In this article, we will discuss some of the neuroscience-based discoveries regarding the brain's attention-getting system. ESL teachers can use this knowledge to tailor their lessons to their students' attention-grabbing needs by knowing how that process works.

Only a small percentage of the millions of pieces of sensory data that reach the brain's attention entrance gate every second from the receptors of the eyes, hearing, internal organs, skin, and muscles—the brain developed to support survival—enter consciousness.

When students are not paying attention to a lesson or textbook, the RAS is not giving priority entry to the teacher's voice or words on the page, but to other more interesting or distracting sights, feelings, and thoughts. Here are six useful and tried-and-tested attention-getters you can use at the beginning of a new unit or lesson to take advantage of the brain's selectivity.

1. SURPRISE STUDENTS

Do something out of the ordinary or unexpected to spark curiosity and activate the RAS attention filter, since the brain is drawn to novelty.

For example:

To encourage curiosity and attentiveness, dress differently, bring in a strange object, or play a song as soon as students walk into the room. Explain to them that there is a connection between your outfit, the object, or the lyrics of the song and anything they have learned in class, and ask them to guess what it is.

When teaching a class about negative numbers or the past tense in language, the teacher walks backward into the room and asks the pupils to guess why.

2. PRESENT ANOMALIES OR ODD FACTS

The brain is essentially an organ for creating patterns; humans use patterns to make sense of the world. When a pattern, once established or expected, is disrupted, the brain becomes aroused. 

For example:

When a science teacher blows up a balloon and then carefully pierces one end with a sharpened wooden cooking skewer, the students are amazed and want to watch the demonstration again!

3. POSE A PROVOCATIVE (HOOK) QUESTION

A stimulating question can be an “itch” in students’ brains that they’ll want to scratch.

For example:

• "If you could change one thing about the education system, what would it be and why? How do you think it would impact your learning experience?"
• "In a world where technology is advancing rapidly, do you believe that traditional jobs will become obsolete? How can we prepare ourselves for the future job market, and what skills do you think will be crucial?"
• “Imagine you have the power to create a new holiday that everyone in the world must celebrate. What would the holiday be about, and how would people celebrate it? What positive impact do you think this new holiday could have on society?”

Give students a reasonable amount of quiet thinking time before they answer. Have them write quickly about their thoughts or participate in a think-pair-share with another student. After this personal engagement, learners are likely to be more attentive to your teaching on the related topic. The best hook questions are open-ended. They are meant to stimulate thinking and discussion and to open the door to further exploration.

4. USE HUMOR AND JOKES

Laughter may be a powerful attention-getter and a surefire way to increase dopamine.

For example:

As an ESL teacher, you might begin a language lesson by sharing amusing sketches of well-known figures to introduce a topic on effective communication. Encourage students to discuss what makes the drawings humorous, and guide them to notice exaggerated features, such as eyes, noses, ears, and heads. To further enhance their understanding, conclude the lesson by presenting Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man to explore the idealized proportions of the human body in a fun and engaging way.

5. ADVERTISE THE STUDENTS' ESTIMATES

Teachers can provide opportunities for students to make predictions about the relationship of the curious sensory input or other novelty to the lesson. When this happens, students will seek information to help them make correct predictions and remain attentive as their brains seek to find out if their predictions are correct. Survivability depends on the capacity to make sound predictions, and the brain rewards successful prediction through the release of dopamine, a pleasure-inducing chemical.

For example:

In an English lesson for elementary school students, prompt them to predict the endings of short stories or predict the meanings of unfamiliar words in a text. For high school English classes, ask students to anticipate the themes or character developments in a novel they are about to read. In both instances, students will be actively engaged and enthusiastic to see if their predictions align with the actual outcomes.

6. CITE A CURRENT EVENT OR ISSUE RELEVANT TO STUDENTS

You can exploit the perspectives that students frequently have about hot-button issues or current events in their area, state, or school to get them involved.

For example:

As an introduction to a persuasive writing unit, a middle school teacher shows a newspaper article about a proposal by a school board in another district to require uniforms for all students. The students then debate the proposal, state their position, and even switch sides in an effort to better understand opposing viewpoints and create rebuttals.

CONCLUSION

The purpose of using the attention-getting strategies outlined above is to hook students' attention, but the longer-term goal is to hold that attention over time. There are many ways to capitalize on initial attention by utilizing active learning strategies, such as the use of authentic tasks and projects, inquiry-oriented instruction, cooperative learning, simulations and role-plays, and design thinking. You should also choose to rotate your attention-getting strategies to avoid becoming monotonous.