We’ve all heard it: our attention spans are shrinking. Technology, social media and constant notifications are said to be rewiring our brains, leaving us unable to focus for more than a few seconds. But the science tells a more interesting story.
Recent research suggests that attention isn’t disappearing, but it is adapting. Understanding that shift matters for every teacher, parent, and student trying to make sense of modern learning.
The Teenage Brain Isn’t What We Thought
A 2025 study published in Nature Communications by Mousley et al. has challenged long-held assumptions about brain development. The researchers identified five major turning points in brain topology, showing that the so-called “teenage brain” extends from age 9 to well beyond 30.
This finding reframes our understanding of adolescence and attention. It means that pupils in Year 5 and young adults in their 20s share overlapping patterns of brain development that affect focus, impulse control and emotional regulation.
Other research supports this broader view. Studies from King’s College London, investigations by the BBC, and an interview with attention expert Dr Gloria Mark all point in the same direction: attention spans are not collapsing, they’re evolving in response to new cognitive demands. For more information see the full discussion at Teacher Toolkit.
Context Shapes Attention
Attention isn’t a single skill: it’s context-specific. As Dr Jared Cooney Horvath notes, our ability to concentrate depends on meaning and purpose. When students can’t see the relevance of a lesson, their attention naturally drifts elsewhere. That’s not failure; it’s adaptation.
Classroom design also matters. Lighting, display clutter, noise levels and even a teacher’s tone of voice can all influence how attention is distributed. The difference between a student scrolling TikTok, playing FIFA, or watching their favourite player live isn’t capacity; it’s engagement.
So, rather than asking “Why can’t this student focus?”, the better question is: “What about this environment makes focus harder?”
What This Means for Schools and Families
Students arrive at school from evenings filled with rapid-fire content such as six-second videos, multi-screen habits, and instant feedback. Then they’re asked to focus on Algebra for an hour. No wonder the shift feels impossible.
The key is to treat sustained attention as a skill to be taught rather than an innate trait. Habits of focus can be built gradually through scaffolding, relevance and time.
Teachers and parents also need to update their understanding of adolescent development. If the brain continues to mature into the 30s, schools must design strategies that accommodate this ongoing change, especially for students struggling with attention or executive function.
What Teachers and School Leaders Can Do
- Recognise that “teenage” brain development now spans ages 9 to 30.
- Manage cognitive overload from digital tools.
- Vary activities to match different attention types: rote, focused and reactive.
- Train teachers around neuroscience, working memory and attention rhythms.
Rethinking What Attention Really Means
The more we learn about the developing brain, the more obvious it becomes that attention isn’t something students “lose”. It is shaped by experience, maturity, and context.
Instead of expecting pupils to focus in the same way for every task, schools can build routines and environments that work with the brain, not against it. When we stop framing attention as a deficit and start seeing it as a skill that grows over time, we open the door to more compassionate, effective classroom practice.
