Learn 11 DLA:
Concentration (CON)
If at any time, you have questions about how to complete any part of this DLA,
email them to: mdsc@lbcc.edu
The purpose of this DLA is to teach the student how to discover factors which contribute to poor
concentration, learn concentration strategies for reading/studying, and improve his/her ability to
concentrate more effectively while reading and studying.
After completing this activity, you should be able to:
 Identify reasons for your struggles in the area of concentration.
 Understand ways in which you can concentrate more effectively while reading.
 Explain strategies for improving your concentration while reading and studying.
Instructions for navigating through the LASSI module website to complete this DLA:
 Go To: Click on the blue link on the left side of the page.
 Read: Read the text in the center of the page.
 Skip to: Skip to the blue link mentioned on the left side of the page
 Only click on “Next” when directed by the DLA
To begin this DLA module, click on CONCENTRATION from the menu on the main page.
Please note that you will be using the LASSI modules site (www.lassimodules.com) to access
readings but you will write responses to all your Exercises on this DLA. You will not need to type
in the LASSI module at all, but instead only read online and write directly on this DLA handout.
It is important that you follow the instructions on this DLA since it will guide you through which
parts of the module to read and which readings you may skip to.
Exercise #1: Answer the questions below before you begin reading in the online LASSI module.
1. What do you know about concentrating well?
2. What do you hope to learn through completing this DLA?
Introduction
Go To: Students Who Concentrate Well
Read: Characteristics of Students Who Concentrate Well
Go To: Learning From Research
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Read: What Research Tells Us About Students Who Concentrate Well
Go To: Learning From Research
Read What Research Tells Us About Students Who Do Not Concentrate Well
Exercise #2: Of the characteristics of students who concentrate well and do not concentrate well you
just read about, write three (3) that you identify with.
1.
2.
3.
What Is Concentration?
Go To and Read: What Is Concentration?
Go To: Questions To Guide Your Thinking
Read: Questions To Guide Your Thinking As You Complete This Concentration Module
Exercise #3: Answer the questions below with a brief explanation for each that includes examples
from your own life.
1. Which activities do you have the most trouble concentrating on?
2. In what situations are you easily distracted by your physical surroundings?
Do not complete Activities in the modules. The module will not save or print.
Type your responses to Exercises on the word document version of the DLA provided to you on
the MDSC online website.
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3. In what situations do your own thoughts or emotions easily distract you?
4. How do you try to eliminate these distractions before attempting to work on academic or other
tasks?
5. What is your best study environment? Do you usually study there or elsewhere?
6. What times of day are you most alert and able to focus on coursework?
7. If your mind wanders, can you refocus your attention?
Go To: Understanding Concentration
Read: Why Understanding Concentration Is Important
Go To: Analyzing Your Concentration (Activity #3).
Do not complete Activities in the modules. The module will not save or print.
Type your responses to Exercises on the word document version of the DLA provided to you on
the MDSC online website.
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Read: Analyzing Your Concentration. Do not answer Activity #3 online. Read material only.
Answer the Exercise below.
Exercise #4: Answer the questions below by providing a brief explanation for each question.
1. Have you ever had the experience of reading a book and suddenly realizing that you might have
been moving your eyes across the page, but you were actually distracted and you did not really
know what you were reading? If so, how often does this happen?
2. Have you ever been so distracted in class that when you thought you were listening you had
actually “tuned-out” for a while? If so, how often does this happen?
3. Describe three things that distract you from focusing or maintaining your focus on your academic
tasks.
1.
2.
3.
Go To: Controlling Concentration
Read: Concentration Is A Factor That Is Under Your Control
Go To and Read: Concentration Versus Attention
Skip to the Concentration Distractions section (click on the blue navigation section the left).
Concentration Distractions
Go To and Read: Distractions
Go To and Read: Limited Capacity To Concentrate (4 “pages”; click the NEXT arrow a total of 3
times to access the pages).
Go To: Distractions Within Study Environment (Activity #6, Part A)
Read: Distractions Within Your Study Environment. Do not complete Activity #6 online. Read
material only. Answer Exercise #5 on the next page.
Exercise #5: The three places where I study the most often are:
Do not complete Activities in the modules. The module will not save or print.
Type your responses to Exercises on the word document version of the DLA provided to you on
the MDSC online website.
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Study Area #1:
Study Area #2:
Study Area #3:
Answer the questions below by writing a Y for Yes or an N for No in the columns to respond to
each question.
Study Area Study Area
#1
#2
1. I relax and get sleepy when I study here.
2. I start watching TV or use my computer when I study here.
3. I daydream a lot here.
4. It is noisy here.
5. My friends come by when I study here.
6. The materials I need to study are often somewhere else when I study
here.
7. I hear other people talking here.
8. I get distracted by the beautiful views outside the window when I study
here.
9. It is often too warm or too cold here.
10. The chair, desk, and lighting are not very helpful for studying here.
11. I am usually doing other activities while trying to study here.
Y:
N:
Y:
N:
TOTAL
Go To: Activity #6, Part B
Read: Study Environment Distractions Analysis and follow the directions on that page to “score”
the 11-question evaluation you completed. Do not complete Activity #6 online at the end of the
module page.
As a result of your scoring, which study area did you determine is the WORST place to study?
Which did you determine is your BEST place to study?
Do not complete Activities in the modules. The module will not save or print.
Type your responses to Exercises on the word document version of the DLA provided to you on
the MDSC online website.
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Study
Area #3
Y:
N:
Skip to the Strategies for Studying section (click in the blue navigation section on the left).
Strategies for Studying
Go To: Concentration Strategies
Read: Concentration Strategies For Studying
Go To: Developing Awareness (Activity #8)
Read: Developing Awareness. Do not complete Activity #8 online. Read material only. Answer the
Exercise below.
Exercise #6: Answer the following questions about developing awareness:
1. When do you find yourself having the most trouble focusing? During the beginning of a study
session? In the middle? At the end?
2. What academic activities strain your concentration the most (e.g., reading, doing homework,
studying for a test, listening in class)?
3. On which classes this semester do you seem to have a harder time maintaining your focus?
Why?
Read: Taking Control
Improving Your Concentration
Go To: Improving Your Environment
Read: Improving Your Study Environment
Exercise #7: Which two of the six bullet points from this reading do you think are most helpful for
you? Why are these two points helpful for you?
#1:
Do not complete Activities in the modules. The module will not save or print.
Type your responses to Exercises on the word document version of the DLA provided to you on
the MDSC online website.
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Why?:
#2:
Why?:
Go To and Read: Interest, Goals and Concentration (2 pages; click the “next” arrow to access the
second page)
Go To: Concentrate When Overwhelmed
Read: How Can I Concentrate When I Feel So Overwhelmed
Go To: Using Concentration Breaks (Activity #12)
Read: Using Concentration Breaks. Do not complete Activity #12 online. Read material only.
Answer Exercise below.
Exercise #8: Answer the following questions.
1. How would you define a "manageable unit," that is, a time period to study that works well for
you (e.g., one hour of studying, reading 50 pages, studying ten pages of notes)?
2. How could you divide up your work to help your concentration? Be specific.
Skip to the Concentrating While Reading section (click in the blue navigation section on the left).
Concentrating While Reading
Go To: Reading Strategies
Read: Reading Strategies To Aid Concentration
Go To and Read: Pre-Reading Strategies
Do not complete Activities in the modules. The module will not save or print.
Type your responses to Exercises on the word document version of the DLA provided to you on
the MDSC online website.
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Exercise #9: Which one of the four bullet points on this page do you think would help your
concentration the most? Why?
Go To and Read: During-Reading Strategies
Exercise #10: Which one of the seven bullet points on that page do think would help your
concentration the most if you tried them? Why?
Go To and Read: Post-Reading Strategies
Exercise #11: Which two of the eight bullet points on that page do think would help your
concentration the most if you tried them? Why?
#1:
#2:
Skip to the Summary section (click in the blue navigation section on the left).
Do not complete Activities in the modules. The module will not save or print.
Type your responses to Exercises on the word document version of the DLA provided to you on
the MDSC online website.
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Summary
Go To: Suggestions For Improvement
Read: Suggestions For Improving Concentration.
Exercise #12: Which two of the eight bullet points on this page do you think are the most important
for you to remember and put into practice? Why those two?
#1:
Why?:
#2:
Why?:
Go To: Suggestions From Other Students
Read: Suggestions From Other Students For Improving Your Concentration
Exercise #13: Which two of the seven bullet points on this page do you think are the best
suggestions for you to remember and put into practice? Why those two?
#1:
#2:
Do not complete Activities in the modules. The module will not save or print.
Type your responses to Exercises on the word document version of the DLA provided to you on
the MDSC online website.
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Exercise #14: Now that you have completed this activity, what three (3) strategies from this DLA
do you consider most important to your success as a student?
1.
2.
3.
Choose one (1) of those three strategies that you can apply immediately to your life or to your
coursework.
How you will apply this strategy this semester?
Do not complete Activities in the modules. The module will not save or print.
Type your responses to Exercises on the word document version of the DLA provided to you on
the MDSC online website.
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Congratulations! You have completed part of your supplemental learning assignment and have
learned about how your attitudes can affect you as a student and how to create and revise goals. To
receive credit for completing this assignment, you will participate in an online follow-up session
with a Center staff member. Go to the “Follow-up Sessions” tab on the Multidisciplinary Student
Success Center Online Supplemental Learning Assistance site:
http://webenhanced.lbcc.edu/mdssc/SLA/ to learn how to schedule your online appointment with a
Center staff member.
Do not complete Activities in the modules. The module will not save or print.
Type your responses to Exercises on the word document version of the DLA provided to you on
the MDSC online website.
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