Increasing Your Students' Attention Span

The biggest problem that a teacher faces is retainingA sure shot way of boring your students would be to
their students' attention. The new generation is not onlyask them to copy notes from the blackboard. Though
extremely active but they seem to have a shorterthe dictation method is important for teaching English
attention span as well.grammar and spelling, use it as sparingly as possible.
If your teaching methods are boring and monotonous, itThe more you have them writing, the less they'll be
won't be long before you are teaching a class full ofable to pay attention to you and remember whatever
either sleeping or loudly yawning students. Theit is that you're trying to teach them.
students who have managed to stay awake couldVisual learning makes the students sit up and pay
pass notes to each other to abate their boredom andattention. Use slides, photos, movies, music, songs, and
the more adventurous ones could start being noisy,dance sequences if possible to teach the students the
rude or generally disruptive.related concept. This would not only draw their
To avoid all this, you need to increase the attentionattention, but also ensure that the taught concepts
span of your students. Try to use humor in class. Thisleave a lasting impression in their minds.
is the most effective way of holding the students'Use practical demonstrations, enact role plays or
attention. A few laughs will lighten the mood and alsodesign any other fun activities for the students to
increase the interest of the students. Making classbreak the repetitiveness of class teaching. Remember
more laid back is usually an effective way of keepingthat active learning is always better than passive
everyone excited about learning.learning.
Another trick is to involve the students in what you areTry to think at the students' level. Try to quote
teaching. Tell them stories, interesting facts and funexamples from things that they like. For example, use
trivia related to the concept being taught. This will alsofootball or soccer leagues, rock stars and the like to
motivate them to pay attention to what you areexplain concepts to them. Following these tips would
saying. The more they are involved, the better chanceguarantee that the students are eating out of your
they can learn effectively and retain the knowledgehands throughout the year.
that you're bestowing onto them.