Students who have trouble paying attention may be experiencing mental fatigue, which occurs when the brain isn't properly regulating and distributing the energy needed to stay focused. To improve mental energy, have your students participate in some type of physical activity every day for at least an hour. Play a class-wide game of soccer or touch football, or, if time is an issue, give students balls to squeeze, clay to roll or even a rocking chair to move in.
You can also help improve a child's mental energy by introducing classroom activities that are geared toward their interests. If a child enjoys doing something outside of the class, he will enjoy doing it inside the classroom as well. The challenge is to find enjoyable activities that promote learning and focus his attention. If, for example, if a student with an attention problem enjoys computers, have him complete history or geography research online. Or, if he enjoys art, set up a space in the class where he can draw or paint when time permits or if he is experiencing gross attentional issues.
Students who experience focus and attention issues may also have processing difficulties, which means that they have problems regulating the use of incoming information. Because some students are visual learners, you can improve their processing abilities by using visual activities. Ask your students to create a web or a graph of the main ideas you've presented or have them draw pictures to illustrate a particular concept.
You may also choose to use activities that help unfocused students improve their production. Students with production problems struggle with regulating their output and they'll typically do things without thinking or planning. To improve their production skills, have them complete activities that improve their self-awareness, such as using a journal to record what they did during the day, how and when they stopped paying attention, and what they might do to improve their productivity in the future. The journal can also be used to set small production goals, such as completing all of their homework for a week.