Attention & listening

The ability to focus attention on something or someone is important for all types of learning, particularly speech and language development. A child develops their attention and listening skills by listening to everyday sounds around them – the telephone, washing machine, animal noises etc. They will also need to focus their listening on spoken language, including single words and sentences, before they can learn to speak for themselves and communicate effectively with others.

Babies and young children develop attention and listening skills through frequent opportunities to interact and play with others around them in quiet environments.

Good attention is the ability to focus on something specific for a certain length of time. As children progress through education, it becomes increasingly important for them to focus their own attention for sustained periods of time. To learn at school, a student must be able to listen and attend to what is happening around him/her to understand it, despite varying levels of distraction.

Non-urgent advice: Talking tips and strategies

  • Keep background noise to a minimum when playing so children can focus their listening. This could include turning off the TV or reducing noise in the classroom
  • Minimise visual distractions, especially behind the person speaking (e.g. a teacher)
  • Give the child your full attention when playing or talking together
  • Play for short periods often, with activities of interest. This will encourage the child to focus their attention for slightly longer each time
  • Use the child’s name and look at them before speaking to ensure you have their full attention. Touching the table in front of them or clapping your hands can also be used to do this
  • Use short simple sentences with familiar vocabulary and avoid ambiguous language. Break long instructions into short steps.
  • Slow down your talking speed and pause between pieces of information. Allow time for your child to process instructions/questions before expecting a response.

Note. Without the ability to hear, a student will not be able to develop listening skills. If there are any concerns regarding a student’s hearing, this should be discussed with parents and they should be seen by audiology.

General Resources

Resources by age group

0-12 months

1-2 Years

2-3 Years

3-4 Years

4-5 Years (Reception)

5-7 Years (year 1-2)

7-9 Years (year 3-4)

9-11 years (years 5-6)

11-14 Years (years 7-9)

14+ Years (year 10+)

Page last reviewed: 1 August, 2022