‘3-2-1 STAR’ Habits of Attention

We all recognise that giving your full attention when learning things is important. Indeed Doug Lemov, in his book ‘Teach Like a Champion’, calls attention “the unheralded gatekeeper of learning”.

If we consider the real-world example of learning to drive, we see just how crucial attention is. For example, in order to drive safely, we must pay attention to the roads, be attentive to the instructor’s advice and give the vehicle’s controls our attention. Over time, some of these actions become habitual and automated, requiring less ‘cognitive load’ on our part.

School, and more specifically the classroom, is no different. If young people can build habits of sustained selective attention, their likelihood of success is higher. As teachers, we owe it to our students to establish routines that cause them to focus their attention during class and build stronger attentional habits.

From Monday 4th November 2024, we plan to do just that at Wilsthorpe School, through the introduction of the ‘3-2-1 STAR’ habits of attention model. The four habits that this ‘STAR’ model encourages all contribute to more effective use of time in class. Our ultimate goal, with the introduction of this model, is to improve further raise the academic success and outcomes of our students.

But what is the ‘3-2-1 STAR’ habits of attention model?

When teachers are moving on to a new phase of the lesson or require students to specifically listen to important content, they will countdown “3-2-1” and then say “STAR”. This will indicate to students that they need to fully focus as they will have been briefed in a Tutor Time that STAR means the following:

  • S is for “Stop, Sit up, Silence” – Stop what you are doing. Look interested and stay engaged. Be silent and adopt attentive body language.
  • T is for “Track the speaker” – Show speakers that you are listening to what is being said by following with your eyes.
  • A is for “Answer questions in full sentences” – One-word answers are rarely asked for, so ensure you respond with an appropriate amount of detail. Use grammatically correct full sentences responses and ambitious vocabulary.
  • R is for “Respect for all”– You must show respect for others in both words and actions (all the time).

All teaching staff have received training on how to use ‘3-2-1 STAR’ effectively, sensitively and in a way that suits the style of their teaching. Posters (see attachment) will be displayed at the front of all classrooms so students can see the ‘3-2-1 STAR’ expectation and remember what each letter means.

To conclude, ‘3-2-1 STAR’ should not fill anyone with fear or dread – its intention is not punitive. Instead, it should be seen as support that helps our students recognise the key moments in a lesson when they should be fully engaging with and giving attention. After all, “What we attend to is ultimately what we learn” (Peps McCrea – Dean of Learning Design at Ambition Institute).