The Mechanics Of Focus

Hey 👋

I hope you’re well. Today, we’re continuing our series on attention, with a look under the hood…

Big idea 🍉

One of the most powerful ways to think about teaching is as the orchestration of attention. Focus is central to learning, and so the better we understand how it works, the more effectively we can teach.

There are 4 important features of focus that are useful to know about:

1. Our attentional capacity is highly limited. We can really only focus on one thing at a time (multi-tasking is a myth).

2. Our attention is highly skittish. Our minds are prone to wander (for up to a quarter of all lesson time).

3. Attention is invisible. Unless we make attention visible, it’s very hard to tell what someone is attending to.

4. The things we teach in schools are not natural magnets for attention (this is partly why schools exist).

These features help us to understand why, unless we actively try to direct and keep the attention of our students, there’s a strong chance they’ll not end up focussing on the things that will help them learn (AND why we may not even be aware of this).

There are 4 main tactics we can use to orchestrate attention effectively:

1. Minimise distractions. To increase the chances that students pay attention to the right things at the right times.

2. Regular cueing of attention, using tools such as our voice and gesture, or highlighting and spotlighting information.

3. Prompting the externalisation of thinking, using techniques such as paired talk, choral response, or just silent writing.

4. Helping students to build habits of attention (such as sitting up straight and tracking the speaker.)

There is increasing evidence to suggest that such tactics can alleviate the negative effects of lower IQ, poorer backgrounds, and weaker self-regulation. As such, not only is the orchestration good for everyone, but it also helps level the playing field. (and it makes kids happier)

Attention really is the ultimate currency of the classroom.

🎓 For more, check out this great summary of the research by Dr Hobbiss.

Summary

• Attention is central to learning—the better we understand it, the more effectively we can teach.

• Attention is limited, invisible, prone to wander, and not naturally attracted to academic content.

• And so, we should: minimise distractions, cue attention, externalise thinking, and build habits of attention.

Little updates 🥕

• Study of retrieval practice → suggest that students who are most likely to benefit from self-testing strategies are least likely to use them 😔

• Paper comparing learning from videos vs illustrated texts → finds videos can boost retention and reduce effort (especially helpful for weaker readers).

• Study teaching preschoolers spatial words → shows it boosts their sense of number size, suggesting simple word games can support early maths.

• Systematic review of teacher-student relationships → finds supportive ties improve engagement and can protect vulnerable students from school failure.

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