Sending your children to an international school in Manila is probably one of the best decisions you’ll ever make in your parenting journey. It ensures that they’re receiving the finest education that the country offers – one that will instill in them the necessary values and knowledge, as well as the vital skills that they can apply in their day-to-day living and in their future endeavors.
Admittedly, studying can sometimes be an arduous task, especially for younger kids whose attention constantly flocks from one thing to another. However, even the older ones are not immune to this — there might be instances when they will also find it grueling to focus on their schoolwork.
Yes, whether you like it or not, there will always be something that can hamper your children’s learning process. Then again, students do not have to succumb to the disturbances ebbing around them. There are, in fact, certain activities that can improve their focus and aid them better in their assignments.
Have your children try and carry out the following exercises and drills that can massively improve their concentration and focus.
Playing can foster concentration
Surprised? Instead of investing the majority of their time in lectures and texts take extra effort to incorporate play into their learning. This is an impressive way for students to grasp new knowledge — that is through experience, interaction, and having fun.
Given this information, have your kids play with actual toys, and not gadgets or tablets as these electronic devices are said to diminish their attention span. Opt for activities that will help them improve their concentration.
Here are some that you can consider:
- Thinking games. Games under this category train and toughen your children’s concentration abilities. These games usually consist of crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and a number of card games (like Memory and Uno).
- There’s a great connection between sequencing and concentration. Introduce them to tasks that follow a step-by-step process such as following recipes, ordering things alphabetically, and so on.
- Just sit. It’s exactly what the name suggests — having your children sit in a chair without moving or squirming. This sort of activity also helps them build a link between their minds and bodies.
Break down tasks into smaller ones
Large tasks are daunting. Instead of motivating your children to start working on them, they might choose to put it off and distract themselves with needless things. After all, who will be inspired to study after catching a glimpse of that lengthy chapter they need to read? The very idea of it might already have made them exhausted.
To avoid your children from being immensely overwhelmed, it’s much better to break a huge chunk of tasks into smaller ones. Why not pages instead of chapters? Better yet, why not paragraphs?
These simpler tasks lend them a stronger sense of accomplishment. Furthermore, they will really feel that they’re making progress in their home works. All these will inspire your kids and eventually prompt them to go through the rest of their school works.
Set a short time limit for assignments
Setting a time limit can help your children devote more of their attention to the task at hand. However, make sure that the time constraint is viable and short such as 20 minutes, as the opposite might pressure them instead. Furthermore, it is important to remember that children also possess a much shorter attention span than adults.
Determine your children’s method of learning
Children take in information in a myriad of ways. Some learn more quickly visually, while others would rather listen.
Knowing their mode of learning will allow you to fashion the perfect technique that can help your children acquire knowledge faster and more efficiently.
Here are some of their learning style preferences:
- Children who fall under this category retain information better when they see it. Try using flashcards or drawings.
- These children learn more effectively when they hear information.
- Listening to music might aid your children in concentrating and retaining information.
- Kinesthetic children learn through practical means, such as letting them try basketball firsthand instead of instructing them how the sport is done.
Key Takeaway
Whether your children are studying in an international school in Manila or in one of the progressive schools available in the region, you’ll know that no matter how brilliant and diligent they are, there are instances when their focus will inevitably lapse or when they’ll find it increasingly taxing to concentrate on the assignments that they have to do. If they are experiencing this dilemma, then there are some exercises and drills that can help them improve their focus, thereby allowing them to have an optimal performance in school.
