Skills in language development
Attention and listening skills are necessary for processing information. As children grow, they learn how to focus their attention on different things.
The development of attention skills starts with attending to people, then objects, then being able to share their attention between people and objects.
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Skills
There are six stages of attention and listening development:
• Stage 1: Very distractible. Focuses on what is of interest to them at that moment (single channelled attention) and quickly shifts to any new stimulus.
• Stage 2: Able to concentrate on a task of their choice. Does not focus on more than one task.
• Stage 3: Attention is still on one task at a time but able to shift attention away from the current task and then return to the original activity with the support of an adult.
• Stage 4: Able to shift attention to and from task more easily with less adult support.
• Stage 5: Can do an activity while listening to an adult giving instructions (dual channelled attention).
• Stage 6: Flexible attention skills. Able to sustain attention for lengthy periods and able to integrate visual and auditory stimuli without difficulty.
Before learning to understand words and talking, children need to develop their attention skills. They need to be able to attend and focus (concentrate) so they can learn new skills such as how to communicate.
Hearing and listening are not the same. Often, people use these words interchangeably. Have you had the experience of hearing someone talk but not listening to what the person is saying?
In the same manner, children may hear what you say, but not listen to what you are saying. Listening to what someone says involves hearing the words, attending to them and thinking about them. This skill further helps children to learn to understand and use words and sentences themselves.
For various reasons, some children find it difficult to listen and attend to others/things as expected of their age in either one-on-one or group situations or both.
Such difficulties have an impact on all areas of learning.
Children with attention and listening difficulties may have some of the following characteristics: easily distracted, distract other children, may not appear to listen, may not follow instructions, get tired more easily and lose concentration, difficulty persevering with challenging work, respond off topic and poor topic maintenance, appear to ignore you, cannot sit still, talk when they should be listening, do not settle with one toy, but flit from activity to activity.
The possible causes of attention and listening difficulties in children include, hearing loss, too many distractions such as the TV being on while talking to child, use of complex language by the adult, etc etc.
Strategies
Strategies that may be helpful with developing good attention and listening skills include, Get eye contact with children before talking to them; Reduce distractions in the children’s environment; Get down to the children’s level when talking to them; Call children’s name first and get their attention before talking to them;Keep language short and simple; Break down instructions such as “Pick up the socks”, “Take it to the room”, “Put them in the laundry basket”; Play with one toy at a time. ;Follow children’s lead during play.
Children with attention and listening difficulties often require help from professionals such as speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and clinical psychologists.
Seek help for your children if you are concerned about their attention and listening skills. There is help available!
The writer is a Speech & Language Therapist/Clinical Tutor, University of Ghana.
