Why won't they focus? Practical solutions for students' attention by Elyanora Menglieva

Abstract

elyamenglieva — 2025-03-25 03:32:02 UTC

Maintaining students' attention in the classroom is essential for effective learning. However, teachers often face challenges when learners become distracted and disengaged. This presentation aims to share my exploratory action research findings on the factors contributing to students' lack of attention and practical strategies to enhance focus and engagement during lessons. The data for this research was collected through a combination of questionnaires and informal conversations with students, which provided valuable insights into the root causes of attention issues and possible solutions for improving classroom engagement.

How to deal with students` lack of attention in the classroom

elyamenglieva — 2025-03-25 03:34:12 UTC

Why do I think most of my students lose attention in my classes ?
What do my students think about their level of attention in my classes ?
What opportunities should students have to concentrate their full attention in the class?
How can I deal with my students' lack of attention in the classroom now?

elyamenglieva — 2025-03-25 03:34:45 UTC

1. Reflective notes (to explore my own perceptions)

2.Responses to a questionnaire ( to explore other's perception )

3. other people`s opinion about lack of attention in classes (to explore others behavior)

4. Informal conversation with the teacher who observed my lesson

5. Discussion with students

Results of the questionnaire

elyamenglieva — 2025-03-25 03:35:16 UTC

According to the results of the questionnaire, it can be inferred that my students can understand me when I teach them in English. My speech is understandable for them and it is not very fast. However, as most of them mentioned, they are usually distracted by problems they have in their minds. In addition, I asked from my students to grade their attention level in order to know how they are attentive in the class. According to the results, 4 students chose "partially attentive" and 5 students chose "not much attentive" categories. This means I should improve their attention levels. Furthermore, I asked my students interest and almost all of them want lessons delivered through videos and presentations by me.

My perceptions

elyamenglieva — 2025-03-25 03:35:37 UTC

● Students lose their attention while explaining topic/theme or some institutions

● As a result, they fail to understand

● I had to work with each of them individually

●When I was a pupil at school I had also difficulties to concentrate my attention during lessons

My students' perceptions

elyamenglieva — 2025-03-25 03:36:24 UTC

● can understand me when I teach them in English

● distracted by problems they have their mind

● 3 students are "partially attentive"

5 students "not much attentive"

● want lessons delivered through videos and presentations by me

2025-03-25 04:52:58 UTC

My name is Zulfizar and I study at Namangan State Institute of Foreign Languages, group MBX-AU-22.

I worked at school number 2 as part of my teaching practicum.

I taught English to pupils in grades 6 and 7, with class sizes ranging from 12 to 13 students.

This experience allowed me to apply what I’ve learned at university and gain practical skills in managing young learners in a real classroom setting.

Other's perception

2025-03-25 05:07:23 UTC

● My students may be bored and tired

● Do not want to do different activities and tasks

● Might think they don't need English

2025-03-25 15:36:35 UTC

Have a lesson with:

Short interactive activities according to topic
Use visual aids or technology
Include movement ( stand up, short brain breaks...)
Sometims change seating arrangements

I had a lesson with the help of those I mentioned in my action plan and one of my teacher observed my lesson.

Action Findings

2025-03-25 15:47:56 UTC

After implementing the strategies outlined in my action plan, I observed noticeable changes in my students' attention levels during the lesson.

Short interactive activities helped students stay more engaged with the topic. For example, when I used a quick quiz game related to the lesson, almost all students participated actively, showing more interest and focus compared to previous lessons.
Visual aids and technology were especially effective. Using colorful slides and a short video related to the topic captured students' attention immediately. Some students who were usually distracted started answering questions and taking part in class discussion.
Movement-based activities such as short brain breaks and “stand-up if you agree” games helped to re-energize the class. After the brain break, students returned to the task more focused and participated better in the second half of the lesson.
Changing seating arrangements had mixed results. While some students benefited from sitting next to more focused peers, others were initially distracted by the change. However, overall classroom behavior improved slightly over time.

Additionally, one of my teachers observed the lesson and noted that student participation was higher than usual and that the class atmosphere was more dynamic and positive.

MY REFLECTION

2025-03-25 15:56:19 UTC

Carrying out this exploratory action research was a meaningful experience for me as a future teacher. I have always noticed that many of my students struggle to stay focused during lessons, but I didn’t fully understand what caused it or how to deal with it effectively. This research helped me explore the issue deeply and try out real solutions in my classroom.

When I implemented interactive activities, I saw an immediate improvement in student engagement. Even the quieter students started participating. It showed me that many students lose attention simply because they are not actively involved in the lesson.

Overall, this experience showed me that student attention can be improved with simple but thoughtful changes. I learned to be more flexible, creative, and responsive to my students’ needs. In the future, I will continue using these strategies and try to personalize them more for each class.

My research topic: Why won't they focus? Practical solutions for students' attention

elyamenglieva — 2025-03-25 17:15:37 UTC

I decided to research this topic because when I was teaching my students, I noticed that most of them were not paying attention. After explaining a new topic, I would ask questions, but many of them couldn’t answer or seemed unaware of what I had just taught. This experience made me realize how common attention problems are in the classroom.

Additionally, I remembered facing the same difficulty myself as a student—I often found it hard to concentrate during lessons. These experiences inspired me to explore practical solutions for improving students' focus.