Fourth Edition, September 2011

Signs of inattention

Easily distracted

Failing to pay attention to details and making careless mistakes

Forgetting things such as pencils, that are needed to complete a task

Rarely following directions completely or properly

Not listening to what is being said

Avoiding or showing strong dislike for schoolwork or homework that requires sustained 
mental eff ort

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Making a Diff erence: An Educators’ Guide to Child and Youth Mental Health Problems
www.cymhin.ca
E 4
Attention Problems
Educational implications
Attention problems have a major impact on educational achievement. Students who have diffi
culty fo-
cusing their attention may not hear important instructions in the classroom, may have diffi
culty concen-
trating on the task before them, and often have diffi
culty completing tasks.
While some students with attention problems are very intelligent, about half of students with attention 
problems also have a diagnosable learning problem (you can be very intelligent and have a learning prob-
lem). It is often diffi
cult to sort out which problem is causing a specifi c diffi
culty the student is experiencing, 
so the classroom teacher will need to focus on both the learning problem and the attention problem.
Students with attention problems do best in structured settings, with predictable routines. For sugges-
tions on managing students with ADHD in the classroom, see Teach ADHD at www.teachadhd.ca.
Signs of impulsivity

Inability to suppress impulses such as making inappropriate comments

Shouting out answers before a question is fi nished

Hitting other people

Diffi
culty waiting for their turn

Low boiling point for frustration

Poor judgment

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E 5
Attention Problems
Making a Diff erence: An Educators’ Guide to Child and Youth Mental Health Problems
www.cymhin.ca