mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Concentration

Presentation by Mary Mountstephen MA (SEN)June 2014

1

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

“We learn many things in our formal education and lifetime. Unfortunately, understanding

and learning how to concentrate is not one of

them.” (Bailey 2012) 2

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Overview

• Recent developments in the understanding of concentration skills• Introduction to the Bailey/ Brown Concentration

Assessment Profiling system and The Concentration Bug• Activities• Further training

3

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Concentration is a……

‘state of mind which reflects the ability of the individual to apply themselves to a task without interference from distractions ‘

Bailey / Brown 2012

4

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

The ability to direct one’s thinking in whatever direction one would attend’

5

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Reframing Concentration

• Everyone can concentrate: Sometimes you just happen to be in the wrong mode for the task at hand!

6

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Reframing Concentration

• It can be a pleasurable mental process

• Sometimes it may be more difficult, but you can learn ways to help you succeed

• It is a skill to expand and develop

7

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Research Background

Neuroscience Brain connections can change

ADHD Brain is in an immature state

Meditation Alters brain states

8

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

The Brain Can Change

• Brain plasticity: ‘ The capacity for continuous physical, chemical and functional change’. ( Michael Merzenich, PhD)• Daily intensive, effortful learning that

requires close attention.• Careful listening, precise movement

9

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

ADHD

• Brain immaturity: delayed pattern of maturation • Combined• Predominantly inattentive• Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive• Classroom implications

10

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Meditation/ Mindfulness

• ‘The Wandering Mind’• Attention and auto-pilot•Mindfulness for problem solving• ACTIVITY : Watching the mind roam

11

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Mindfulness• Mindful techniques help with general ‘wellness’ but may not

address/ transfer to improved classroom performance.• MacConville and Rae noted improvements in:

On

ConcentrationEmpathyPerceptual AcuityLevels of stress and anxiety

12

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Mindfulness: An academic perspective

• Mindfulness works: If you practise.• To be actively

attentive and aware enables you to be more calm.• It is about noticing

and processing all that is going on around you.

Mindfulness can help staff as well as students.Mindfulness on its own is not always enough.

13

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Key Points from Research

• Effortful learning changes the brain• The more we do, the more we can do• The path to better performance does

not necessarily start with exceptional genes, but requires some key skills:

GPS14

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Key Characteristics

• Grit• Curiosity• Persistence• A growth mind-set

• A sense that the power to increase your abilities lies largely within your own control, mediated by appropriate environmental, physical, emotional and psychological factors

Paul Tough: How Children Succeed

15

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Neuroscience: Changing the Brain

•What you tell yourself about your ability plays a part in shaping the ways you learn and perform: how hard you apply yourself for example and your willingness to persevere in the face of difficulty’.

Brown, Roediger III, McDaniel

16

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Nettle (2005)

•With effort the quality of performance can be transformed as inner life gradually becomes stronger.• If you want to be top-class you have

to practise AND HAVE A SKILLED COACH

17

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Dweck’s Growth Mindset

• ‘Why do some people become helpless when they encounter challenges and fail at them?’ •Why do others respond to failure by trying

new strategies?’

• ATTRIBUTION: ‘I’m not clever’. ‘I can’t help it, I can’t concentrate’.

18

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Grit

19

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Persistence!

20

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Self-Discipline

21

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

What interferes with concentration ?

B] For your students

A] For you

22

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Distractors

Internal

I’m tired

I’m hungry

My back aches

Shopping list

Bills to pay

Lesson plan

I want to chat I can’t understandI am not good enough

Body Actions

FeelingThinking

Nervous

Bored

Irritated23

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Distractors

External

People

Playing

Competition

Threatening

Place

Too hot / cold

Noisy

Messy

DemandsOutside

Beautiful daySnow / wind /rainLove to go for a walk

Listen / take notesReports to write

Too many tasks24

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

You can concentrate on your games, why can’t you do it in history!ACTIVITY• Take a minute to think about 3 things that help you to

concentrate more easily when you are not motivated.• Write down one strategy you use in the classroom to improve

student concentration.

25

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

How can you alter the messages you give to yourself and others about concentration?

What could you begin to do to improve your concentration.How might you start to help others to improve their concentration?

27

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

The Concentration Assessment ProfileBailey & Brown CAP©2013

• Development of the CAP• Concentration as a process• Domains intrinsic to concentration • The Bailey/Brown process model of

concentration• The significance of motivation • A practical and practicable model

28

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Assessing and Improving Concentration

Bailey & Brown CAP©2013Using the CAP

• Self-assessment• Self-understanding• Self-management• Self-development• Student/client assessment• Student/client understanding• Student/client management• Student/client self-development• Group assessment/understanding/management

29

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

The Domains

•Doing•Thinking•Receiving•Emotions•Environment

30

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Symmetrical Profile

31

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Segmented Profile

32

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Training ActivitiesSelf Awareness / Analysis

Enhancing Focus

ThinkingListening / Receiving

Doing Emotions / arousal

Understanding concentrationAssessmentAnalysisreframing

MindfulnessVisualisationRelaxationManaging distraction

Positive thinkingProblem-solvingPlanningQuiet contemplation

Listening skillsObservationsDetails vs big pictureMemory

PlanningTime managementTask managementGetting started

Mental preparationStress managementDealing with anxietyEmotional regulation 33

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Tips for Teachers• Explain how

concentration works.• Teach students

different ways to concentrate• Create desirable

environmental conditions• Practice regularly

34

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Resistance to change is linked with insecurity

To lower resistance and build momentum for change you need to increase the students sense of security.

You can do this by:-1. Allowing the student to feel secure and valued2. Developing a culture of active concentration3. Praising effort : GPS 4. Daily embedded school level approach

35

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Strategies

WAIT TIME: Increase from 3-7 seconds leads to significant and profound changes in the classroom ‘Percolation time’: Particularly for students who need more processing time

Use of stillness and silence as a practice built in at whole school levels

Use of reflection: It promotes retrieval

Slow down when concentrating on reading: make images as you go.

36

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Strategies• Mindfulness as a beginning ritual at the start of each lesson as

a way of alleviating anxiety, establishing calm and getting lessons off to a positive start.

• Breathing and relaxation : Brief rests/ intentional resting ( MacConville page 30 : Teaching Happiness)

‘Practitioners know that a pupil’s ability to direct and maintain attention on a task at hand has a direct impact upon successful learning. Mindfulness has the capacity to nourish the quality of one’s attention’.

37

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

The New ABC• Rather than the adversity itself, it is our belief about the cause

that triggers the feeling response and behaviour.• What was the problem? ( Adversity)• What did I believe about it? ( Belief)• What was the result? ( Consequence)Children can work to identify pessimistic thoughts and replace them with more favourable viewpoints.With practice children learn to reframe and consciously generate ways to concentrate automatically.(MacConville 2008)

38

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Further Reading• Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning: Brown et al ,

(2014) Harvard University Press• Mind-set: The New Psychology of Success: Dweck, C. (2006)

Ballantine Books• How Children Succeed: Tough, P. ( 2012) Houghton Mifflin

Harcourt• Silence in Schools: Lees, H. (2012) Institute of Education Press• Helping Students Take Control of Everyday Executive

Functions: The Attention Fix : Moraine, P. (2012) Jessica Kingsley Publishers

• How to Detect Developmental Delay and What To Do Next: Mountstephen, M. 2010) Jessica Kingsley Publishers 39

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Further Reading• Happiness, The Science Behind Your Smile: Nettle, D. ( 2005)

Oxford University Press• Teaching Happiness: A ten-step curriculum for creating

positive classrooms: MacConville, R. (2008) Optimus Education• Publishing Jan 2015: The Concentration Bug : Mountstephen

and MacConville

40

mar

y@ki

dsca

nsuc

ceed

.com

Contact Details

Roy Bailey and Elvie Brown: enquiries@elviebrown.co.uk

Mary Mountstephen www.kidscansucceed.commary@kidscansucceed.com( School training: The Concentration Bug The Concentration Assessment Profile) 41