Are you looking for tactics to improve concentration in children? If so, keep reading.
1. Teach the student listening skills (e.g., stop working, clear desk of nonessential learning materials, pay attention to the source of information, write down essential points, ask for clarification, and wait until all instructions are received before beginning).
2. When ideas are presented, have the student listen and take notes for “Who, What, Where, On occasions where, How, and Why.”
3. Provide visibility to and from the student at all times to monitor the student’s concentration.
4. Minimize the number of instructions in each step. Provide the student each additional step after the prior step has been finished.
5. Separate large tasks into smaller tasks (e.g., have the student write an outline for a book report, then the first rough draft, etc.).
6. Make sure that the student’s academic tasks are on their capacity and ability level.
7. Refrain from placing the student in situations that require listening for an expanded duration of time such as lectures, assemblies, seminars, etc. Give the information for the student through a recording or lecture notes.
8. Minimize distracting stimuli in and around the student’s desk (e.g., learning materials in/on the desk, etc.).
9. Get the student to take part in games requiring varying degrees of concentration (e.g., tic-tac-toe, checkers, chess, etc.).
10. Make sure the tasks required of the student are appropriate for their level of development and capacity and ability.
11. Make sure that the student knows the relationship between unacceptable behavior and the consequences that follow (e.g., failing to concentrate on schoolwork could result in low grades or unfinished work).
12. Give the student fewer tasks. As the student shows success, slowly increase the number of tasks over time.
13. Inform the student when it is time to begin a task, listen to others, etc.
14. Provide one-, two-, and three-step instructions to the student. As the student shows success in concentrating, slowly increase the number of steps.
15. Consider using assistive technology designed to help students to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to concentrate. Click here to view list of assistive technology apps that we recommend.
