication can improve mentalbehavior must be the only way that the
alertness and the intensity and duration ofstudent is able to obtain the reward. In the
concentration. In addition, it may diminishprevious example, the child is only able to
impulsivity and hyperactivity. The studentstay up the extra 15 minutes at night if he
and his parents may wish to explore thisputs his dirty laundry in the designated
option  with  his  physician.place. School-home notes can be used to
communicate back and forth between home and
4.  Allow  for  Movement  and  Breaksschool. In both settings, charts and graphs
can be used to monitor progress toward the
It is helpful for students who have problemsgoal. Students should be encouraged to assess
with inconsistent alertness and mental efforttheir own behavior in addition to being
to be provided with opportunities to moveassessed by the adult. They could be given an
around. For example, at school, teachersadditional reward for accurate
could ask the student to erase the board,self-assessment.
collect papers or take a message to the
office. At home, parents and/or the student11.  Discourage  Frenetic  Work  Patterns
could schedule regular breaks and change work
sites. That is, the student could workTo help students refrain from rushing through
several minutes at the kitchen table andtheir work, teachers and parents could avoid
several minutes on the living room floor.making statements such as, "You can go out to
Each time the location is changed, therecess as soon as you finish your assignment"
student may experience a burst of mentalor "You can watch television when you finish
energy. Additionally, students may need to beyour homework." Offers such as these may
doing something with their hands whileinadvertently encourage students to work too
seated. They may doodle, roll a piece of clayquickly  and  carelessly.
or perform some other manual tasks that
enhance  their  alertness  and  arousal.12.  Get  Organized
5.  Vary  Instructional  StrategiesA notebook with three sections labeled "Work
to be Completed," "Work Completed" and "Work
Teachers should use a variety ofto be Saved" may be used to help students
instructional strategies and these should beorganize their assignments. Color-coding
changed approximately every 15 to 20 minutes.notebooks for different subjects may also be
For example, they could deliver informationhelpful  for  organizing  work.
for 15 minutes via lecture. This strategy
could be followed by small group work or13.  Use  Daily  Planners
cooperative learning for 20 minutes. Next,
students could engage in individual seatworkA student should use a structured daily
or  watch  a  video.planner to help him organize his assignments
and activities. A planner that is broken down
6.  Use  Signalsby subject within the day and has sufficient
room to write all the information he needs
The teacher and parents should have a privatewould be preferred. ELAN Publishing offers a
way of signaling students when they are tunednumber of good student organizers.
out. For example, a gentle tap on theAlternately, he may benefit from using a
shoulder may be effective. Also, thepersonal  digital  assistant  (PDA).
student's teachers and parents may need to
signal him when something important is about14.  Set  Up  a  Home  Office
to be stated. Looking right at him, his
teacher or parent could say, "Now listen veryAt home, parents should guide their child
carefully. I am about to give you importantadolescent with setting up his/her own
instructions  about  tomorrow's  test."well-organized "office." Parents should
schedule a weekly time that their child
7.  Leverage  Interestsadolescent will dedicate to straightening up
the office and making sure all office
Attention is enhanced when interest issupplies are well-stocked (e.g., post-its,
heightened. Thus, students should bepencils, pens, highlighters, paper, paper
encouraged to read, write and talk aboutclips, stapler). The student should find his
subjects in which they are interested.her best time(s) for studying (his/her most
Additionally, students' attention is enhancedalert times of day), and post these times as
when information is personally relevant tohis/her "Office Hours." The student should
them. For example, if students need to learnalso experiment with different kinds of
a chronological timetable, the teacher couldbackground noise levels that work best for
begin with having the students develop ahim/her when doing homework of studying. Some
chronological timetable of the importantchildren/adolescents actually concentrate
events  in  their  own  lives.better in a noisy environment or while
listening to music while others may need to
8.  Minimize  Noise  &  Other  Distractionsuse  ear  plugs.
Students who are easily distracted should15.  Allow  Time  to  Wind  Down
benefit from a structured auditory
environment. They may need preferentialMany students with attention problems have
seating near the front of the classroom sotrouble falling asleep at night. It is
that noise and distractions from otherhelpful for them to have an established
students  are  minimized.routine for going to bed at night. For
example, they could read a book or have a
9.  Develop  Previewing  and  Planning Skillsbook read to them. They can engage in
stretching exercises before getting in bed.
Teachers and parents can help studentsThey could drink a glass of milk or hot
develop previewing and planning skills bychocolate prior to going to bed. They might
requiring them to formulate plans for writingalso listen to quiet, easy music while
reports and completing projects. For example,falling asleep. "White noise," such as a fan,
when completing a book report, the studentsmay also be helpful in facilitating sleep.
could submit plans for how they are going to



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