Getting a child’s attention is easy, its holding their focus on the task involved that holds the real challenge. If your young homeschool students are unable to focus on anything for more than five minutes flat, you may like to help them to focus better using some of the tips given here.
Unplug All Distractions
There is nothing as disruptive as intrusive technology. Before asking your homeschool student to focus on a task make sure that the mobile phone is switched off, no television program is running and the siblings all are made aware that the current task needs utmost focus. Get everyone into the mode of silent concentration for that given duration so that every one can focus on what they are doing. It’s a good idea to synchronize the tasks that need concentration for everyone.
Break Down the Task into Smaller Goals
Keeping a long attention span does not come naturally to children. You will need to build up the focus duration by starting with simple five minute long tasks that your homeschool student must finish. Once he is able to focus for that long, gradually add a minute or two to the next set of tasks. Before you know it he will be able to focus for half an hour with no trouble at all.
Keep a Buffer Time Between Lessons
It is difficult to go from one attention demanding task to the next without a break. The human brain has a tendency to perform better when it is given frequent and small breaks. So between two lessons that require complete concentration and focus please keep a five minute buffer time. Let the homeschool students relax in these five minutes with no task to perform.
Cut Down on Sugar
The diet of the child can also affect his ability to concentrate for long periods of time. If you want your child to be more focused in the classroom, ensure that they eat light meals without too much sugar in them. This will make sure that they don’t feel heavy, bloated or energy charged in the classroom, leading to better attention spans.
