How to Tutor Students with Shorter Attention Spans
Have you ever had a student who couldn’t stay still during lessons or thought the most fascinating thing was outside the window? During the first half hour of the session, have you ever called their name more than once? As a home tutor, you will work with a variety of pupils, and in the best case, your students will be as driven to succeed academically as you are and will pay close attention to everything you say. But in practice, not every student is like this. There will be times when your pupil struggles to retain the material. This frequently occurs as a result of a student’s limited attention span.
Of course, it will be tricky to get your student’s attention and sustain it for hours as tuition sessions go on. However, making them pay attention is very essential in engaging them to learn the necessary materials and concepts taught during the lessons. As a home tutor, this can be an obstacle, however, it’s also not impossible.
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How to tutor students with shorter attention spans?
There are different ways and strategies you can use to help in tutoring students who have shorter attention spans and can help them focus better.
1. Get rid of distractions
The first advice is to eliminate as many distractions as you can because students with shorter attention spans are more likely to become distracted than others. Make sure the student’s desk is away from windows if you are teaching in their room because the sounds and activity outside may distract them. Because anyone might enter, spaces like kitchens, dining rooms, and living rooms might not be appropriate for the sessions. Instead, choose quiet spaces where students can concentrate.
As such, their workspace should also be as clutter-free as possible, and make sure that all their essentials are within reach so they don’t have to spend time getting up and possibly getting distracted on the way.
Furthermore, not all distractions come from outside sources. There may be times when a student’s fatigue causes them to pay less attention. They might be starving. Perhaps they are experiencing difficulties or issues at school as well, which is interfering with their ability to focus. It’s also essential to discuss any abrupt behavioral changes with their parents or guardians.
2. Break up your lessons
Longer lessons for complex topics can also cause the student’s attention to waver. Shorten your lessons into segments to help them focus better. They tend to pay less attention when there is an overload of information they have to take in and tasks they have to do. Splitting up the lessons and assignments can help students focus on one thing without feeling too overwhelmed.
It would be easier to take in and relate information to their previous lesson or the next one. This way, it’s easier for them to absorb learning better and complete their tasks faster as well.
3. Set a time limit for lectures
When the tutor has been teaching for a long period without providing the student with any activities, the learner may also become distracted. Pay attention to how much time you spend discussing the lesson with your students. They may appear to be listening in numerous situations, yet their focus may already be elsewhere. Give them a task that will stimulate their thinking and reduce the likelihood of their misbehaving.
Spend little more than a few minutes explaining the task, and then allow the pupils to begin immediately. Give them straightforward directions, but also encourage them to ask for assistance if necessary. Don’t leap right away if they appear to be struggling, though; instead, give them an opportunity to attempt things on their own. They will have the opportunity to learn and work on things independently, which will improve their ability to concentrate and stay focused on the task.
4. Give them breaks
Everyone needs breaks and for students with shorter attention spans and more energy pent up, breaks can be used to help in making sure they will be paying more attention to their tasks. Students may have trouble sitting for long periods of time because they have too much energy they need to use.
Giving them breaks therefore enables them to expend that energy, which in turn enables them to focus more intently on their studies and be more productive afterwards. Additionally, it might lessen tension. In order for your students to focus for longer periods of time, let them take little pauses in between courses to refuel.
5. Make use of exciting teaching methods
Another tactic to help your students focus on what you’re teaching is to use engaging and innovative teaching methods. Students are more interested in studying and want to participate more when you actively involve them in your courses, which increases their attention span.
Playing games with your students is a fun method to keep their attention while also promoting learning. There are many games that are fun but also great ways to test their knowledge and allow them to retain the information while still keeping their attention on the lessons.
You can measure their attention with brief, readily understood animations that are nonetheless pertinent to the lecture. Additionally, they are able to comprehend the material beyond only reading from notes or attending lectures. YouTube has a lot of videos that you can use for this. You can also teach the subject by using anecdotes or real-life experiences that are pertinent to it if you want a more approachable and genuine approach. You may connect with your students and pique their interest by telling them tales.
6. Offer a reward system
Rewarding excellent behavior and excellent work is another great way to keep pupils’ attention. It will encourage them and provide them with a valid cause to finish the assignments you have assigned them on schedule. After they have finished their assignment and gotten their reward, it will help increase their self-esteem and confidence.
You must, however, ensure that it will be systemized and not something you can perform on the spur of the moment. In this instance, it will be less of a reward for good behavior and more of a bribe. Instead of making your students finish their tasks just for the sake of the reward, you would like them to want to work.
You can also review if they are listening to your lessons by asking them questions every now and again and having them explain a concept or topic in their own words. Rewarding them for doing well during these little reviews can also help in making sure they will be paying more attention to the lesson.
Conclusion
It might be stressful when a student has trouble focusing and you don’t know how to support them. In certain situations, you could feel that your work as a home tutor is insufficient. However, we help students pay attention to tuition sessions and make them more engaging and effective for them by including them in the lesson rather than just instructing them.
Carelle
Carelle is a teacher who has been through the ups and downs of the teacher and learner life. She wishes for every learner to gain educational satisfaction that will help embody the people they want to be in the future.
