4 Ways to Fix Your Attention Span

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4 Ways to Fix Your Attention Span

Learn why it is hard to focus and discover four easy ways to improve your attention span in this expanded A2 English reading lesson.

Title

4 Ways to Fix Your Attention Span

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Learn why it is hard to focus and discover four easy ways to improve your attention span in this expanded A2 English reading lesson.

Reading Text

Do you feel like it is hard to pay attention? In 2016, a group of researchers studied how people use computers. They found that people only stayed focused on one task for 40 seconds. Just five years earlier, the time was 75 seconds! Our world is full of distractions, like cell phones, emails, and loud notifications. Our brains get a lot of information every second. A part of our brain called the prefrontal cortex helps us choose what to focus on. However, our brain is always looking for new or exciting things. This ability to look around helped early humans survive in the wild. But today, it makes staying focused very difficult! Scientists think that attention is a limited resource. When you try multitasking, you use up this energy very quickly. So, how can we improve our attention span? First, try doing challenging tasks. Hard tasks keep your brain interested. Second, take short breaks. Focus on one thing, and then rest your mind. Third, reduce your stress and get enough sleep. A short walk in nature or chatting with friends can help. Finally, remove distractions. Put your phone in another room or close extra tabs on your computer. It takes time, but you can train your brain to focus!

Activities

Vocabulary

Items:

Label: attention
Answer: v1
Label: focused
Answer: v2
Label: distractions
Answer: v3
Label: survive
Answer: v4
Label: resource
Answer: v5
Label: multitasking
Answer: v6
Label: challenging
Answer: v7

Definitions:

Text: looking, listening, or thinking carefully
Text: gave all your thought to one specific thing
Text: things that stop you from working or paying attention
Text: to stay alive in a difficult or dangerous situation
Text: a supply of something that you can use when needed
Text: doing more than one activity at the same time
Text: difficult in a way that is usually interesting

Fill In The Blanks:

Before: Please pay
After: to the teacher during the lesson.
Answer: attention
Before: She
After: on her math homework for two hours.
Answer: focused
Before: Turn off the television to stop
After: while you study.
Answer: distractions
Before: Animals need clean water and food to
After: in the forest.
Answer: survive
Before: Time is an important
After: , so use it wisely.
Answer: resource

Comprehension

Questions:

Question: In 2016, people focused on one computer task for 75 seconds.
Options:
- True
- False
Answer: False
Question: The prefrontal cortex is a part of the brain that helps us choose what to focus on.
Options:
- True
- False
Answer: True
Question: Looking for new things helped early humans survive in the wild.
Options:
- True
- False
Answer: True
Question: Multitasking gives your brain more energy to focus.
Options:
- True
- False
Answer: False
Question: Taking a short walk in nature can help you improve your focus.
Options:
- True
- False
Answer: True

Scrambled:

Answer: Our world is full of distractions like cell phones.
Answer: A part of our brain helps us choose what to focus on.
Answer: Attention is a limited resource.
Answer: Try doing challenging tasks to keep your brain interested.
Answer: You can train your brain to focus.

Written Expression

Questions:

Text: What is the biggest distraction when you study? How do you stop it?
Text: Do you think technology makes it harder to focus? Why or why not?

Examples:

When I study, my biggest distraction is my phone. I stop it by putting my phone in my bag.

I think technology makes it harder to focus because notifications are always ringing.

Critical Thinking

Title: Discussion and Critical Thinking

Instructions:

How do you think our attention span will change in the next 10 years? Discuss with a partner.
If you were a teacher, what rules would you make to keep students focused in class?