Top Tips to Guide Your Daughter’s Attention and Listening Skills

Attention and Listening

Paying attention and listening well are important behaviours that successful learners demonstrate. By paying attention and really listening to their teachers, successful learners make a conscious effort to hear not only the words that the teacher is saying but, more importantly, the complete message being communicated. This increases their ability to comprehend what is being taught.

In contrast, students who do not attend or listen well, often miss the key messages or only partially comprehend them. This leads to the need for them to ask for clarification or have the whole message repeated, sometimes numerous times if their ability to attend and listen is poor. Hence, these students can be less successful or slower to achieve the desired outcome.

The good news is that these behaviours can be learned. Below I have set out a few strategies and desired behaviours which can help support students learning and the forming of good habits in listening and attending.

1. Say it Once
This is one that we as teachers and parents often do not do well with children. If children are accustomed to hearing instructions twice, three times, and even four times, listening the first time becomes unnecessary.

2. Whole Body listening
This is where students show they are listening with their whole body by:

  • Turning their body and face to the speaker.
  • Looking at the speaker’s lips.
  • Having both ears ready to listen.
  • Not speaking while listening carefully.
  • Getting their mind ready for information.
  • Having their mind thinking about what is being said.
  • Making sure their hands are not fidgeting but still in lap or on desk.

3. Building Concentration Levels
Concentration is defined as the ability to focus attention on one single thought or subject, excluding everything else from the field of awareness. It is a skill that helps in all walks of life, to study, read, work, drive, get tasks done, meditate, and for everything else. It is a skill that is needed to learn and, the better a child is able to concentrate, the better they are able to learn.

4. Some Common Causes of Poor Concentration
According to Dr Margie Danchin, paediatrician, mum and Royal Children’s Hospital blogger, the following can be a cause of poor concentration levels:

  • Lack of sleep or a poor routine. Most primary school aged children still need between 10 and 11 hours of sleep. They typically go to bed between 7.00pm and 9.00pm, and wake between 6.00am and 8.00am.
  • A diet high in sugar and fat with no sustaining nutrition to assist concentration in the classroom.
  • Excessive screen-time, especially prior to going to bed.
  • Difficulties at home, such as a recent separation of parents or a family trauma.
  • Some medications or organic illnesses, such as low thyroid function or iron deficiency.

If your child is having difficulty concentrating in class, it is important that your doctor examines your child and discusses all these issues with you. Often there are a number of causes contributing to poor attention and concentration.

Below is a guide to the average attention span for children.

After School Activities

Please note that students are not permitted to play in the School grounds unsupervised after school. Families are asked to use the After School Service or make arrangements for children with activities after our Yard Duty staff conclude their supervision at 3.50pm.

Prompt Pick Ups Please

Parents are asked to make sure they are waiting at School ready to pick their child up at the end of after school activities. Registering your child for Out of Hours School Care (OHSC) is a good option for parents who find they are always rushing to make pick up times. Using the facility might ease the stress on both parents and girls.

After School Care – Camp Australia

All families are encouraged to register with Camp Australia (our OHSC Provider) by contacting the Camp Australia Head office on 1300 105 343 or oshc@campaustralia.com.au for details. Parents are urged to register even if the need to use the service is not apparent (annual registration is $25). Failing this, it is imperative that parents have made exacting plans for any days in which children may need to be cared for or picked up at the last minute. For safety reasons, children must be placed into After School Care by the Yard Duty teacher at 3.50pm. Staff often have meetings to attend and there are no other options for supervision. Safety and security are our priorities.

If you need to contact Before and After School Care, please note that the parent contact number is 0412 510 875.

Ms Karen McArdle, Head of Junior School
Year 2 Art Excursion – ‘Escher X nendo | Between Two Worlds’

On Friday 8 March, the Year 2 students, Mrs Loretta Iacuone and Mrs Virginia Guest visited the National Gallery of Victoria to view the ‘Escher X nendo | Between Two Worlds’ exhibition which showcases the work of M. C. Escher and the Japanese design studio Nendo.

Escher was a master of optical illusion and has created some of the most iconic images of the 20th century. Nendo’s work aligns with Escher’s vision and has resonances with contemporary architecture and design. The excursion commenced with a lecture style introduction which covered part of the history of the works. Students were actively engaged in the presenter’s demonstration and their behaviour was outstanding.

After lunch in the NGV garden and a drawing session in the Great Hall, we ventured on a self-guided tour of the ‘Designing Women’ and ‘William Wegman’ exhibitions. These contemporary collections provided the young Art students with a diverse array of art works in a range of mediums, to complete their learning experience.

Prior to visiting the NGV, during Art lessons and in class, the girls were exposed to some of the history and facts related to the art works that we might see, the history of the NGV and how to behave in the public art space. When viewing the work, it was remarkable to see the connections the students made. They were able to relate so many stories and facts about the art collection. This experience gave the girls an opportunity to observe closely, think critically and discuss respectfully – all key elements of learning in our curriculum. A great day enjoyed by all!

Below are some of the students’ observations from the excursion.

My favourite place was the snake room. There was a winding path like a snake and a beautiful snake print by Escher. Camilla Thomas.

I loved the optical illusion Escher created in his art work to trick you into seeing something else. – Portia Carosa-Koziora.

The Wegman exhibition was very funny. My favourite photo was ‘Calendar’: the Weimarana dog is dressed up as a character from the ‘Magic Flute’ story. – Giselle Armstrong.

At the Escher X nendo exhibition, I learnt about tessellations, metamorphosis and optical illusions. – Margaret Shao.

Escher was not good at school. His parents helped him choose a career. – Genevieve Campbell.

I enjoyed drawing in the big hall. – Carys Dreaver.

Mrs Loretta Iacuone, Year 2 Teacher