Types of attention. Methods for developing voluntary, involuntary and post-voluntary attention

Attention is a mental cognitive process aimed at reflecting the mental properties and states of an object, which ensures the concentration of consciousness. This focus on certain objects is selective and contributes to the formation of an individual attitude towards them.

As objects attention can come from both other persons and inanimate objects. Phenomena of nature, objects of art and science also often come to the attention of the subject. It must be admitted that only those objects that arouse significant interest in him or are conditioned by a social need for study fall into the zone of a person’s attention. The development of attention directly depends on such factors as a person’s age, the purposefulness of his aspirations, interest in the subject or phenomenon being studied, and the regularity of performing special exercises.

Types of attention

Involuntary attention

Characterized by a lack of conscious human choice. Occurs when an influencing stimulus appears, which forces you to momentarily take a break from everyday affairs and switch your mental energy. This type of attention is difficult to manage, since it is directly related to the internal attitudes of the individual. In other words, we are always attracted only by what is of significant interest, what excites and makes our feelings and emotional sphere “stir.”

Objects of involuntary attention can be: unexpected noise on the street or indoors, a new person or phenomenon that appears before your eyes, any moving objects, a person’s mental state, individual mood.

Involuntary attention is valuable for its spontaneity and naturalness of occurrence, which always ensures a lively emotional response. But, at the same time, it can distract a person from performing pressing tasks and solving significant problems.

As a rule, involuntary attention predominates in preschool children. Teachers of children's institutions, of course, will agree that you can attract their attention only with bright, interesting images and events. That is why kindergarten classes are so replete with beautiful characters, attractive tasks, and huge scope for imagination and creativity.

Voluntary attention

Characterized by consciously maintaining concentration on an object. Voluntary attention begins when motivation appears, that is, a person understands and consciously concentrates his attention on something. Stability and perseverance are its integral attributes. In order for the necessary action to be carried out, the individual is required to make a volitional effort, come into a state of tension, and intensify mental activity.

For example, a student before an exam tries his best to focus on the material being studied. And even if he is not entirely interested in what he has to tell the teacher, his attention is maintained through serious motivation. The need to finish the semester and come home as quickly as possible sometimes adds a powerful incentive to push yourself a little harder and put aside all entertainment and trips.

However, it should be remembered that prolonged concentration of voluntary attention leads to a state of fatigue, even severe fatigue. Therefore, it is recommended to take reasonable breaks between serious intellectual work: go outside to breathe fresh air, do simple physical exercises, and exercises. But there is no need to read books on abstract topics: your head will not have time to rest, and in addition, the presence of unnecessary information can provoke further reluctance to return to business. It has been noticed that strong interest stimulates activity and activates the brain, and this can and should be achieved.

Post-voluntary attention

It is characterized by the absence of tension in the subject of activity when performing a task. In this case, the motivation and desire to achieve a specific goal are quite strong. This type of attention differs from the previous one in that internal motivation prevails over external motivation. That is, a person and his consciousness are guided not by social necessity, but by an individual need for action. Such attention has a very productive effect on any activity and produces significant results.

Basic properties of attention

The properties of attention in psychology are a number of significant characteristics that are closely related to the components of a person’s activity.

• Concentration is a deliberate focus on the object of activity. Maintaining attention occurs due to the subject’s strong motivation and desire to perform the action as best as possible. The intensity of concentration on the subject of interest is guided by the consciousness of the individual. If the concentration is high enough, the result will not be long in coming. On average, a person can focus attention for 30 to 40 minutes without a break, but a lot can be done during this time. It should be remembered that when working at a computer, you should take short breaks of 5–10 minutes to rest your eyes.
• Volume- this is the number of objects that consciousness can keep simultaneously in its field of vision. In other words, volume is measured in the mutual relationship of objects and the degree of stability of attention on them. If a person is able to maintain concentration on objects for a sufficiently long time and their number is large, then we can talk about a high volume of attention.
• Sustainability. Stability is the ability to maintain attention on one object for a long time and not switch to another. If a distraction occurs, they usually talk about lability. Stability of attention is characterized by the ability to discover new things in familiar things: to discover relationships and aspects that were not previously noticed or studied, to see prospects for further development and movement.
• Switchability. Switchability is a meaningful, purposeful change in the direction of the focus of attention. This property is characterized by being conditioned by external circumstances or phenomena. If the switching of attention does not occur under the influence of a more significant object and is not particularly intentional, then they speak of simple distractibility. It must be admitted that it can be difficult to switch attention from one object to another due to strong concentration. Then it even happens that a person moves on to another activity, but mentally continues to concentrate on the previous one: he thinks about the details, analyzes, and worries emotionally. Switching attention is needed to relax after intense mental work and to engage in new activities.
• Distribution. Distribution is the ability of consciousness to simultaneously concentrate attention on several objects that are in approximately the same position in terms of importance. The relationship between objects certainly influences how this distribution occurs: the transition from one object to another. At the same time, the individual often experiences a state of fatigue caused by the need to constantly remember other existing ones while being at one point of focus.

Features of attention development

The development of human attention is necessarily associated with the ability to concentrate on one or several objects for a certain period of time without any distraction. This is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. After all, in order to concentrate on something, you need to be sufficiently interested in your business. Thus, for the development of involuntary attention, all that is required is an interesting object on which to focus the gaze. Voluntary attention requires a serious approach: you need purposeful action, volitional effort, and the ability to manage your feelings in order to prevent distraction at the most inopportune moment. Post-voluntary attention is the most productive of all, since it does not require overcoming or additional effort.

Methods for developing attention

Today there are a variety of methods for developing attention that allow you to achieve high results and learn how to manage attention.

Development of concentration

It is recommended to choose an object for observation and try to focus your attention on it for a certain period of time. Moreover, the simpler this item is, the better. For example, you can put a book on the table and imagine what it is written about, what the main characters are. One can only think of a book as an object made of paper and cardboard, and imagine how many trees it took to make it. In the end, you can simply pay attention to its color and shape. Which direction to choose is up to you. This exercise perfectly trains the focus of attention and allows you to develop the duration of concentration on one object.

If you wish, you can try to practice holding two or more objects in your field of vision. Then, to all of the above, it is necessary to add the development of the ability to switch attention from one object to another, remembering and noting the significant features of each of them.

Development of visual attention

Exercises should be aimed at expanding the individual's ability to focus on an object. For example, you can put an object in front of you and set yourself the task of looking at it for 3 to 5 minutes, highlighting as many details as possible. First, you will begin to develop a general idea of ​​the object: its color and shape, size and height. However, gradually, the more you concentrate, the more clearly new details will begin to appear: small details, minor devices, etc. They are also a must see and note to yourself.

Development of auditory attention

To improve this type of attention, you need to set yourself a goal of concentrating on the sound of the voice for no more than ten minutes. It is best if this is meaningful human speech, however, if you want to relax, you can include birdsong or any melody that meets the requirements of relaxing music.

If human speech is heard, while listening, it is important to note to yourself the speed with which the lecturer speaks, the degree of emotionality in the presentation of the material, and the subjective usefulness of the information. It is also quite acceptable to listen to recorded fairy tales and stories, and then try to remember and reproduce their content. When listening to music, it is important to capture the vibration levels of the sound wave, try to “connect” to the emotions being reproduced and imagine the details of something.

How to manage attention?

Many people who want to improve their attention levels face constant difficulties. Some people may have trouble concentrating on details, while others have difficulty taking in the whole subject. In this case, I would like to advise you to train at different facilities in all areas and do it every day. Agree, it’s not difficult to devote 5–10 minutes a day to working on yourself.

Thus, the problems of attention development are quite multifaceted and deep. This type of cognitive processes cannot be considered only as a component of activity. We must also remember that we always need attention in everyday life, therefore it is important to be able to focus on simple things and notice even small details.

Involuntary attention plays a significant role in the learning process. We should talk about involuntary attention in the case when the direction and concentration of consciousness is not determined by a person’s volitional act.

In the appearance of such attention, a person’s habits, the correspondence of the stimulus to the internal state of the body, constant expectation of something, etc. play a role. Involuntary attention is based on an unconditioned orienting reflex, manifested in a constant readiness to respond to a newly appeared stimulus.

One of the factors that causes the process of involuntary attention is strong stimuli.

Very strong auditory, visual, skin, olfactory, proprioceptive, organic stimuli, acting separately on individual analyzers or in combination on a number of analyzers, cause the process of involuntary attention.

Factors that organize the process of involuntary attention include contrasting stimuli.

Involuntary attention is also attracted by emotionally significant stimuli. Objects that evoke feelings of joy, surprise, aesthetic feelings, feelings of anger and others, at the same time evoke involuntary attention.

Voluntary attention is the attention that arises under the influence of a consciously set goal and volitional effort.

Voluntary attention is caused by a person’s volitional act and is associated with a consciously set goal.

Voluntary attention arose in the process of work. Voluntary attention to something is established as a result of awareness of the need to be attentive to this particular object or action. In voluntary attention, the activity of the second signaling system is clearly visible.

The decisive role in human life and activity belongs to voluntary attention. In this regard, special importance is attached to its study and training. In a person at an early age, school and activities associated with staying in it are of decisive importance in the development of voluntary attention. The attention of an adult develops and improves along with the personality.

There are also externally directed And intradirectional attention.

Externally directed attention – highlighting objects in the external environment.

Intradirectional attention is the selection of ideal objects from the fund of the psyche itself.

Activity attention – voluntary attention, involuntary, post-voluntary.

Focus attention(internal and externally directed attention) is that objects that have vital significance for a person at a given time attract his attention, while other objects that do not have such significance remain outside of it.

Concentration attention(high, low, very low)– This is a process of deepening into activity, distracting from everything that is not related to it.

The direction and focus of attention are related to the orientation of the individual, his beliefs, interests, and depend on the abilities, characteristics of temperament and character of this individual.

Latitude attention(amount of attention, distribution of attention)– uniform distribution of consciousness over several objects.

At this stage there is no sustained attention yet. Sustainability of attention becomes essential when the most significant ones for a given activity are identified from the available objects.

Volume attention is determined by the number of objects that are simultaneously covered by attention and that a person can simultaneously be aware of with the same degree of clarity.

The average attention span for adults is 4-6 characters, and for children - 3-4 characters. When presenting words - up to 14 characters. The scope of attention increases with exercise, preliminary familiarization with objects and acquisition of knowledge about them. The amount of attention depends on a person’s professional activity, his experience, and mental development.

Distribution attention called such an organization of mental activity in which a person simultaneously performs two or more different actions– the focus of consciousness on the most significant objects.

Distribution of attention is a prerequisite in a number of professions, including the profession of a medical worker. The correct organization and productivity of work often depends on the ability to distribute attention. Distribution of attention is not an innate quality; it can be developed through exercise.

Concentration attention – intense focus of consciousness on the most significant objects.

Concentration and volume of attention depend both on the characteristics of the individual and his state, and on the nature of the activity to which attention is directed, and on its object.

The disease can reduce the ability to concentrate for various reasons: due to weakness of brain cells, decreased activity, asthenia. This is often observed in some somatic diseases.

A feature of attention is its stability (stable attention, unstable), i.e. the ability to concentrate attention on a specific object for a long time.

The more monotonous the operations and objects included in the action, the more attention this action requires. The fewer distracting stimuli there are in the environment, in a person’s thoughts and experiences, in his body (pain sensations, etc.), the easier it is to maintain stability of attention.

In this regard, in order to mental hygiene In businesses where work requires intense attention, distractions should be eliminated.

Sustainability of attention is facilitated by a change in the objects of activity and the actions performed. Monotony is always tiring.

Hesitation attention represents periodically repeated deviations from the main object of attention and return to it.

Psychologically, this is expressed in a decrease in attention to the main object of activity and the emergence of attention in the direction of new objects. However, with the help of volitional effort, i.e. verbal signaling, attention returns to the main object of activity as soon as the nerve cells performing this activity restore their work during the period of inhibition.

Switching attention(easy, difficult). This is a voluntary transfer of attention from one object or type of activity to another object or type of activity.

Switching attention depends on the significance of the object or activity towards which the focus of attention changes. It also depends on interest: more interesting objects or activities make it easier to switch attention in their direction. Switching attention depends on the volitional qualities of the individual.

Intensity attention(high, low).

Distractibility. This is an involuntary movement of attention from one object to another.

Distractibility occurs when extraneous stimuli act on a person who is engaged in some activity at that moment. Distractibility can be external or internal.

External Distractibility occurs under the influence of external stimuli, while voluntary attention becomes involuntary.

Internal Distraction of attention occurs under the influence of strong experiences, extraneous emotions, in the absence of interest and a sense of responsibility for the work that a person is currently engaged in.

Absent-mindedness. Absent-mindedness is a person’s inability to concentrate on anything specific for a long time - the focus of consciousness on the parallel execution of several actions. Distraction of attention– one of the states of disorganization of consciousness.

There are two types of absent-mindedness: imaginary and genuine absent-mindedness.

Imaginary absent-mindedness- this is a person’s inattention to the immediately surrounding objects and phenomena, caused by the extreme concentration of his attention on one thing. Imaginary absent-mindedness is the result of great concentration and narrowness of attention.

Genuine absent-mindedness– a person has difficulty establishing and maintaining voluntary attention on any object or action. To do this, he requires significantly more volitional efforts than a non-absent-minded person. The cause of true absent-mindedness can be neurasthenia, anemia, disease of the nasopharynx, which impedes the flow of air into the lungs and, therefore, depletes the oxygen supply of brain cells.

Sometimes absent-mindedness is the result of physical and mental fatigue and overwork, the result of difficult experiences. One of the reasons for genuine absent-mindedness may be an overload of the brain with a large number of impressions, as well as scattered interests.

Absent-mindedness sometimes occurs as a result of a change in impressions, when a person is not able to concentrate on each of them separately, as well as due to the action of monotonous, unimportant stimuli or as a result of intoxication of the body.

Attention is the ability of a person to distinguish certain objects from many others and respond to them.

Types and differences

There are several typologies of attention. One of the main ones divides it into the following types:

• Involuntary – occurring without effort on the part of a person, caused by the properties of the object itself. Involuntary attention (IA) is inherent in both people and animals, and is a natural quality. It is the result of the so-called orienting reflex: the body’s complex reaction to the novelty of the stimulus. Over time, as the stimulus repeatedly affects the consciousness, the reaction becomes dull. However, information received in contact with a stimulus is remembered by itself, without effort on the part of the person. Involuntary attention arises due to the unexpectedness of the appearance of the stimulus, its strength, novelty, contrast with the environment, as well as the state of mind and emotions of the observer himself.
• Voluntary - unlike involuntary, it is not inherent in animals and is the prerogative of humans. It is always associated with volitional effort and purposeful mental activity of the observer. Voluntary attention (AV) is both a condition and a result of work and social activity. On the one hand, consistent, purposeful work is impossible without voluntary attention. On the other hand, its development occurs precisely as a result of conscious actions that require mental effort and concentration.
• Post-voluntary is a natural continuation of voluntary attention if the activity is not only necessary, but also arouses the interest of the performer. In this case, volitional effort is no longer required to perform certain actions: the person is passionate and is able to easily concentrate on work.

Presentation: "Attention"

These constantly replace each other in the process of mental activity. Thus, a person may start reading a book as a reference for further work, and then become interested in the topic and continue reading for his own interest and pleasure.

This is a vivid example of how post-voluntary attention replaces voluntary attention. If a person gets tired and loses concentration, the PV may change to involuntary – in relation to foreign objects.

Most often, however, the degree of our concentration is not too high, and voluntary and involuntary attention are successfully combined with each other. While thinking about solving a problem, we manage to follow a bird flying outside the window, hear a phone call, or almost mechanically answer an unrelated question from a colleague.

How to increase the effectiveness of your actions

With the help of voluntary attention, from a variety of objects and phenomena, those related to the actual work are consciously identified. In essence, PV involves the following sequence of actions: choosing and formulating a goal, organizing and focusing on it, and, ultimately, its implementation.

However, maintaining focus on one object or type of work for a long time leads to fatigue and loss of strength. On average, a person's concentrated mental effort begins to lose its effectiveness after 20 minutes.

Presentation: "Properties of attention"

Continuing to work without a break causes fatigue and an inability to engage in active thought processes. Voluntary attention decreases and is replaced by an involuntary type of attention.

There are several factors that can help you improve your work efficiency and stay focused:

• Interest in an activity that allows voluntary attention to turn into post-voluntary attention. In this case, fatigue is significantly reduced, and a person is able to process a larger amount of information with better results.
• Usual working conditions. As practice shows, changes in the interior, lighting or sound insulation (in any direction) are distracting and prevent you from concentrating. Maintaining concentration at the same time requires more effort than usual, a person gets tired faster, and the work he performs greatly loses in quality.
• Lack of strong irritants. These include sudden unexpected noises, flashes of light, an abundance of moving objects around, conversations on unrelated topics. All of these are also distractions and interfere with concentration.

It should be noted, however, that weak stimuli - for example, the usual ticking of a clock, quiet music, muffled street sounds - on the contrary, help maintain attention. They lead to the emergence of weak foci of excitation in the cerebral cortex, which complement the main focus associated with the execution of the current task; As a result, the performer's concentration and work efficiency increase. Thus, NV helps strengthen PV.

Presentation: "Human cognitive processes"

To maintain an acceptable level of concentration, regular changes in activity are recommended.

Each person has his own characteristics of perception and processing of information, inclinations to one or another type of activity, but if we talk about intellectual efforts, on average an adult needs to take breaks approximately once every hour or hour and a half, switching to an easier or more interesting task, or physical labor that does not require serious mental stress.

With such a work schedule, on the one hand, we prevent ourselves from overworking, and on the other, we train our ability to concentrate with sufficient effort.

Other properties of attention

In addition to concentration, attention has other properties - for example, volume: the number of objects or activities that we can perceive at one point in time, as well as distribution of attention - the ability to simultaneously solve several problems. The volume and distribution of attention are characteristics that are important for performing various actions in real life: after all, most situations require our ability to multitask.

For example, a person driving a car must simultaneously monitor traffic, road markings and signs, and the maneuvers of other motorists. The orchestra conductor reads the score and immediately gives commands to the orchestra members. The student listens to the lecture, takes notes and remembers the necessary information. At the same time, our involuntary attention is distracted from performing basic actions by extraneous phenomena.

Activities with children

Voluntary attention develops in the learning process from early childhood, while involuntary attention is an innate quality. Unlike involuntary, PV in children requires special training, for example, with the help of special classes in preschool institutions and at home.

Such activities can be concentration exercises: putting together pictures from several parts, finding relationships between objects, playing words and other tasks that involve intellectual effort.

The higher the child’s interest in classes, the more effective the learning. Thus, one of the main tasks of the teacher is to arouse children's interest and attract all types of attention to help the learning process.

It is important to consider that for children, as for adults, there is a threshold after which concentration inevitably decreases; exercises lose their meaning and effectiveness, and a tired child becomes overly excitable and unresponsive to learning. In this case, there is no point in insisting on continuing classes: switching to other activities or games, physical activity, or a simple walk in the fresh air will help. Like any skill, it requires gradualism, regular repetitions and a systematic approach.

Involuntary attention is a lower form of attention that arises as a result of the influence of a stimulus on any of the analyzers. It is formed according to the law of the orientation reflex and is common to humans and animals.

The occurrence of involuntary attention can be caused by the peculiarity of the influencing stimulus, and also be determined by the correspondence of these stimuli to past experience or the mental state of a person.

Sometimes involuntary attention can be useful, both at work and at home; it gives us the opportunity to promptly identify the appearance of an irritant and take the necessary measures, and facilitates inclusion in habitual activities.

But at the same time, involuntary attention can have a negative impact on the success of the activity being performed, distracting us from the main thing in the task at hand, reducing the productivity of work in general. For example, unusual noise, shouting and flashing lights during work distract our attention and make it difficult to concentrate.

Causes of involuntary attention

The causes of involuntary attention may be:

Unexpected stimulus.

Relative strength of the stimulus.

Novelty of the stimulus.

Moving objects. T. Ribot singled out exactly this factor, believing that as a result of purposeful activation of movements, concentration and increased attention on the subject occurs.

Contrast of objects or phenomena.

The internal state of a person.

The French psychologist T. Ribot wrote that the nature of involuntary attention is rooted in the deep recesses of our being. The direction of a given person's involuntary attention reveals his character, or at least his aspirations.

Based on this sign, we can draw a conclusion regarding a given person that he is a frivolous, banal, limited person, or a sincere and deep person. A beautiful landscape attracts the artist’s attention, affecting his aesthetic sense, while a local resident sees only something ordinary in the same landscape.

Voluntary attention

If you tell me what you pay attention to, then I will be able to determine who you are: a pragmatist or a highly spiritual person. Here we are talking about a different type of attention - voluntary, intentional, active.

If animals have involuntary attention, then voluntary attention is possible only in humans, and it arose thanks to conscious labor activity. To achieve a certain goal, a person has to do not only what is in itself interesting, pleasant, entertaining; he has to do not only what he wants, but also what is necessary.

Voluntary attention, more complex and unique to humans, is formed in the learning process: at home, at school, at work. It is characterized by the fact that it is directed to an object under the influence of our intention and goal. Everything is simple here, you need to set a goal: “I need to be attentive, and I will force myself to be attentive, no matter what,” and persistently work towards this goal.

Physiological mechanism of voluntary attention

The physiological mechanism of voluntary attention is the focus of optimal excitation in the cerebral cortex, supported by signals coming from the second signaling system. Hence, the role of the word of the parents or teacher in the formation of voluntary attention in the child is obvious.

The emergence of voluntary attention in humans is historically associated with the labor process, because Without managing your attention, it is impossible to carry out conscious and planned activities.

Let's consider two classifications.

1. Attention may be external(directed towards the environment) and internal(focus on one’s own experiences, thoughts, feelings).

This division is to some extent arbitrary, since people are often immersed in their own thoughts, pondering their behavior.

2. The classification is based on the level of volitional regulation. Attention is given involuntary, arbitrary, post-voluntary.

Involuntary attention occurs without any effort on the part of the person, and there is no goal or special intention.

Involuntary attention may occur:

1) due to certain characteristics of the stimulus.

These features include:

a) strength, and not absolute, but relative (in complete darkness, attention can be attracted by the light from a match);

b) surprise;

c) novelty and unusualness;

d) contrast (among Europeans, a person of the Negroid race is more likely to attract attention);

e) mobility (this is the basis for the action of a beacon, which not only lights up, but blinks);

2) from the internal motives of the individual.

This includes a person’s mood, interests and needs.

For example, the ancient facade of a building is more likely to attract the attention of a person interested in architecture than of other passersby.

free attention arises when a goal is consciously set, to achieve which volitional efforts are made.

Voluntary attention is most likely to occur in the following situations:

1) when a person clearly understands his responsibilities and specific tasks when performing an activity;

2) when the activity is performed under familiar conditions, for example: the habit of doing everything according to the schedule in advance creates an attitude towards voluntary attention;

3) when performing an activity concerns any indirect interests, for example: playing scales on the piano is not very exciting, but necessary if you want to be a good musician;

4) when favorable conditions are created when performing an activity, but this does not mean complete silence, since weak side stimuli (for example, quiet music) can even increase work efficiency.

Post-voluntary attention is intermediate between involuntary and voluntary, combining the features of these two types.

It appears as voluntary, but after some time the activity being performed becomes so interesting that it no longer requires additional volitional efforts.

Thus, attention characterizes the activity and selectivity of a person in his interaction with others.

2. Traditionally, there are five properties of attention:

1) focus (concentration);

2) sustainability;

4) distribution;

5) switching.

Concentration(concentration) - attention is kept on some object or activity, while being distracted from everything else.

Sustainability- this is a long-term retention of attention, which increases if a person is active when carrying out actions with objects or performing activities.

Stability decreases if the object of attention is mobile and constantly changing.

Volume attention is determined by the number of objects that a person is able to simultaneously perceive clearly enough. For most adults, the attention span is 4–6 objects, for a schoolchild – 2–5 objects.

Distribution of attention– a person’s ability to perform two or even more activities simultaneously, when a person is simultaneously focused on several objects.

As a rule, distribution occurs when one of the activities has been mastered to such an extent that it requires only minor control.

For example, a gymnast can solve simple arithmetic problems while walking on a beam whose width is 10 cm, while a person far from sports is unlikely to do this.

Switching attention– the ability of a person to focus alternately on one or another activity (object) in connection with the emergence of a new task.

Attention also has its drawbacks, the most common of which is absent-mindedness, expressed in two forms:

1) frequent involuntary distraction while performing an activity.

They say about such people that they have “fluttering”, “sliding” attention. May arise as a consequence:

a) insufficient development of attention;

b) feeling unwell, tired;

c) for students – neglect of educational material;

d) lack of interests;

2) excessive concentration on any one object or activity, when attention is not paid to anything else.

For example, a person, thinking about something important for himself, may, while crossing the road, not notice the red traffic light and end up under the wheels of a car.

So, the positive properties of attention help to perform any type of activity more effectively and efficiently.

3. The attention of a preschooler is characterized by such qualities as involuntariness, lack of concentration, instability.

Upon entering school, the role of attention increases sharply, because a good level of its development is the key to successful mastery of educational activities.

How can a teacher organize students' attention during the lesson?

Let us name just some of the pedagogical techniques that increase the attentiveness of schoolchildren.

1. The use of voice and emotional modulation, gestures attracts the attention of students, i.e. the teacher should constantly change the intonation, pitch, volume of the voice (from normal speech to a whisper), while using adequate facial expressions and gestures.

Gestures of openness and kindness should be remembered (see the topic “Communication”).

2. Change of pace: maintaining a pause, a sharp change in speed, transition from deliberately slow speech to a tongue twister.

3. As they explain new material, students should take notes on supporting (key) words; you can invite someone else to do this on the board.

At the end of the explanation, students take turns reading out their notes.

4. During the course of the explanation, interrupt the speech at words that are quite obvious to the listeners, demanding that they continue.

The activity of schoolchildren should be encouraged in accessible ways.

5. “Memory lapses,” when the teacher allegedly forgets something quite obvious to the audience and asks him to help him “remember” (dates, names, terms, etc.).

6. Using various types of questions during the explanation of new material: leading, control, rhetorical, clarifying, counter, proposal questions, etc.

7. Changing types of activities during the lesson significantly increases the attentiveness of schoolchildren (for example, in a mathematics lesson this could be mental calculation, solving at the board, answering on cards, etc.).

8. Clear organization of the lesson, when the teacher does not have to be distracted by side activities, leaving the children to their own devices.

If you need to write something on the board, it is better to do it in advance during the break.

When teaching younger schoolchildren, it is inappropriate to interrupt their activities with additional instructions such as: “Don’t forget to start with the red line,” “Remember vocabulary words,” etc.

After all, the work has already begun, and demands to “follow up” will only distract the children.

It is also unacceptable, when doing group work, to make loud comments to individual children (“Masha, don’t hunch over”, “Sasha, don’t twirl”), thereby distracting other students in the class from work.

For children of primary school age, it is important to think through changes, because children must have time to relax, but at the same time quickly get involved in the process of the next lesson.

Compliance with the considered pedagogical conditions for increasing children's attention will make it possible to more successfully organize the student's educational activities.

Good attention is necessary not only for schoolchildren, but also for adults.

Let's take a closer look ways to improve attention.

2. It is important to systematically practice simultaneous observation of several objects, while being able to separate the main from the secondary.

3. You should train switching attention: the speed of transition from one activity to another, the ability to highlight the main thing, the ability to change the order of switching (figuratively this is called the development of a “route of perception”).

4. The development of stability of attention is facilitated by the presence of strong-willed qualities.

You need to be able to force yourself to concentrate when you don’t feel like it.

We must alternate difficult tasks with easy ones, interesting ones with uninteresting ones.

5. Frequent use of intellectual games (chess, puzzles, etc.) also develops attention.

6. The best way to develop attention is to be attentive to the people around you.

Thus, you should develop and improve your attention throughout your life.