Adjusting lesson plans to recognize the reality of shrinking attention spans and increasing distractions can help students become more active in their learning and more engaged with the material presented, according to an article in K-12 Dive.
Tap into students’ attention, increase their motivation, and you can foster learning instead of hoping your course material has been absorbed and students perform well on assessments,” says Jamie Trost, a lecturer in cognitive and psychological sciences at Brown University.
Students learn more through active learning strategies rather than being lectured to, according to research.
And when students appear distracted in class because it is thought that they don’t want to learn, that is a misconception, according to Trost. “K-12 is where a lot of effort needs to happen to get students interested in learning so that it is easier for them to have that agency or that autonomy later in life,” she says.
Here are four strategies Trost suggests to keep students engaged across subjects and grades:
Hold “fishbowl” discussions. A small group of students — the “fishbowl” — participates in a discussion while the other students observe and take notes. After a set time, they rotate roles.
Build in breaks. Just asking students to stand up and stretch halfway through a long lecture can reset attention. Perhaps pose a thought-provoking question or offer a short “brain break” to allow for a mental reset.
“It can be difficult for students to power through, and so anticipating fatigue and planning in moments for rest can really make a difference,” says Trost.
Stay relevant. Connecting material to current events or relatable topics helps students invest in a lesson. Embrace technology with interactive tools like Slido, Google Polls and Mentimeter to create interactive moments during class.
Start small. Perhaps take a pause and ask students a 10-second question. “You don’t have to do these giant 20- to 30-minute activities. You can do small pauses for moments that engage with the students and bring their attention back to the classroom,” Trost says.
She encourages educators to find approaches relevant to their specific classroom needs.
“Look at the scope of strategies and figure out what’s the best fit for your classroom,” she says.
K-12 Dive
