So our attention gets focused on what we consider important. The importance of understanding this step in education is clear when you have a classroom full of sleepy or bored students. It is very important to get students attention in class. When you have their attention, the more they will take from the Sensory Register that briefly holds what you are trying to teach them. There are a number of characteristics of attention to be noted.
Attention is selective.
It is only a limited resource. Because it is, we do not and cannot focus attention on everything that comes into our senses. Instead, our attention sifts between what is and what is not relevant to us. Problems with selective attention can mean some very difficult obstacles for both teachers and students. ADD and ADHD are problems with selective attention because what is happening to the child with ADD or ADHD is that he or she cannot filter out irrelevant information.