Attention and concentration: understanding attentional difficulties and support strategies

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Attention and concentration: understanding and supporting attentional difficulties

Attention is the ability to select relevant information and maintain focus despite distractions. As a fundamental cognitive function, it conditions all learning. Attentional difficulties, whether related to ADHD or other causes, can be significantly improved through environmental accommodations and adapted strategies.

🎯 Download our attention tools

Visual timer
Active breaks
Visual attention

Different types of attention

Attention is not a unitary function but a set of distinct processes that can be affected differently across individuals. Understanding these different types helps better target difficulties and interventions.

Type of attention	Description	Classroom example	Typical difficulty
Sustained attention	Maintaining attention over a long period	Listening to a 30-minute lesson	Loses focus after a few minutes
Selective attention	Focusing on a target despite distractors	Working despite classroom noise	Distracted by the slightest noise
Divided attention	Processing two sources of information simultaneously	Listening and taking notes	Cannot do both
Alternating attention	Switching efficiently from one task to another	Moving from reading to math	Difficulty "switching modes"
Alert/Vigilance	Being ready to react to a stimulus	Waiting for the signal to begin	Reacts too slowly or impulsively

🔬 Attentional networks

Neuroscience distinguishes three brain networks of attention: the alerting network (arousal, vigilance), the orienting network (spatial selection) and the executive control network (conflict resolution, inhibition). These networks can be affected differently depending on the disorder.

Development of attention

Attentional abilities develop progressively with brain maturation, particularly of the prefrontal cortex. Here are the main stages:

Age	Typical sustained attention duration	Characteristics
2-3 years	3-5 minutes	Attention captured by novelty, very distractible
4-5 years	5-10 minutes	Beginning of voluntary control, but still limited
6-8 years	10-20 minutes	Improvement in selective attention
9-12 years	20-30 minutes	More elaborate attentional strategies
Adolescence	30-45 minutes	Capacities close to adult level (but variability)

These durations are averages that strongly depend on motivation, interest in the task, and context. A child can stay focused for 2 hours on a video game but lose focus after 5 minutes on a boring school exercise.

Causes of attentional difficulties

⚠️ Inattention is not always ADHD

Many causes can explain attention difficulties:

ADHD: neurodevelopmental disorder with inattention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity
Fatigue / lack of sleep: frequent and often underestimated cause
Anxiety / worries: intrusive thoughts capture attention
Sensory disorders: undetected vision or hearing problems
Learning disabilities: a dyslexic child may lose focus while reading
Boredom / lack of motivation: task too easy or too difficult
Inadequate environment: too many distractions, excessive stimulation
Medical causes: absence epilepsy, sleep apnea, etc.

Signs of attentional difficulties

At school

Seems "daydreaming", absent-minded
Does not complete their work
Makes careless errors (forgetting, omissions)
Loses or forgets their materials
Difficulty following instructions
Gets distracted by noises, movements
Avoids tasks requiring sustained mental effort
Work is messy, poorly done

At home

Forgets given instructions
Difficulty organizing their belongings, room
Starts several activities without finishing them
Often loses their things
Difficulties with routines (getting ready in the morning)

Adapting the environment

Before even working on the child's attentional abilities, it is essential to optimize the environment to reduce distractions and facilitate concentration.

🪑 Strategic placement in class

Near the teacher, away from windows and the door, next to a calm student. Facing the board rather than in the middle of the class. Avoid high-traffic areas.

📦 Clean desk

On the desk: only the materials necessary for the current task. Put away the rest. Unnecessary visual stimuli capture attention and divert it from the task.

🔇 Reduce noise

Noise-canceling headphones can be useful for individual work. Be aware of background noise (ventilation, fluorescent lights, hallway) that we no longer notice but still demands attention.

🎯 Define the work space

A screen or isolated desk corner can help focus attention. Some children work better in a "closed" space that limits the visual field.

Pedagogical strategies

Structure time

Use a visual timer to materialize the duration of activities
Alternate effort and relaxation phases
Announce the duration and program: "We work for 10 minutes, then break"
Divide large tasks into short steps

Capture and maintain attention

Vary supports and modalities (oral, visual, hands-on)
Use the child's name before giving an instruction
Establish eye contact before speaking
Short and clear instructions, one at a time
Have instructions restated

Promote active engagement

Ask frequent questions to maintain engagement
Offer active roles (distribute, time...)
Use response tools (slate, response cards)
Allow movement when possible

The role of movement

Movement is not the enemy of attention, quite the contrary. For many children, especially those with ADHD, movement helps maintain attention.

🏃 Active breaks

Integrate regular movement breaks (every 15-20 minutes): stretching, jumping, running in place. These breaks recharge attentional abilities rather than exhausting them.

🎯 Fidgets and sensory objects

Allow the use of objects to manipulate (stress ball, elastic under the desk, dynamic seating cushion). Discrete movement can help some children better concentrate.

🚶 Move to learn

Integrate movement into learning: spelling while walking, multiplication tables while jumping, educational motor courses. The body in movement can help the brain encode.

Attention exercises

Targeted exercises can help become aware of attentional processes and develop strategies. However, research shows that transfer to everyday life situations is often limited: environmental accommodations remain more effective.

Visual attention

Search and find: spot elements in a complex image
Spot the difference games: compare two similar images
Mazes: follow a path without getting lost
Cancellation tasks: cross out targets among distractors

Auditory attention

Listening to instructions: execute sequences of instructions
Sound detection: raise hand when hearing a target sound
Stories with gaps: spot errors in a known story

Inhibitory control

Simon says: only execute instructions preceded by the formula
Red light/green light: stop and go at the signal
Stroop: name the ink color, not the word

Our downloadable tools

⏱️ Visual timer

Essential tool to materialize the passage of time. Helps structure work periods and breaks. Several formats available.

Download

🏃 Active break cards

Short movement activities (1-3 minutes) to insert between concentration periods. Illustrated and easy to implement.

Download

👁️ Visual attention exercises

Search and find, differences, mazes and cancellation worksheets. Multiple difficulty levels for all ages.

Download

👂 Auditory attention exercises

Instructions to listen to and execute, sound detection, sequences to reproduce. To work on active listening.

Download

Frequently asked questions

📌 Can attention improve with training?

Attention exercises generally improve performance on trained tasks, but transfer to daily life (classroom, homework) is often limited. Environmental accommodations (reducing distractions, structuring time, integrating movement) are generally more effective at improving real-world functioning.

📌 My child concentrates very well on video games but not on homework. Is this really an attention problem?

Yes, this can still be an attention problem. Video games are designed to capture attention: immediate rewards, intense stimulation, constant feedback. School requires voluntary attention on less stimulating tasks. This dissociation is very typical of ADHD. It's not bad will.

📌 Do screens worsen attention problems?

Screens probably don't cause attention disorders, but excessive exposure can worsen difficulties: habit of rapid stimulation, less tolerance for boredom, reduced time for other activities. It's recommended to limit screen time, especially in the evening, and favor activities that require sustained attention.

📌 When should I consult for attention difficulties?

Consult if attention difficulties are persistent (not just a bad period), present in multiple contexts (school AND home), and they significantly impact functioning (learning, relationships). The doctor will refer to a neuropsychological assessment if necessary to evaluate possible ADHD or other disorder.