Conner’s Enhanced Attention Span: Academic Responsibility and IM

Conner is in 3rd grade and is considered a social boy; he has a consistent circle of friends and plays both baseball and basketball.

Conner’s teachers and parents have expressed concern over his attention issues. He often has trouble attending to a task long enough to complete it, especially if the task is challenging to him.

Conner began receiving Special Education Services for Learning Disabilities in reading, writing and math.

Interactive Metronome Training

Interactive Metronome (IM) was introduced as part of Conner’s Special Education Services.

IM is a researched-based program that provides a structured, goal-oriented process that challenges the child to synchronize whole-body exercises to a precise computer-generated reference beat. The child attempts to match the rhythmic beat with repetitive motor actions. An auditory-visual guidance system provides immediate feedback measured in milliseconds (ms), and a score is provided.

Over the course of the training, the child learns to:

• Focus and attend for longer periods of time
• Increase physical endurance and stamina
• Filter out internal and external distractions
• Improve ability to monitor mental and physical actions as they are occurring
• Progressively improve coordinated performance.

Conner participated in 7 weeks of Interactive Metronome (IM) training twice a week. On his initial assessment, he scored within the normative range for motor control but fell outside the range when the test was repeated with auditory distractions.

7 Weeks Later

When the post-IM assessment was repeated 7 weeks later his motor control scores with divided attention had significantly improved and fell well within the normative range.

This demonstrated a marked improvement in Conner’s ability to attend and concentrate.

Module tests taken through the Learning Institute, aligned with the third grade curriculum for our district, are taken every few weeks.

Conner’s percentile scores are listed below.

Another evaluation given to Conner both pre- and post IM was the Gray Oral Reading test, first conducted 2 months prior to receiving IM and re-administered post IM training.

Results are listed below and indicate the grade equivalent for each category.

His Oral Reading Quotient increased from 85 to 109, and his went from the 16th percentile to the 73rd!

Conner’s attention span has increased in the academic setting, making it easier for him to complete assignments on time.

His teacher reported that he began taking more responsibility for his assignments, including his independent reading log, which had been a problem prior to IM training.

She also reported that Conner was able to successfully complete math work in the classroom.