How do you manage children with concentration difficulties within the classroom environment?

Question

Any website links and/or personal experiences from teachers would be warmly welcomed! Five stars offered to the best answer.

Answer 1

Classroom Assistants are a God send!  They are an aide to teaching.

You would also be best to google 'managing children with concentration difficulties in the classroom' - there's a lot of links there and some of them may be mainly about ADHD - but the advice is good.

Answer 2

Have a helper be sat with them to keep an eye on them.

If they are young you can make exercises for them using bright colours and objects as learning aids

try to ignore bad behaivour and praise the good

Answer 3

Hi, I am a primary teacher and a SENCo. The answer depends greatly on the age of the children and also if the child has any specific special needs. Children with ADHD need to be dealt with using different strategies to say, the 'jack the lad' who likes his sport and hates academic work. If you clarify the age of the children you work with and also if you are referring to 'average joe children' or those with specific learning needs then I would be happy to share some ideas that are relevant to your situation.

Answer 4

Activities should bed of high interest and changed frequently./

Answer 5

Give them small tasks that are very different to break up the work - that way they don't have to concentrate for too long.  Also offer incentives e.g. if you finish that worksheet then you can play the 'whatever learning game' etc.

As for getting them to pay attention to you directly teaching...try interactive powerpoints or giving them a specific task e.g...'you are going to draw a picture to represent what i've discussed' that way they will listen but can start it while you are deliviering your teaching material.

Find something they have a passion for and try and link the work to this as much as possible e.g... football, so then you have worksheets, practical tasks and verbal discussions on how it relates.

Verbal presentations are good for assessing children who have concentration difficulties too - remember they don't all have to be assessed in the same way - use lots of 'assessment for learning'.

Answer 6

I would speak to the SENCO or Inclusion Manager at the school and ask for their help in devising a strategy to keep the child focused.  

Regarding your other question about the child with epilepsy, if you've been made aware of the child's illness you should also have received some basic training on how to deal the child initially and who to call once the seizure is under way - speak to the Headteacher, Inclusion Manager or school nurse about this situation.  Several members of staff should have received training & instructions in how to deal with this child as the probability of the child having a seizure won't be just confined to the classroom.  

Answer 7

One thing that I found that worked was during whole group work, I have the student do something to keep his hands busy.  I chose one of those "sewing" manipulatives.  He would work with that, but he paid attention at the same time.  It would be easier to answer if I knew what age you the student is.  I think all children should get frequent breaks.  Allow them to get a drink of water at the fountain or just stand up and walk around for about five minutes, as long as they do not disrupt the class.  Do not expect for the child to sit for more than 15 minutes without getting antsy.  You could also talk with the special ed teacher and/or the school counselor; he/she should be able to give you some advice.

Answer 8

Sneak fish oil into their food or drink. Fish oil is supposed to fix everything.

Answer 9

Have you ever noticed how long we spend playing with kittens and puppies. We wiggles bits of wool at them and throw balls and generally get down and play with them and when they are tired, we let them have a nap. But our "puppies" from the age of about 5years old we expect them to sit in a class for several hours on end and just do as they are told, regardless of if or not they have any interest in what they are told to do. I venture to say that unless a child has a serious mental problem, and I am not talking about not being interested in finger painting for example or what ever, but a real serious problem, then there is always going to be something to interest that child.Since the advent of controlling drugs, and I refuse to name them but as an educator you know those of which I speak, any child that does not conform immediately to that subject being taught at this moment, is given a title such as ADS and placed on drugs, why?, it does absolutely nothing for that child. Why would it matter if the class was doing say, OK lets use finger painting again as an example, and Johnny was given the job of say feeding the class hamsters or what ever.You see where I am going with this, as educators you have to find the thing that rings the child's bell and it may not be what you want at this moment. What is the point of forcing heavy reading on a child if he would be better off doing some thing musical. We have to admit at least to our inner self, that we are not all equal, sure we must have equal opportunities but we are not all going to be brain surgeons. So why not find out from the outset if that child would perhaps be better off doing hand type work. Kids are never bored or have lack of concentration when they are doing things that they enjoy doing. If maths or history is not his bag, in the long run does it really matter if he is breaking down a car engine of fixing up a bicycle.

Answer 10

i have difficulties with concentration mate.