Sustained Attention and Academic Skills

SUMMARY

Existing Knowledge:

1. Sustained attention is crucial for cognitive and executive functions, impacting real-world outcomes such as academic achievement.

2. Prior research primarily assessed this relationship using controlled lab settings, limiting ecological validity.

3. Targeted academic assessments often focus on specific sub-skills, neglecting broader academic measures like standardized tests.

New Insights:

1. Sustained attention predicts both targeted sub-skills (math fluency, reading comprehension) and broader measures (standardized test scores) in naturalistic school settings.

2. Attention more strongly predicts targeted math skills than broad math abilities, but it equally predicts reading skills across assessment types.

3. Group-based assessments of sustained attention in real-world contexts provide unique insights compared to individual assessments.

Putting Research into Practice:

1. Educators should integrate attention-training interventions into curricula to enhance academic performance.

2. Digital tools and group-based assessments can better evaluate and support students’ cognitive skills in naturalistic environments.

3. School systems could use sustained attention metrics to predict and improve standardized test outcomes, tailoring support for math and reading.

Keywords:
Sustained attention, executive function, academic performance, real-world assessment, math fluency, reading comprehension

Reference:
Gallen, C. L., Schaerlaeken, S., Younger, J. W., Anguera, J. A., & Gazzaley, A. (2023). Contribution of sustained attention abilities to real-world academic skills in children. Scientific Reports, 13, 2673. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29427-w

Cite/Refer this summary: Ross, E. M. and Malar, D. B. J. (2025). Sustained Attention and Academic Skills. Excellent Educator, 2(1), 6.