Attention and listening

A pupil is more likely to attend and listen if the following conditions are met:

■ He or she has some familiarity with the content and purpose of the lesson. TAs can fulfil a valuable role in ‘briefing’ the pupil before the lesson about vocabulary that will be used, etc. Homework set may be ‘in preparation’ for the next lesson so that the pupil has had time to familiarize her or himself with the content.

■ Distractions and noise are kept to a minimum.

■ He or she is ‘cued’ to listen either by the instruction ‘Listen, Jamie’ or by a cue card (containing the class symbol for listening)

■ Verbal or written instruction is supported by pictorial cues and use of gesture.

■ The content of the lesson is meaningful to the pupil and linked to familiar vocabulary.

■ Instructions are brief and explicit.

■ He or she is clear about what he or she has to listen for, e.g. not a whole story, but the names of animals in the story.

■ Intersperse short bouts of listening with doing – not both at once.

■ He or she is motivated but not overly anxious.

Pupils remember best when the following conditions are met:

■ The things that need to be remembered are of interest and value to them.

■ There is opportunity for re-processing the material in different formats: i.e. making flow diagrams; mind maps, mnenonics, re-telling the main points to a peer; making a poster of key points, etc.

■ Learning involves practical activities and social experiences.

■ There are opportunities for practice and regular use.

■ Explicit links are made to the individual’s existing knowledge and understanding.