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Writer's pictureLysandra Sykes
Aug 7, 20234 min read

How to teach kids to pay attention: Use a flashlight!

I explained the details of attention in a previous article (linked at the bottom of this post), be sure to check it out as well. It's short, I promise! You can also check out my instagram post about it.


When I am teaching anything, I first ask my clients/students what they know. Ask them what the word attention means to them? How do you pay attention?


Often I get answers about looking at someone or listening to them or facing your body towards them. Or answers such as "you just do it or you get in trouble". Most of the answers involve "looking like" you are paying attention, but I haven't found many kids who can give me a solid definition.


I always want to hear what they think, because it helps me know their background, what they have been told, what images or ideas come to mind when they hear the word attention. After they have shared, I'll explain that you can only pay attention with one thing. Your thoughts! Such as if my friend is talking to me, I might be looking at her, but I'm thinking about how I want Taco Bell for lunch. My attention, my thoughts, are on Taco Bell. I may ask them if they have ever been looking at their teacher, but thinking about something else.


This is when I explain that our thoughts are like a flashlight and can only point in one direction at a time. I try to use physical objects, either a real flashlight or something to represent one. We can use flashlights and turn off the lights and practicing moving our flashlight around. Or I'll use an online flashlight I can move around to show the same thing. I'll do this with teletherapy and ask the teacher or parent to provide a flashlight for the client to use during this session. I'll give several examples such as, "Can I listen to the teacher and play on my computer at the same time? Let's use the flashlight to see".

Night sky with purple and blue sky. One person is outlined against the sky standing on the right holding a flashlight and the beam is swinging up to the top of photo

You can also make flashlights out of construction paper or toilet paper rolls so the kids have something they can use in the classroom or speech room as a reminder. There are some cute easy craft ones here and here. Make sure to talk about situations where it's hard for your students/clients to keep their flashlight in one place and places that it's easier. This helps kids build self awareness without judgment! They might need to make plans to take more breaks or use movement during classes or assignments where it's really hard to stay focused. One of the reasons this is so important is we want teach kids to notice where their attention is so that they can learn what helps and what hurts their attention. This takes time, but first they have to understand what paying attention even means.


I will also tell kids that if we are constantly moving our flashlight back and forth, that makes our brain tired. Again, I compare our brains to a flashlight, just as a flashlight has a battery that can wear out, our brains can get tired too. If we are constantly moving our flashlight back and forth, that makes our brain tired more quickly than if we focus on one thing at a time. I'll post a longer article about the cost of task-switching, but for now you can also read more about why "multi-tasking" isn't possible and the problems that happen when we try to do it here.


Instead of telling kids to pay attention, ask them questions such as:

  • Where are your thoughts right now?

  • Where is your flashlight right now?

  • Is your flashlight tired? Should we take a wiggle break and give your brain a break?

  • Can you bring your flashlight to my words?

Parents, you can use the flashlight to advocate for yourself and your attention too!

  • “I want to listen to why you are frustrated, but my flashlight is on making dinner, let’s talk about this when we are eating."

  • "Right now my flashlight is on my friend and her words, I'll set my phone timer for 5 minutes and then I’ll be ready to point my flashlight to your words."

This is a great lesson (or series of lessons) to use at the start of the school year or when you start therapy with a new client. Teach kids what it means to pay attention so that from the beginning, they can be more in control of their own attention.


Please visit our homepage to inquire about speech, language and executive function services for kids and teens in North Carolina. Consultation and parent coaching services also available! Or sign up for a FREE 20 minute consultation to learn more about how we can help!


References:

Hari, Johann. "Stolen focus." New York : Crown, 2021.


Jha, Amishi. "Peak Mind". HarperOne, 2021.


Muhmenthaler MC, Meier B. Different impact of task switching and response-category conflict on subsequent memory. Psychol Res. 2021 Mar;85(2):679-696. doi: 10.1007/s00426-019-01274-3. Epub 2019 Dec 5. PMID: 31802223; PMCID: PMC7900092


Sumpter, T. The Seeds of Learning: Online Learning Community. Mighty Networks. 2021 https://community.terasumpter.com


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