Mindfulness in the classroom: Autopilot and paying attention

Amy Malloy
Amy Malloy
students sat at desks looking at their workbooks

The challenge: the lure of automatic pilot

Have you ever got to the bottom of the page in your favorite book and then realized you have no idea what you just read? This is due to being in a semi-conscious mental state called 'automatic pilot'. In automatic pilot mode, we are only partially aware of what we are doing and responding to in the present moment. If left to its own devices, it can end up masking all our thought patterns, emotions and interactions with those around us. Humans are habitual creatures, building functional 'speed-dials' to allow us to survive in the present while the mind is elsewhere planning for the future or ruminating in thought. The challenge here is that we are responding to the present moment based solely on habits learned from previous experience rather than making conscious choices based on the nuances of the moment itself. Luckily, mindfulness can help.

The solution: the importance of paying attention on purpose

Jon Kabat-Zinn, Professor Emeritus of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, is often credited with bringing mindfulness into the secular mainstream. He defines the practice as: "paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally."

Paying attention on purpose is the skill needed to move out of automatic pilot. As such, practicing mindfulness starts with learning how to pay attention. The more we focus, the more the brain builds strength in the areas involved in this type of concentration - and the easier it becomes to do it automatically. In other words, it becomes a habit to be present.

In the early years of primary school, a child's brain is developing more quickly than it ever will again. Young minds are in the process of forming their very first habits, and so learning to pay attention on purpose will have a .

The why: why is this particularly important in schools?

If you're a teacher wondering why this is important, mindfulness has many benefits in the classroom. Perhaps the most notable is its facility for improving children's attention span during English lessons and elsewhere in life. This is increasingly important as children are immersed in a world of digital screens and social media. Learning to focus can help to counteract the constant demands on their attention and develop greater patience and staying power for any one activity.

, experts agree that our attention span varies depending on what we are doing. The more experience we have of how much attention a certain situation needs, the more the brain will adapt and make it easier for us to focus on those situations.

The brains of school-age children develop rapidly. So, the more we can do to demonstrate to them what it feels like to pay attention for a prolonged period, the more likely they are to be able to produce that level of attention in similar situations.

For teenagers it is even more important. During adolescence, our brains undergo a unique period of neural development. The brain rapidly streamlines our neural connections to make the brain function as efficiently as possible in adulthood. Like a tree shedding branches, it will get rid of any pathways that are not being used and strengthen up the areas that are being used: use it or lose it. So if teenagers are not actively using their ability to pay conscious attention and spending too much time in automatic pilot mode, through screen use and in periods of high exam stress, the brain won't just not strengthen their capacity to focus; it may make it harder for them to access the ability to pay attention in future.

The how: three exercises to teach your students mindfulness

These three mindfulness exercises will help your language students integrate awareness into everyday activities in their school and home lives.

1. Mindful use of screens and technology

Screen use is a major culprit of setting the brain into automatic pilot. This is an activity you canpractice in school during computer-based lessons or even ask the students to practise at home.

  • Close your eyes and notice how you feel before you've started
  • Consciously decide on one task you need to do on the device
  • Consciously think about the steps you need to do to achieve that task and visualize yourself doing them
  • Then turn on the device and complete the task. When you have finished, put the device down, walk away, or do something different
  • Notice if you wanted to carry on using the device (this doesn't mean we need to)

2. Mindful snacking

We eat so habitually that we rarely notice the huge range of sensory stimulation going onunder the surface of this process. This is a great activity to practise with your students during breaks or lunch.

  • Hold the snack in your hand and notice five things you can see about it
  • Close your eyes and notice five things about the way it feels in your hand or to touch
  • Keep the eyes closed and notice five things you can smell about the snack
  • Bring the snack slowly to your mouth and taste it – notice five different subtle tastes

3. Counting the breath

A brilliantly simple exercise to teach the brain to focus attention on one thing for a longerperiod of time. It can be done anywhere and can also have the helpful side effect ofreducing stress through passively slowing down the breath.

  • Close your eyes or take a soft gaze in front of you
  • Focus your attention on the breath going in and out at the nostrils
  • Notice the breath temperature on the way into the nose compared to its temperature on the way out
  • Count 10 breaths to yourself – in 1, out 1; in 2, out 2; and so on
  • If the mind wanders, gently guide it back to the breath
  • When you get to 10 you can either stop there or go back to 1 and start again
  • In time, it will become easier to stay focused for the full 10 breaths and for even longer

If a part of you is still wondering where to start with mindfulness, then paying conscious attention to anything that draws our senses to the present moment: the breath, physical sensations in the body, sounds, smells or tastes - these are all brilliant places to start. Remember that mindfulness is simply a state of mind, a way of interacting with the world around us. How we access that state of mind can vary depending on the school, the language lesson and the students - there are many possibilities. As an English teacher, it's important to encourage and help students academically and in regards to their wellbeing.

More blogs from app

  • A person in a white hoodie sits at a desk, working on a laptop, with bookshelves in the background.

    How to support weaker learners remotely in language classes

    By
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Language teachers know that remote teaching accentuates differences within a class. Students who need more time, repetition and reassurance can feel lost – unless we intentionally design for them. This guide explains how to support weaker learners online, assist struggling students remotely, and help language students who find classes difficult, all without slowing down the rest of the students. Using clear routines, inclusive online teaching and the right tools, you can create virtual classrooms where confidence and progress grow for every learner.

    Start with clarity and differentiation in online language teaching

    Differentiation in online language teaching begins with a precise understanding of all your students' needs.

    • Run brief skill checks at the start of each unit (listening, reading, vocabulary, grammar); a handful of well-targeted items reveals where weaker learners need focus.
    • Map access and conditions. Ask about device type, bandwidth and study environment to plan contingencies for low-tech days.
    • Set one micro-goal per learner per week (for example, “Use three new adjectives to describe a photo.”). Small, specific goals keep momentum.

    Remote teaching strategies for mixed-ability classes

    Mixed ability is the norm online. Structure your lessons to reduce cognitive load and keep every learner engaged; again this helps support struggling learners.

    • Use a predictable flow: Connect (review and warm-up) > Input (listening/reading) > Focus (language noticing) > Practice (guided) > Use (communicative) > Reflect (self-check).

    Offer "must / should / could" pathways:

    • Must secure essential outcomes for all learners
    • Should consolidate skills for those ready to go further
    • Could stretch confident learners without overwhelming others

    Keep tasks short (5–8 minutes) and signal the mode clearly (listen, read, speak, write).

    Scaffolding techniques for online language learning

    Weaker learners thrive on intentional scaffolds that lower barriers and build independence.

    Listening

    • Pre-teach a handful of key words with visuals or quick gestures.
    • Play audio in short chunks with a single purpose each time: gist, detail, then language noticing.
    • Reveal transcripts only after the second listen to confirm understanding, not replace it.

    Reading

    • Set a clear purpose (“Find two reasons the writer gives for…”) before reading.
    • Provide mini glossaries and encourage highlights and margin notes.
    • Model skimming and scanning strategies with a quick think-aloud.

    Speaking

    • Share sentence frames and functional language (“I agree because…”, “Could you clarify…?”).
    • Give rehearsal time with private voice notes before live speaking.
    • Use small groups with roles (timekeeper, summarizer, supporter) and prompt cards.

    Writing

    • Co-construct a model paragraph, then move to guided writing with checklists and word banks.
    • Encourage drafting and redrafting with a single improvement focus (for example, verb endings).

    Online ESL support strategies like these are included in many tasks, making it easier to scaffold without reinventing materials.

    How to engage weaker learners during online lessons

    Engagement is a design choice. Create multiple entry points and safe participation.

    • Offer varied response modes: chat, polls, reactions and voice. Let learners choose their on-ramp.
    • Structure breakout rooms intentionally. Pair confident learners with developing ones, share clear prompts and keep instructions visible.
    • Visit rooms to coach, not catch. Praise specific behaviors (“Nice turn-taking and great use of follow-up questions.”).

    Inclusive teaching online is about psychological safety. Normalize effort and mistakes: “Thanks for trying that structure – let’s polish it together.”

    Ways to motivate struggling students in virtual classrooms

    Students are most motivated when their progress is visible and they receive constructive, concise feedback.

    • Use quick, auto-graded practice for instant wins on accuracy.
    • Keep teacher feedback focused: one or two points per task, delivered as short audio/video notes when possible.
    • Allow resubmission with a success criterion (“Record again aiming for clearer word endings.”).
    • Celebrate micro-achievements publicly (with consent) and privately to build self-belief.

    Tips for supporting mixed-ability groups online

    Build independence with targeted asynchronous supports.

    • Post short screencasts (under five minutes) explaining tricky points.
    • Share downloadable task cards or checklists for low-bandwidth days.
    • Encourage weekly learning logs: What I tried, What worked, What I’ll try next.
    • Use spaced repetition through assignable mobile practice.

    How to adapt language lessons for different levels online

    Planning for multiple levels is easier when you think in layers.

    • Layer input: same topic, different text/audio lengths and complexity.
    • Layer support: word banks, sentence frames and visuals for those who need more; open prompts for advanced learners.
    • Layer outcomes: all learners meet the core objective; confident learners add a twist (for example, an extra opinion or example).

    How to help low-level students in online classes

    • Keep instructions concise and consistent. One slide = one task.
    • Model, then co-construct before independent work.
    • Use strategically: allow brainstorming in the first language, then pivot to English for performance.
    • Provide accessible materials: readable fonts, captions, transcripts and mobile-friendly tasks.

    Supporting your remote learners is both an art and a system. When you design with clarity, scaffold intentionally, and use the right digital supports, you can support weaker students remotely and online, as well as support struggling learners in language classes with confidence.

  • Teaching with purpose: Why the GSE still works in 2025

    By
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    We live in a world in which change is a constant. While change has always existed, lately it has definitely accelerated. There is an idea in society that we should embrace change and adopt whatever is new, with an underlying assumption – wrong to many – that what is new is always better.one that is often wrong

    In the world of ELT, new materials are developed every year. It is unthinkable for most teachers to be using teaching materials that were published 10 years ago. Some would even claim that anything published before 2020 is already out-dated.

    How does all this impact on the Global Scale of English (GSE) – published over 10 years ago? When it was launched in 2014, it constituted a significant innovation in ELT. The following quotes were provided by ELT experts at the time of launch.

  • Three individuals are engaged in a discussion around a table in a library, surrounded by books, with one person gesturing with their hands.

    Ready to study in the USA? Not all tests are created equal

    By
    Reading time: 2 minutes

    If you’re planning to study in the USA, you’ve probably looked into English proficiency tests for university admissions. And you’ve probably noticed – they’re not all the same.

    • Some are more expensive.
    • Some take weeks to deliver results.
    • Some require you to travel to a test centre.

    The app English Express Test is different.

    What makes the app English Express Test special?

    This online English test is designed for international students who want to move quickly and confidently through the admissions process.

    • Take it from home– No travel needed. The app English Express Test is fully online, so you can complete your exam from anywhere in the world.
    • Get certified results in 48 hours– No long waits. Receive your official English proficiency scores fast, so you can meet university deadlines with ease.
    • Pay less– It’s one of the most affordable English tests for US university applications, helping you save on costs.
    • Accepted by a growing number of US universities– Use your results to apply to top institutions across the United States.
    • Built for momentum, not delays– Designed to help you move forward, not slow you down.

    Why this test matters

    When you’re applying to study in the USA, every day counts. You’re juggling application deadlines, coordinating with universities and planning your next big move. You need an English language test that supports your ambitions, not one that holds you back.

    What makesapp English Express Test different?

    • AI scoring for fairness and consistency– Advanced technology ensures your results are accurate and impartial.
    • Security inbuilt– Take your test with confidence, knowing your identity and results are protected.
    • CEFR and GSE-aligned results– Trusted by universities and colleges, your scores are mapped to international standards for English proficiency.

    It’s everything you need for your US university application, without the stress.

    Ready to take the test?

    If you’re searching for an English proficiency test that fits into your life and helps you move forward, the app English Express Test is ready when you are. Take your test today and start your journey to studying in the USA with confidence.