Lana Oconnell
Maintaining students' attention in evening classes can be challenging, especially as their attention spans vary depending on age and grade. To help students stay focused, teachers can employ various strategies, including getting to know their students and creating a safe and inclusive environment. Using real-life examples and personal experiences can also help students pay attention. Additionally, involving students in creative and challenging tasks, such as poster-making or using technology to create memes, can increase engagement. Brain breaks, which are short activities allowing students to move around and refresh their minds, can also be effective. These breaks can include focus games, mindfulness activities, or physical exercises like jumping jacks. Clear communication of expectations and the use of sayings or signals to refocus attention are additional techniques to consider. Students can also prepare for evening classes by organizing their workspace and reviewing previous notes to get into the right mindset.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Clear communication | Clearly communicate expectations at the outset of class or the school year. |
| Quiet waiting | Sometimes, waiting quietly for students to refocus their attention is a great way to express how important it is for them to pay attention. |
| Unexpected action | Doing something unexpected, like howling like a wolf or doing jumping jacks, can help ground students and bring their attention back to the task. |
| Non-verbal cues | Ring a bell, strike a tuning fork, or turn off the lights to bring the class back to the task at hand. |
| Movement activities | Ask students to return to their desks while mimicking a butterfly or bee, or play a quick round of Red Light, Green Light. |
| Sayings | Use fun sayings like “hocus pocus, everybody focus” and “mac and cheese, everybody freeze” to win back students' attention. |
| Counting | Count down from 10 while narrating expectations to the class. |
| Student involvement | Students are more engaged when they are involved in creating something. Assign tasks like creating posters or memes, or using technology to create a class Word Cloud. |
| Variety of teaching methods | Use a variety of teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles and keep students engaged. |
| Lesson planning | Plan lessons around the average attention span for the grade level, with brain breaks in between. |
| Mindfulness | Teach mindfulness skills to help students recognize and listen to their thoughts, emotions, and actions. |
| Personal connection | Get to know students' names and personalities to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive classroom environment. |
| Student preparation | Encourage students to prepare before class by looking over homework, reading from textbooks, or reviewing previous notes to get their brains into "class mode." |
| Student seating | Suggest that students who are having trouble focusing change their seating to a new environment, preferably towards the front of the class. |
| Student focus | Encourage students to put away distractions like phones and computers, and manually refocus their attention when their minds wander. |
| Student participation | Promote class participation and note-taking to help students stay engaged. |
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What You'll Learn
Incorporate movement and exercise into lessons
Incorporating movement and exercise into lessons is a great way to help students pay attention in evening classes. Here are some ways to do this:
Brain Breaks
Implementing short, active "brain breaks" throughout the class can help students refocus their attention. These can include simple activities such as:
- A brisk walk around the classroom
- A quick stretch
- An energizing freeze dance
- Wiggle breaks, where students stand and wiggle each arm and leg in succession or opposite sides
- Panting like dogs for 30 seconds, followed by brisk breathing for another 30 seconds
- Jumping in place like on a trampoline
- A quick crab walk around the room
- A wave, starting at one end of the room with students standing and raising their arms
- Getting out of their chairs for a whole-body stretch or a brief walk
Movement Activities
In addition to breaks, movement can be incorporated into the lesson itself. For example, if your lesson includes storytime, students can move and act out scenes from the stories. This can include movements such as stomping, jumping, waving their arms, dancing, pretending to climb, marching, running in place, flapping their arms like a bird, spinning, or stretching.
Educational Games
Educational games are another way to combine movement and learning. For instance, in math classes, you can create chalk grids on the playground and have students walk on sloped lines, stopping to discuss and understand the line's "rise" and "run." You can also use hand and arm gestures to teach various mathematical concepts.
Benefits of Movement and Exercise
Movement and exercise have numerous benefits for students:
- Improved memory and brain function: Physical activity increases blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain, particularly the hippocampus, enhancing memory, comprehension, and information retention.
- Enhanced focus and attention: Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, reducing stress and improving overall cognitive function.
- Health benefits: Exercise supports physical health by helping students develop endurance, strength, and healthy hearts.
- Kinesthetic learning: Students with kinesthetic learning styles benefit from movement, as they retain information better when moving or performing hands-on activities.
- ADHD management: Exercise can help reduce ADHD symptoms, improve cognitive function, and increase concentration in students with ADHD.
By incorporating movement and exercise into your evening classes, you can create an engaging and beneficial learning environment for your students.
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Use visual aids and props to explain concepts
Visual aids and props are an excellent way to explain concepts, especially if your students are visual learners. Our brains are designed to remember pictures, so visuals give concrete information. In fact, you are 65% more likely to remember something with a visual than if it was a vocabulary word alone. For example, if you want to explain the word "bellow," you could act out the word by shouting in a deep voice, or show a picture of a boss shouting at an employee. This clarifies the meaning and locks it into memory.
Another example of a visual aid is an anchor chart. Anchor charts are beneficial examples of scaffolding, which is when learning builds on prior learning. Anchor charts engage and support instruction because students can visually review a process and be reminded of a concept already taught. They can be displayed and referenced as needed.
You can also use photos, charts, and icons to illustrate concepts. For instance, you could use a bold color palette to give each slide impact, or mix and match complementary styles. Presenting information in a creative and visually stimulating way can help get students excited about a topic.
In addition, infographics are a perfect classroom tool because they can make complex information easier to understand. You can create infographics to summarize a new topic, to show a timeline of events, to visualize statistics, or to explain a process.
Finally, you can use visual aids to explore misconceptions about a concept and to highlight any blind spots or typical areas of confusion. For example, when sharing a bar graph, caution students that the measurement scale can lead them to misread it.
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Get to know your students and personalise content
Getting to know your students and creating a sense of community in the classroom can help students pay attention in evening classes. Students learn best when they have a good rapport with their instructors. Here are some strategies to build a positive rapport with your students:
Greeting and Names
A simple yet effective way to get to know your students is by learning their names and greeting them daily. This provides a kickstart to your relationship with your students and makes them feel valued.
Student Interest Surveys
Distribute interest surveys at the beginning of the course to learn about your students' backgrounds, interests, hobbies, and learning goals. This will help you personalise your content and create a sense of inclusion in the classroom. You can also use the surveys to play guess your classmate during the first few weeks to make the process more interactive and fun.
Informal Conversations
Take the time to talk to your students before, during, and after class. Encourage them to join you during office hours or have informal conversations about their day-to-day lives. This shows that you care about them and creates a comfortable environment for them to approach you.
Student Presentations
Ask students to prepare and give short presentations or "show and tell" about something important in their lives, such as a personal object or a hobby. This helps them feel included and heard, fostering a greater sense of community in the classroom.
Personalised Topics and Tasks
Incorporate student-suggested topics into your lessons from time to time. Ask them to relate these topics to their own lives or personal experiences. For example, if you're teaching a grammatical structure like the past simple, ask students to write sentences about their own past using that structure.
By getting to know your students and personalising content, you create an inclusive and engaging classroom environment, making it easier for students to stay focused and attentive, even during evening classes.
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Plan lessons with the average attention span in mind
When planning lessons, it is important to consider the average attention span of your students. The average attention span of a student is said to be about two to three minutes per year of age. This means that a kindergartner's attention span may be between 10 and 18 minutes long, while a third grader's may be between 16 and 27 minutes.
To accommodate this, it is recommended to plan lessons with a variety of teaching methods and activities that will engage students and keep them focused. For example, incorporating movement and physical activity can help students release energy and improve their focus. This could include having students form groups and summarize key concepts using words and images on giant Post-it notes, or playing a quick game of Red Light, Green Light to reawaken their concentration.
In addition to physical activity, it is important to provide brain breaks throughout the lesson. Brain breaks are short activities, usually between 5 and 10 minutes long, that allow students to take a mental break and refocus. This could include a dance party, mindfulness meditation, or a game like Simon Says.
Visual aids and real-life examples can also help to engage students and improve their understanding of the material. For example, using props like cubes or coins can help make abstract concepts more concrete and visual learners.
Finally, it is important to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive classroom environment where students feel comfortable participating and expressing themselves. This can help students feel more connected to the material and improve their focus.
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Set clear expectations and communicate effectively
Evening classes can be challenging for students, as energy levels tend to dip as the day progresses. Here are some ways to set clear expectations and communicate effectively to help students pay attention in evening classes:
Clear Communication:
Clearly communicating your expectations at the outset is crucial. Express your directions and instructions in a straightforward and easy-to-understand manner. Avoid jargon or complicated language that may confuse students. Ensure students understand the learning objectives and what they need to do to achieve the desired outcomes.
Know Your Students:
Take the time to learn your students' names and get to know their personalities. When students feel seen and valued, they are more likely to listen and engage. This connection fosters a sense of belonging and encourages active participation in the class. A safe and welcoming classroom environment also contributes to better focus and attention.
Structure and Pace:
Consider the average attention span of your students and structure your lessons accordingly. Plan brain breaks—short activities that allow students to move around and recharge. These breaks can be as simple as a quick game of Simon Says or a dance party. By planning lessons around attention spans and incorporating breaks, you can help students stay focused and engaged.
Visual and Creative Tools:
Visual aids, such as props, cubes, or coins, can enhance understanding and make abstract concepts more tangible. Encourage student creativity by incorporating activities like poster-making, meme creation, or summarising concepts with words and images. These hands-on tasks stimulate interest and promote active learning, making it easier for students to pay attention.
Mindfulness and Focus:
Teach and encourage mindfulness practices, such as meditation, to help students recognise and manage their thoughts, emotions, and focus. You can also incorporate focus games, such as Red Light, Green Light, to improve concentration and listening skills. These techniques empower students with skills to self-regulate and pay better attention.
By implementing these strategies, you can effectively set clear expectations and communicate with your students, helping them stay focused and engaged during evening classes.
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Frequently asked questions
Plan your lessons around the average attention span for your grade level, with brain breaks in between so paying attention in class is manageable. Brain breaks are short activities that allow students to stand up and move around. For example, have a dance party or do jumping jacks as a class.
Brain breaks should be between 5 and 10 minutes long.
Try something unexpected like howling like a wolf or doing jumping jacks. You can also try ringing a bell, striking a tuning fork, or turning off the lights.
Get to know your students' names and personalities to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive classroom environment. Use real-life examples, current events, and personal experiences. Involve students in creative activities and group work, and vary your teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles.
Students can put away distractions like phones and computers. They can also try to arrive early and review their homework or notes from the previous day to get their brains into "class mode". They can also sit in the front of the class to reduce distractions and better focus on the teacher and board. Students can also exercise before class to release bottled-up energy.
