Mathematically Calculate the Attention Span of your Student

Memory Series: Creating Interest/Attention Span/Layering on a Big Idea

1.    Creating Interest

2.    Calculating Attention Span

3.    Layering on a Big Idea

·       Create interest! If a learner is not motivated in the first few minutes, very little is likely to be accomplished. Timing is vital!  Think of a hook to draw the learner in. You want to create a level of curiosity. For example, if studying the Second World War, the day you initiate the unit, students might enter the room to the sounds of the McGuire Sisters or the instrumental renderings of Benny Goodman. By doing this, students are immediately curious and a mood has been set for the era that they are about to study.

·       Be aware of the attention span of your student. This formula should give a foundation for judging it. Attention span can be determined by age + 2, or functional age + 2. This maxes out at approximately age 18. Therefore, no one can be expected to listen with complete focus for more than 20 minutes. After the learner’s attention span has been reached, a brief mental or physical break can make a huge difference in terms of bringing the student back to the topic. Staying with the WWII study, after 18 minutes of lecture with a class of high school juniors, you might allow students to get in groups to read a newspaper report or a personal letter or diary entry from someone from that period. You might have pre-determined questions for each group to discuss after reading the short piece. The subject hasn’t changed, but students have moved (increasing necessary oxygen to the brain, thus greater focus), and through their discussions they now have some ownership in their learning. Once again, you are increasing the chances of long-term memory.

·       Layering on a Big Idea, that really captures the hearts and minds of learners, accelerates already good learning. For example, if a class is already interested in learning about World War II (Big Idea), then a historical novel set in that era will only add to the overall interest.

Remember, if one’s attention is lost, then memory is not really the object, because the student is not yet engaged.