Students’ Attention Span in Classrooms

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How can teachers maximise attention in the classroom?

Attention is a window that opens the brain to learning and memorisation; without it, knowledge cannot be retained…

One of the greatest challenges our schools face today isn’t just attendance or funding; it’s teachers’ ability to sustain students’ attention. Understanding the brain’s functions and presenting techniques that align with it might be the blueprint your school needs!

How can teachers maximise attention in the classroom?

In this new neuroscience research, Lucía González Cañas (2024) highlights how teachers can leverage attention as the gateway to learning.

Using techniques such as hydration, sensory integration, and curiosity-driven lessons, teachers can unlock the full learning potential of their students.

Attention is the key to effective teaching. Neuroscience explains how hydration, emotions, and repetition stimulate learning by aligning with how the brain functions.

Simple strategies, such as the HERVAT method, a theoretical framework, can help teachers increase student engagement and focus, especially in primary school children.

Types of attention

Attention is like a torch illuminating the brain’s ability to learn and memorise. Without it, new knowledge fails to stick.

Neuroscientists describe various types of attention—selective, sustained, divided, and focused—each essential for different learning tasks. These types rely on distinct brain networks but can be cultivated in the classroom with the right strategies.

Managing classroom distractions

The modern classroom is full of distractions, from technology to reducing student focus. Digital media habits are shortening attention spans, but research suggests that engaging attention – which is context specific – is critical for memory retention, problem-solving, and academic success. By sparking curiosity and managing emotions, teachers can create an environment conducive for learning.

How?

Developed by Spanish researchers, Tomás Alonso Ortiz, teachers can implement the HERVAT approach:

1. Hydration,
2. Equilibrium,
3. Respiration,
4. Vision,
5. Audition, and
6. Touch.

Designed and inspired to refocus students at the start of every lesson. Simple one-minute activities like deep breathing or balance exercises reset attention.

This is not something I would’ve had the confidence to do as an inexperienced/new teacher, but something I would strongly advocate to my younger self.

Combine this with curiosity-driven teaching, for example, starting lessons with surprising facts or provocative questions to ignite engagement helps build positive emotional reinforcement and structured scaffolding of tasks to sustain attention.

Example of using HERVAT in maths lessons

1. Start : Begin with a one-minute activity like deep breathing or a focus game to centre attention.
2. Problem Exploration: Present an engaging, real-world problem to spark curiosity and motivate students.
3. Reasoning: Students work in pairs or small groups to hypothesise solutions and discuss their approaches.
4. Visual Aids: Use images to help students visualise abstract concepts and connections.
5. Guided Practice: Scaffold tasks with complexity, reducing teacher support as students gain confidence.
6. Reflection: Students self-assess their understanding and share insights into their problem-solving strategies.

Example of using HERVAT in PE lessons

1. Warm-Up: Start with one-minute activities like balance or breathing techniques to focus attention.
2. Skill Practice: Introduce motor activities such as hopscotch to enhance coordination and equilibrium.
3. Sensory Integration: Include exercises like following a partner’s movements with their eyes to strengthen focus.
4. Active Participation: Encourage team-based games to promote collaboration, spatial awareness, attention …
5. Reflection: End with a self-assessment, connecting physical actions to broader cognitive skills.

Reflection questions for teachers to consider

1. How can teachers integrate one-minute HERVAT exercises into daily lessons?
2. Are classrooms set up to reduce distractions and encourage sustained focus?
3. How can teachers spark curiosity in younger students?
4. Do curriculum plans balance digital tools with focus-building activities?
5. Are students encouraged through positive emotions and feedback?
6. What strategies can teachers use to cultivate selective attention?
7. How do teachers structure tasks to engage students with SEND?
8. What time of day is best for teaching complex subjects to align with circadian rhythms?
9. How can teachers use repetition to solidify learning without causing boredom?
10. What CPD opportunities are available to learn more about neuroscience in education?

Teachers who embed neuroscience-based strategies in their classrooms can make learning more engaging and effective. Start small—perhaps with a one-minute breathing exercise—and gradually build a culture of sustained focus.

The research concludes:

The use of metacognitive techniques when learning, water drinking, the use of senses and other related neuroscience techniques have great effects on results! (Cañas, 2024)

Download and read the full paper to explore these methods in greater depth.

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