WHY SHOULD LESSONS BE 45 MINUTES? By Sienna This article looks at one side of the debate on the length of lesson times and considers the merits of shorter bursts of concentration. Thirty minutes through the lesson and many students find themselves lost, only to be found staring at the clock. Based on research and scientific evidence, psychologists can now confidently say that the average attention span of an average fifteen-year-old ranges from thirty to forty-five minutes although that does not apply for everyone.
Though a longer lesson allows teachers to cover a whole chapter rather than presenting many small fragments only to be put together at a later date, it may actually mean that around twenty minutes of content maybe forgotten. Shorter lessons maybe easier for a class to control their concentration and may allow pupils to take in a larger portion of the content covered. It is also a well-known fact that distributing study sessions over time is more effective for embedding information into the long-term memory. Teachers can also set pieces of homework and essays; a topic that is also frequently under debate. People in favour of homework often argue that it further secures the information into the longterm memory. The same can be said for shorter lessons. The boost in productivity it creates means that more work is done, and that the brain is more engaged in its surroundings. Other than the fact that a shorter lesson allows pupils to take in more of the material it also creates more time for other classes and therefore promotes a more diverse timetable. This allows students to stay alert throughout the day due to the constant change of environment whilst also being beneficial for the students’ mental health. Some scientists say that shorter activities stimulate curiosity and improve motivation whilst others say that it improves
mood as a result of more frequent breaks. This application is not only suggested for lesson timetabling but also for study sessions in order to prevent cramming and climbing stress levels; a situation that most students can relate to. In a world where teenagers are constantly found with heads buried in phones, a quick ten-minute break can offer the time to increase social skills. This, consequently, boosts the ability to work well in team projects and enhances conversational skills used when putting forward ideas. This is important in later life and a key skill when working in an office or project team. This may mean that adding in space for students to consolidate their learning in a longer lesson would be one solution. In conclusion, the evidence used for this article supports the idea of shorter lessons. Shorter concentration times are beneficial to students when taking in and processing information. It also reduces the stress if a pupil’s mind moves off topic and it may reduce the potential for disruption. It also allows pupils to remain concentrated and focused before having a short break that is important for mental health. Perhaps the conversation now needs to be about how we use the time in the lesson, whatever the length, so that pupils can have breaks in order to reset their concentration.
REFERENCES www.dhm.de/blog/2018/08/15/stories-why-are-school-lessons-in-germany-45-minutes-long/
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THE CHRONICLE
2021/2022
