To accomplish any task you need
to be able to concentrate your
attention for a time. It is a
requirement for learning. Kids not
only need to be able to focus on
tasks but to stay in the one place
long enough so they can listen to
and follow instructions.
Most kids, from time to time,
will experience some concentration
or focusing difficulties. This is
particularly true when they are
over-tired, over-stimulated or
over-loaded. However some children
due to either their physiology or
psychology have greater difficulty
focusing on tasks and on people than
others. Either they find settling
into or starting a task a problem or
they lose focus easily and leave
tasks half done.
There are many things you can do
at home to impact on children'
concentration levels. Like any skill
concentration can be enhanced and
made automatic. The trick to
effective concentration is to know
what to concentrate on and what to
filter out.
Here are five ideas you can use
to help kids to concentrate better:
1.Attend to their physiological
needs: Most children and teenagers
concentrate best after nine hours
sleep so make sure they get
sufficient sleep. Reduce sugar
intake and increase protein levels
with lean meat, almonds and eggs.
This stimulates their dopamine
levels which make concentration
easier, particularly for lethargic
kids. Frequent breaks for exercise
have a similar effect.
2.Remove distractions at home:
List the distractions at home that
may prevent your child from
concentrating. These include; noise,
people, lighting, fighting, fatigue
and hunger. List ways to eliminate
or reduce and work at them
systematically.
3.Create the mood for
concentration: Calming background
music, placing a fish tank (with
fish) in a place of work and removal
of fluorescent lights are some
simple ways to make the environment
more amenable for concentration.
These strategies have been used
successfully in overcoming
concentration problems in many
'boy-friendly' schools.
4.Introduce sequencing and
organisation activities: The link
between sequencing and concentration
is a strong one. Following recipes,
setting the table and putting things
in alphabetical order are great
activities for kids whose have
concentration difficulties. Board
and card games (such as
Concentration!!) promote children's
ability to focus on tasks as well.
5.Figure out what activities your
child focuses on best: Some kids
concentrate better when they are
involved in hands-on activities,
while others focus better when there
are plenty of visual cues to help
them. That's why teachers use hand
signals such as hands on heads, and
fingers on lips to indicate quiet.
Look for activities that your child
gets lost in; those activities that
they can spend literally spend hours
in. These activities enhance
children's concentration levels.
Like any skill, concentration can
be improved and made automatic.
Anyone who has learned to drive a
car will have had the experience of
thinking, "How will I concentrate on
all these things?" Extensive
practice allows for the pathways of
concentration.
It helps before you begin to
assist kids to concentration better
if you pay close attention to their
pattern of concentration and see if
there are links between diet, their
energy pattern, sleep and your own
behaviour.
