Key ideas
Core concepts
- Memory is the residue of thought: students learn what they pay attention to, so focused attention comes before learning.
- Attention during independent work is fragile. Avoid questions, reminders or jokes during practice, and prefer live modelling with checks for listening over pre-created presentations.
Attention: Concentration or focus on task to the exclusion of other stimuli, essential foundation for all learning.
Connected to
Engagement | Silence | Check for Listening | Surface and Deep Structure
During teaching
Memory is the residue of thought. Students learn what they pay attention to (Willingham, 2009). All students should therefore be silent and paying attention before teaching begins. Students who work ahead whilst ignoring instruction miss subtle but important points. Teachers should model by hand rather than clicking through pre-prepared PowerPoint presentations to control pacing and flow. Regular checks for listening during instruction help ensure students maintain focus throughout.
During independent practice
Securing attention during teaching differs from maintaining it during independent practice. Student attention during independent work is fragile. Asking questions, making reminders, or telling jokes interrupts concentration (Cowan, 2001; Kane & Engle, 2002). Independent practice should be conducted in Silence to maintain focus on mathematical thinking (Shield & Dockrell, 2008).
Students cannot learn if not paying attention to mathematical content. Teachers should ensure students are engaged in thinking about mathematics, not just surface structures of questions. During long practice sessions, it may be necessary to schedule short breaks to help maintain focus.
References
Cowan, N. (2001). The magical number 4 in short-term memory: A reconsideration of mental storage capacity. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24(1), 87-114. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X01003922
Kane, M. J., & Engle, R. W. (2002). The role of prefrontal cortex in working-memory capacity, executive attention, and general fluid intelligence: An individual-differences perspective. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 9(4), 637-671. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03196323
Shield, B. M., & Dockrell, J. E. (2008). The effects of environmental and classroom noise on the academic attainments of primary school children. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 123(1), 133-144. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.2812596
Willingham, D. T. (2009). Why don’t students like school? A cognitive scientist answers questions about how the mind works and what it means for the classroom. Jossey-Bass.