1. Introduction and Background

1.1 Introduction

One of the biggest problems to the learning that takes place

in the classroom is the short attention span of learners. An

attention span refers to the amount of time that is spent

focusing on a task without becoming distracted (Cornish and

Dukette, 2009: 73). Similarly, a study undertaken by the Royal

Free Hampstead Trust based in the United Kingdom found that

“Children who have attention difficulties immediately

compromise their ability to learn”. Furthermore, research

suggests that not only does a short concentration span deter

the child from learning at the current moment but instead

“children with attention – concentration problems seem

flighty, disorganized and inattentive, make careless mistakes,

can’t stay focused and get frustrated easily” (Zimmerman and

Christakis, 2007). In other words this frustration would make

it even harder for learners to catch up with the work that

they missed. More specifically, we find this to be a more

serious problem in a mathematics classroom. This may be due to

the fact that mathematics is a subject that demands more

attention when the general rules and methodology is explained.

1.2 Background

One of the causes of short attention span in the classroom

that has been researched many a time is a learning barrier

known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

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According to Swanson et al (2007), ADHD is “…is a medical term

given to children who exhibit a persistent, developmentally

inappropriate, and impairing pattern of behaviour such as

problems paying attention interrupting and intruding upon

others fidgeting [and] squirming in seat”. Various studies

show that this condition has multiple causes which include

genetics and environmental factors. According to Swanson et al

(2007) there are arguments that suggest that there is very

little link between ADHD and mathematic disability as

mathematics ability does not rely on hyperactivity as much as

it does on inattentiveness. However this argument is said to

lack statistical proof and therefore ADHD may still be a very

big factor that causes inattentiveness in a mathematics

classroom.

Another interesting factor that affects attention and

concentration in the classroom that has been deeply researched

is the notion of technology that learners are exposed to. What

I have often experienced myself as a school learner back then

is that at home I had a television and a computer which was

exciting, whilst at school you have to be subjected to a

blackboard. This is very much in line with the argument that

Brand presents in her thesis when she states that “students

want engagement at the same level they gain from computer

games in their learning. Present day students are more used to

absorbing information from the screen than from the printed

page, and they find teachers who use technology to be more

reliable and knowledgeable than those who don’t” (Brand 2010).

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Furthermore, Brand (2010) explains that she performed a

research experiment whereby a classroom was randomly divided

up into two groups. With the first group, she introduced a new

lesson using a video clip whilst with the second group; she

performed the same lesson but used no technology in the

introduction. The findings of the experiment was that “that

there is a significant difference between the average

achievements of a group of learners exposed to technology

during a lesson compared to a group not exposed to technology;

there is a significant difference between the average

attentions of a group of learners exposed to technology during

a lesson compared to a group not exposed to technology (Brand

2010, 107). One can therefore conclude that effective use of

technology in the classroom influences the attention span

positively and facilitates a better learning process.

Also, a very influential factor on attention spans on

learners in a classroom (especially adolescents), which is too

often overlooked is the role of opposite genders in one

classroom. During my teaching practice at school, one elderly

teacher told me that he has taught at all different types of

schools. However, what he has observed is that girls and boys

at single-gendered schools tend to be much more focused than

learners of a co-ed school. After asking, he explained that

because girls and boys have a natural attraction to each

other, them being together in the same classroom at an age,

where their hormones are extremely active, makes it hard for

them to focus on their school work.

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A major out-of-school cause of poor attention spans in the

classroom is socio-economic problems. One of the main socio

economic problems among high school is gangsterism. Mr Downs

who is a Mathematics teacher at Princeton High School in

Mitchells Plain says that when you have learners in a

classroom that belong to gangs, it is inevitable that there

will be some rivalry in the classroom. Thus, if there is gang

warfare taking place outside the school, learners bring that

with them to the classroom. If one learner knows that another

learner is from another gang, not only are the two of them

inattentive to what the teacher is saying. Rather, the whole

class knows what the scenario is and therefore, their focus is

not on the teacher but on what prospective of a fight they may

after school or interval.

When it comes to analysing the history of the problem, the

socio-political dimensions play an instrumental role.

According to Mr Downs, when he started his teaching carreer 40

years ago, the nature of schools was that the teacher was the

supreme authority in the classroom and thus, learners were too

terrified to try and disrupt the classroom whereas today

learners know what their rights are and as a result they feel

confident enough to undermine the teacher. However, this does

not mean that learners were automatically more attentive back

then. One must not forget that there were issues such as the

student riots whereby the learners boycotted schooling for

political reasons and so there even many learners sitting in

the classroom but their attention was somewhere else.

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Also, if we want to do a thorough study of the problem, we

cannot turn a blind eye and not ask what the government is

doing about the problem. According to Mr Downs, because the

standards of the national curriculum have always been dropped

and as a result, requirements to pass also being dropped,

majority learners of learners in the public schools feel that

as long as they score 40 per cent in their year mark, they are

satisfied. In such instance, the learners can go on not paying

attention in class and continue disturbing other learners who

are willing to pay attention and learn. With that being said,

the Department of Education have very little policy to counter

the problem.

Why Mathematics specifically? –Because mathematics is language

on its own unlike most content subjects. According to Mr

Downs, in learning areas such as history and geography, when

learners go home and think of their lesson, it will be

sufficient for them to remember the concept or word and they

will be able to relate that with the rest of what they have

learnt. On the other hand, with mathematics one cannot simply

remember the term for a formula and then apply it. Rather, it

requires constant practice.

In retrospect, poor attention spans in a classroom are

influenced by multiple factors that inlcude ADHD, use and

misuse of technology, same-gender classrooms as well as other

social problems in the learners home environment. These

factors, however, have an even bigger effect in a mathematics

classroom and therefore, it is an issue that requires much

research to be done.5

1.Research aims

The main research aim is stated below, followed by the

subsidiary research aims.

3.1 Main research aim

The main research aim is to explain the factors that influence

attention spans in a mathematics classroom in a Western Cape

public school.

3.2 Subsidiary research aims

1. To know what are the causes of short attention spans.

2. To understand the role that attention plays in the learning

area of Mathematics.

3. To understand the effects that background factors has in

the learning area of mathematics.

4. To understand how these factors are relevant specifically

to the public schools in the Western Cape.

2.Research Questions

4.1 Main research question

What are the factors that influence attention spans in a mathematics classroom in a Western Cape public school?

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4.2 Subsidiary research questions

1. What are the various causes of short attention spans among learners?

2. What role does attention play in the learning of Mathematics?

3. What effects do background factors have in the learning area of mathematics?

4. How do these factors relate specifically to public schools in the Western Cape?

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3.Research rationale and significance of the study

This study is extremely important because there has not been

any formal research done on this topic that focuses

specifically on public schools in the Western Cape. Instead of

the continuing trend in which many teachers jump to their own

different conclusions as to why learners find it hard to

remain focused and pay attention, this study will produce

scientific research which teachers can use to understand the

problem of the learners and to address it correctly to

facilitate more efficient learning.

Also, on a macro scale, the provincial education department

can review it and possibly use the findings of this study to

identify the various factors that impact on the attention span

of learners in the classroom at public schools, especially

mathematics as a target area. From there, the education

department could analyse the nature of these factors and set

up an intervention programme which will seek to eradicate

these factors so that teachers, parents, and learners

themselves will understand the nature of the problem and as a

result, improve their attention span so that the literacy and

numeracy of our learners will improve.

Furthermore, it has been scientifically proven by Brand (2010)

that the gap between the technologies that learners are

exposed to outside of school and that which is used in the

classroom impacts greatly on how long learners’ attention and

concentration lasts. If this study can be presented to the

Department of Education, they can initiate a project to

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acquire funds and then look into bridging the gap between the

learners’ exposure that the classroom use of technology by

upgrading the schools equipment. Also the Department could

then seek to provide some teachers, who are familiar with the

modern technology and who are not computer literate, with

training as how he or she can use modern technology in

teaching in order to make learning more attractive so that it

will have a positive impact on learners’ attention span.

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4.Literature Review

From the available literature that are available which deals

with one or aspects of my topic, I have read quite a few

articles to get a sense of what findings other researchers

have already come up with regarding this topic. I will,

therefore, review five of those literature, highlight the

findings of the authors/researchers, note the similarities and

contradictions and argue my stance on it.

According to a publication by Professor Susan Gathercole and

Dr Tracy Alloway, the main cause of poor attention spans is

poor ‘working memory’. In this publication ‘Understanding

Working Memory: A Classroom Guide’, the authors define the

term ‘working memory’, explain when working memory is used and

discuss its effects on attention in the classroom. Firstly,

the authors define working memory as “the ability we have to

hold in mind and mentally manipulate information over short

periods of time” (Gathercole and Alloway 2007). This concept

therefore becomes very much relevant to my study because it

speaks to the question of what causes learners to possess poor

attention spans.

Secondly, the authors then go on to explain that in no matter

which type of activity one performs, it does to some extent

require a degree of working memory. The problem with this

statement, however, is that it is not backed up by evidence to

make the reader understand which grounds the claim is based

on. It could be argued that the authors are specialists in

the study. However, in order for research to be adopted as a

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method, it has to be clear and understood. In other words, if

an argument like that is presented to the Western Cape

Education Department for which they are told that they should

implement a strategy around that, the Department will reject

it as it would be neither scientific nor convincing to them. I

would, therefore, research this claim and give scientific

evidence with my research.

Furthermore, the authors go on to explain how working memory

is used in mathematics for example; when a learner is busy

with a mathematical formula, he/she has to remember and

mentally maintain the previous calculations as he/she

progresses through the steps that follow in the equation. The

authors then also elaborate as to why ‘working memory’ is

crucial for the learners’ attention so that learning can take

place. The problem, however, is the conclusive stance that

makes it seems to the reader as if ‘working memory’ is the

sole reason for learners’ lack of attention in the classroom.

The authors do this by using case studies of learners who find

it hard to complete a mathematical equation and then list

symptoms of poor working memory. It is, therefore, my view

that either there are many other factors in addition to poor

working memory that hinders the learners’ attention span or I

would say that the article is not deep enough in the sense

that the authors do not describe the social factors that could

trigger poor working memory.

In contrast, other researchers, Streissguth et al (2004),

argue that a major factor that affects the attention spans of

children is a condition known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).11

Streissguth et al (2004) defines FAS as “a birth defect caused

by pre-natal alcohol exposure”. In other words, this would be

something that the child is born with caused by the drinking

of the mother whilst she was pregnant. The authors then go on

to describe the various after birth conditions which the child

will suffer from in the infancy stage and then also the

secondary effects. One of the major secondary effects that the

authors elaborate on is that when children go to school, they

find problems concentrating and paying attention in the

classroom. Furthermore, the authors further argues that their

research findings brought them to the conclusion that 90% of

children, who are diagnosed with FAS, are likely to experience

learning disabilities in all school work especially

mathematics as it is a subject that requires lots of

concentration from the brain. Therefore, if the brain is

affected by FAS, it will most likely be incapable to deal with

the intense function of mathematics when the child goes to

school.

In essence, the research presented in this article ties in

with the factors that influence attention spans in a

classroom, which is one of the aspects which I intend to

address in my own research. One of the positives that I can

extract from it is that unlike many other factors that I have

researched, it shows that the influencing factors can also be

something that the learners are born with, not merely

something that is currently affecting the learner in his/her

capacity.

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Also, the research presented speaks to the question of what

role the factor plays specifically in mathematics. This

relates to almost every other factor that explain that because

mathematics is an intense subject that requires more attention

and concentration than other subjects, the factor is likely to

impact mathematics learning even more. Unfortunately, the

research was done in an American context and therefore, cannot

relate directly to the circumstances that we find in a South

African context. Although alcoholism is a problem in the

Western Cape too, the research must be specific to the Western

Cape in order for us to prove the scientific consequences

thereof.

The research, presented in an article by Grootenboer and

Hemmings (2007), focuses on the relationship between

background factors of learners and their performance in the

mathematics classroom. What the researchers explain in the

opening of this article is that due to all the unfounded

beliefs which teachers, learners, parents and other have

regarding the relationship mathematics and the background of

the learner, they attempt to research it in order to know its

validity.

The researchers address the notion of positive attitudes and

beliefs of mathematics versus the negative attitudes and their

effects on mathematics learning. They conclude that this is

often an not the determining factor to the outcome of the

learner because scholars collectively agree that majority of

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learners, when young, have positive attitudes and beliefs

towards working with numbers, yet so many of them lose

interest in the subject as time goes on.

Another background factor that the authors discuss in their

article is that of Socio-economic status of the learner.

Grootenboer and Hemmings basically use quantitative data which

was taken from Peard’s research (2002) in which he shows that

learners who attend schools, that are lower in socio-economic

status, achieve less in mathematics than those who attend the

more affluent schools. The problem with this finding in my

view is that it does not highlight the possible secondary

effects of low socio-economic effects such as drug abuse and

gangsterism which is a reality in those schools. Moreover,

what about learners who have parents that are, in fact, seen

as elite in wealth and status despite the learners attending

that ‘poor’ school? If they are underperforming, one cannot

blame his socio-economic background. However, one could assume

that the effects of other disruptive learners hinder the

learning of those who are willing to learn. Therefore, the

research presented does not justify why it is the socio-

economic condition that affects the Mathematics learning and

thus, socio-economic effects must be researched in more

specific detail

Sergiy Klymchuk (2010) presents a study that seeks to explain

the role of both teacher knowledge as well as learners’

attention in the learning and teaching of Mathematics. Whilst

there are many studies that emphasize each individually,

Klymchuk argues that regardless how strong the one is,14

Mathematics learning cannot take place without the other.

Moreover, the author strongly argues that because mathematics

teachers are the professionals, they should adopt the train of

thinking whereby they do not view teacher knowledge as one

thing and learner attention as another. Rather, a teacher’s

knowledge should be so broad that he/she is able to be in

control of a learner’s attention by not only encouraging

learners to pay attention in class but also understanding how

to help learners focus.

One of the very important aspects that the article highlights

with regards to attention is the notion of divided attention

in which a person can be partially focused on what he/she is

currently but his/her mind may also be lingering on what is

going to happen next and after that. Thus according to the

author, mathematics is not a subject that requires attention

from the learner while she is in class. Rather, it requires

complete undivided attention from both the learner and the

teacher. Moreover, the best way for learning and teaching to

take place is for the teacher to focus solely on one step when

explaining a calculation to learners. Likewise, learners must

be driven to a point whereby they only focus on the particular

step that is being taught. Once the teacher completes that,

they should move with the teacher to the next step and be

fully attentive to that. The views presented in this article

are very much in line with my own because it does not isolate

the role of attention to the learner. Instead, it speaks to

the idea of a dual role between learner and teacher.

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Naidoo et al (2014) presents research that evaluates how rife

crime, drugs, gangsterism and other socio-economic problems

are in Western Cape schools. Although the provincial

government spends lots of money each year on resources in

certain underperforming schools to try and improve the

learning outcomes and results of learners, the results have

not increased. Not only do the authors explain the effects of

poverty, drug and alcohol abuse at home on the learning in the

schools, they go to great depths to explain the history of

these factors and how they are different in various parts of

the Western Cape.

One of the aspects presented in this research is that due to

the Group Areas Act which divided people of a race unequally

into areas, as was instituted during the Apartheid regime, is

a major cause of these social ills that the Western Cape

suburbs and schools are facing. Moreover, if one looks at the

more upper-class suburbs which were given to whites, one does

not find this high rates of drugs and gangsterism compared to

the coloured and black townships where gang violence is

common. In my view, this explains why one does not find

gangsterism in the former model C’ schools as opposed to

public schools in the poorer townships. In the views of the

authors therefore, the former apartheid laws that governed

this country still plays a major role in the socio-economic

problems that contribute to other problems in Western Cape

public schools today.

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5.Research design and methodology

5.1 Design

The design which I intend to use to conduct the research is

the quantitative approach as my research aim is to explain the

factors that influence attention spans in a mathematics

classroom in a Western Cape public school.

The type of quantitative research that I will focus on will be

explanatory research as it aims to identify the causes and

effects of various factors on the attention spans of the

learners in one specific classroom. This type of approach is

therefore appropriate as the aim is, basically, to observe

trends from the learner and to compare it to what feedback we

get from them.

5.2 Data Collection

The data collection for this research will be done in the form

of questionnaires. Although Anderson (1998) has some concerns

regarding the validity and reliability of the data which

researchers extract through questionnaires, the questions that

learners will have to answer will be very simple and

straightforward. It will also be designed in such a way that

it will not be influenced by the mood of the learners when

they are dealing with it. Therefore, because we only want to

determine the cause and effect nature of the problem, I have

decided that a questionnaire is the best suited method.

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5.3 Population and Sampling

The study will be conducted within one grade 9 mathematics

classroom at a public school in the Western Cape. My sampling

will be 5 learners from the class, whom according to the

subject teacher, demonstrate a strong and consistent attention

span. Also I will make use of 5 learners from the class, whom

according to the subject teacher, demonstrate a weak and

inconsistent attention span and whose results are not up to

standard. The reason why I will choose both weak and strong

learners is so that I can monitor trends and patterns between

the backgrounds and habits of learners who tend to have weaker

attention spans and those who do not. Furthermore, the

learners that I will select from both groups will diversify in

terms of gender, religion as well as race. The reason for this

is so that I can get an overview as to how those variables

affect the problem in relation to the background factors that

was previously mentioned. Also, this will give me an idea of

how the problem is generally in Western Cape public schools.

5.4 Data Gathering

(See addendum A)

As previously discussed, the data will be collected in the

form of a questionairre. The questionairre is structured in a

manner that is straight forward and easy for the learner to

answer. However, we must acknowledge that there are various

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ethics that goes with data gathering. It is for that reason

that I must state that before the process can be initiated, I

will have to ask permission of the school principle. Also, the

details of the learner will be completely confidential and it

is for this reason that I have not included a space for

learners to write their names on the questionnaire forms that

I will submit a proof of the data that I have collected.

However, I will make a point of remembering whose form is

whose so that I may relate it to variables such as race,

gender etc. Furthermore, every question in the questionnairre

is based on the subsidiary questions and seeks to explain the

main research question.

5.5 Data Analysis

From all the questionnaires that I will have the learners

complete, I will compare both the learners with strong and

weak attention spans to see which patterns there exist among

the learners with who are from the middle class, the wealthy

as well as the poor household. Also, I will analyse the

general patterns which occur among other groups such as males

and females. This group data will give me a much clearer idea

as to how each factor affects the attention span of various

groups of learners.

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6.Conclusion

In retrospect, the attention span of a learner is one of the

vital things in his/her learning process. There are various

factors that affect the attention span of a learner in any

learning area but more specifically, a mathematics classroom.

From the research that had been done and publicised, there are

many scholars and academics that have proven the effect of one

or two factors on the attention span of a learner whilst

others may have conducted research on the importance of

attention in the learning area of mathematics. Also, we have

various research projects by the provincial government in the

Western Cape which seek to explain the effects of background

factors on learning in the public schools. Yet there has been

no formal reseearch done specifically explaining ‘Factors that

affect the attention span of learners in a mathematics

classroom in a Western Cape public school’. It is for this

very reason that I intend to undertake the research for this

topic.

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Addendum A

Age of

respondent:...............................................

1. Choose one of the following. How would you describe the

financial well being of your parents or guardians whom

you live with?

a. Poor

b. Middle Class

c. Wealthy?

2. Explain your reason for your answer in question 1.

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

3. Do you feel that lack of money has ever made learning

difficult for you? Explain your answer.

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

4. How many siblings do you have living with you?

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5. Explain if there is anyone in your surroundings that are

guilty of substance abuse. If there are, how does it make

you feel?

.........................................................

.........................................................

.........................................................

.........................................................

.........................................................

.........................................................

.........................................................

...............

6. How do you regard the subject of mathematics?

a. Important to you.

b. Not important to you

c. It does not matter.

d. Other.

7. Explain your answer in number 5.

.........................................................

.........................................................

.........................................................

.........................................................

................................................

8. Mention a few things that you find distracting in your

mathematics classroom.

.........................................................

.........................................................

.........................................................

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.........................................................

................................................

9. How often do these distractions occur?

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

10. Mention a few things that distract you from doing

your mathematics homework.

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

11. How often do these distractions occur?

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

12. Do you find difficulty remembering numbers whilst

doing a mathematical equation? If yes, how often do you

experience this difficulty?

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

13. What is the average time you go sleep at night?

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

14. Do you suffer from insomnia (the inability to fall

asleep?) If yes, how often?

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.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

15. Do you have a cellphone? If yes, what social media

networks do you use and how much do you use it?

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

16. Are you in a girlfriend/boyfriend relationship? If

yes, how often do you see each other?

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

17. Do you prefer sitting next to a classmate of the

opposite or same gender? Explain your answer.

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

18. Would you say that gangsterism is a problem at this

school? If yes how does it affect you?

.........................................................

.........................................................

........................

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Reference list:

Brand, L. M. 2010. The Effect of Technology on Attention and concentration within theclassroom context. South Africa: University of South Africa.

Cornish, D and Dukette, D, The Essential 20: Twenty Components of an Excellent Health Care Team, RoseDog Books, Pittsburgh, 2009, p.73

Gathercole, S and Alloway, T. 2007. Working Memory: A Classroom Guide. London: Harcourt Assessment.

Grootenboer, P and Hemmings, B. Mathematics Education Research Journal: Mathematics Performance and the Role Played by Affective and Background Factors. 2007: 19 (3), 3-20.

Klymchuk, S. 2010, The role of attention in the praxis of knowledge of schoolmathematics teachers. Aukland: Aukland University of Technology.

Naidoo, A. Van Eeden, A. & Munch, Z. South African Journal ofGeomatics: Spatial Variation in School Performance, a Local Analysis of Socio-economicFactors in Cape Town. 2014: 13 (1), 78-94.

Streissguth, A. Bookstein, F. Barr, H & Sampson, P. Risk Factors for Adverse Life Outcomes in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. 1997: 8(4), 228-239.

Swanson J.M., Castellanos F.X. & Murias. M, 1998. Cognitive neuroscience of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and hyperkinetic disorder. (8), 263–71.

Zimmerman, F. J. & Christakis, D. (2007). Associations Between Content Types of Early Media Exposure and Subsequent Attentional Problems. Pediatrics, 120 (5), 986-992.

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