The Effect of Movement on Attention in Elementary-Aged Students

As the number of students diagnosed with attentional issues continue to rise, educators are constantly looking for alternative ways to keep students engaged for longer periods of time so that they are accessible for learning. The purpose of this study is to determine if a movement strategy, a bouncy band, will help students focus attention for longer periods of time and increase on-task behavior. A convenience sample of 25 students identified with attentional issues were selected to participate in the current study. Pre and post assessments indicated that the bouncy bands did have a positive effect on the student's ability to maintain attention, listen attentively to adults/peers, and follow oral directions. In addition, results from the pre and post observations suggested that when the bouncy band was used as a movement strategy, there was a marked decrease in students off-task behaviors. Results from the interviews suggested that most of the participants believed that the bouncy bands were fun, helped them to focus, relax, and feel calmer when taking tests.