Three Key Aspects of Attention and Concentration

“Everyone knows what attention is,” wrote William James in his Principles of Psychology (1890). “It is the taking possession by the mind in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought.

“It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others, and is a condition which has a real opposite in the confused, dazed, scatterbrained state.”

Attention or concentration (the words attention and concentration are used synonymously) is essential to learning. Poor attention can be a key sign of behavior and learning disorders such as hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder (ADD).

When it comes to attention, there are three crucial aspects to keep in mind:

Attention is a skill

The first is that attention is a skill, and just like all other skills (riding a bicycle, driving a car), it must be learned.

There are three types of attention: When a child is easily distracted by a pencil falling off their desk or sounds outside the classroom window, they lack focused attention.

Sustained attention is required to focus for long periods of time.

Then, there is divided attention, a higher-level skill where you have to perform two or more tasks simultaneously. If the task is to write a story, a student must be able to think about their characters and plot, as well as spelling and punctuation rules that apply.

Attention is linked to memory

Lack of attention is often linked to poor memory. Parents may think their child has an attention problem, but the root cause is often a memory problem.

Working memory is the cognitive system responsible for temporarily storing and manipulating information.

If a child has difficulty copying from the board into their workbook, they struggle with visual memory.

Their auditory memory may be weak if they find it challenging to remember several verbal instructions.

Attention is an act of will

Last but not least, attention is an act of will. A child must be willing to learn and be taught. If the child is unmotivated and unwilling to learn, no learning or very little learning will occur. The quote by motivational speaker Zig Ziglar is apt:

If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you,
If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.

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Edublox offers cognitive training and live online tutoring to students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and other learning disabilities. Our students are in the United States, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere. Book a free consultation to discuss your child’s learning needs.

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