Attention 注意力

What is the typical profile of a child with working memory impair

ments?In a classroom, common characteristics of working memory impairment include:*Low abilities in literacy and numeracy*Frequently failure to complete learning activities

*Frequently failure to remember instructions *Normal social integration with peers *Very reserved in group settings, rarely volunteer information

How can working memory problems be overcome?

• Increasing practitioner awareness of working memory

• Reduce working memory loads in the classroom

• Increase self-awareness of children with working memory problems

Children with memory problems are typically described as inattentive.

ADHD 注意力問題• Inattention 注意力無法集中• Hyperactivity 過動• Impulsivity: difficulty controlling one's actions 強迫行為

American Psychiatric Association

Inattention• becoming easily distracted by irrelevant sights an

d sounds 容易分心• failing to pay attention to details and making carel

ess mistakes 無法注意細節 粗心的錯誤• rarely following instructions carefully and complet

ely 很少小心、完整地聽從指示• losing or forgetting things like toys, or pencils, bo

oks, and tools needed for a task 丟三落四

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hyperactivity and impulsivity • feeling restless, often fidgeting with hands or fee

t, or squirming 坐立難安• running, climbing, or leaving a seat in situations

where sitting or quiet behavior is expected • blurting out answers before hearing the whole qu

estion 急於作答• having difficulty waiting in line or for a turn

American Psychiatric Association

Guidelines for determining ADHD診斷 ADHD 的原則 • The behaviors must appear early in life, before age 7 七歲前出現症狀• continue for at least six months. 症狀持續六個月以上• In children, they must be more frequent or severe than in others the

same age. 情況比同年齡的孩子嚴重• the behaviors must create a real handicap in at least two areas of a

person‘s life, such as school, home, work, or social settings. 至少在兩個生活場域發生個人生活的障礙• A child with some attention problems but whose school work or frien

dships are not impaired by these behaviors would not be diagnosed with ADHD. 注意力有問題但學校或交友 OK ，就不是 ADHD

• Nor would a child who seems overly active at school but functions well elsewhere. 在學校過動但在其他地方 OK 也不是 ADHD

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What to Watch For ADHD-Mental Energy從心理層面觀察 ADHD • has difficulty concentrating; may complain of feeling tired

or bored 注意力不集中，表示疲倦或無聊• does not seem to be well rested and fully awake during t

he day 好像沒睡好 白天像還沒睡醒• has inconsistent work patterns that negatively impact qu

ality and quantity of work 工作習慣不ㄧ致因而影響工作品質• shows overactivity and fidgets -- especially pronounced

when sitting and listening 坐立不安

American Psychiatric Association

What to Watch For ADHD-Processing從訊息處理過程看 ADHD• processes too little or too much information; can‘t distinguish betwee

n what is important and what isn’t 無法分辨訊息重要或不重要• focuses too superficially or too deeply on information presented 對訊息注意得太深或太淺 • has difficulty connecting new information with information already kn

own 新舊經驗不易連結• only pays attention to exciting information or highly stimulating activi

ties 只注意較刺激的訊息或活動• focuses for too brief a period 注意力短暫• has problems shifting focus from one subject or activity to another 有轉移注意力的困難

American Psychiatric Association

What to Watch For ADHD-Production從學習結果看 ADHD• fails to preview the effects of statements or actions or to predict the out

comes of tasks or activities 無法預估行動的結果• has difficulty coming up with the right strategy or technique to accompli

sh a task 無法用正確的方法完成工作• does not monitor quality of work or the effectiveness of strategies 不監看做事的品質或效率• does not use past successes and failures to guide current behavior, act

ions, or strategies 不知應用過往的成敗經驗在目前的工作上• is apt to do too many things too quickly and some other things too slowl

y 有些事操之過急 有些事又慢吞吞• has a poor sense of how time and how to manage it 無法做好時間管理

American Psychiatric Association

General suggestions For ADHD-Production

• Allow longer breaks. 允許較長的休息時間 • Use different methods of instruction運用不同的教學策略• Accentuate important information強調重要訊息• Have children discuss the lesson 讓他討論學習內容•

Be a coach or a mentor 老師或父母扮演教練或引導角色

American Psychiatric Association

Implications of current research into attention process

• Internally: Biological nature of attention process

• Externally: Relationships between the individual and presenting tasks

Biological factors ofattention difficulties

• Appropriate pharmacological treatment increasing attention efficiency

• Unintended, unwanted side effects, such as liver damage

Intervention strategies contributing to academic success

• Family systems counseling _ behavioral modification _ attention disorders

• Individual counseling • (a) taking responsibility of one's disability• (b) developing skills to manage one's medication

schedule• (c) developing more effective study skills• (d) making persistent efforts to improve reading,

language, and math skills

Instruction that attract the attention of learners

• A blend of attention strategies – (a) the ability to focus attention– (b) the ability to sustain attention– (c) the ability to selectively attend to

instructional stimuli– (d) the ability to engage in academic tasks

requiring alternating attention– (e) the ability to engage in academic tasks

requiring divided attention

Internal and External treatment

• Pharmacological agents • Benefits of such treatment should offset

unwanted side effects• Externalized intervention strategies may

include specific interventions made by teacher, family, and learner

Working Memory

May be that it is your working memory capacity that best ‘measures’ your intelligence. Key?

Critical on learning ！

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• Working memory contains the information of which you are immediately aware. 

• Key ？Prerequisites ！

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• Are they seven chunk or a single chunk ？• Key ？

Cognitive strategies ！

Why are uniforms uniform? Because color helps us track objects

• Laboratory tests have revealed that humans can pay attention to only 3 objects at a time. Yet there are instances in the real world — for example, in watching a soccer match — when we certainly think we are paying attention to more than 3 objects. Are we wrong? No. A new study shows how we do it — it’s all in the color coding. People can focus on more than three items at a time if those items share a common color. But, logically enough, no more than 3 color sets.July issue of Psychological Science, 2006. 

Cognitive strategies

• Central executive: Coordinates and manages the various tasks needed

• Containing several different components

Factors that affect W. Memory– Food and supplements

• Diet• Dietary supplements

– Biological rhythms • Sleep

– Emotion – Drugs & chemicals

• Hormone therapy • Alcohol • Ecstasy • Other illegal drugs • PCBs

– Clinical conditions • Multiple sclerosis • Head injury

– Development• Prenatal factors• Language• Maths learning• Face recognition• Attention

– Gender differences – Other