How to increase attention span?

Take notes. 'What's your motivation?' (a question actors ask to get themselves in the right mindset for a scene) Imagine you have to give the very same lecture as your teacher ... maybe not word-for-word, but you have to give all the same info to a group of your own students ... & write down what you need to remember as your teacher is talking.

i find chewing gum and drinking water effective for me. i also have short span of attention so it really is hard for me to stay and listen so long. but with a chewing gum on my mouth, i dont know but it makes me increase my focus.

Well, it's gonna take a lot of patience and simple tricks to keep your attention focused, especially if it is a lecture class and you really don't like the teacher or the subject being taught. If you have a very long and boring class ahead, I suggest that you write down impressions or your opinions on a sheet of paper while the teacher is talking about. You can also take notes from the teacher time to time band you can switch form note-taking to impression taking. At least, you won;t get bored but you are still doing something and you keep your mind working. Or you jot down some questions that you would like to ask after discussion. This way your curiosity can help you keep awake.

Hi, I find mints and a bottle of cold water get me through a lot of 2.5 hour psychology lectures. Whenever I find myself drifting in and out of attentiveness, I either pop a strong mint, or take a sip of really cold water. Both actions are non-disruptive to other students around you, and it really does make you more alert. If you alternate the two, it's really effective, because cold water + mint = icy blast, but not in the bad way. More the refreshing way, which is exactly what you need in long boring lectures. It's also extremely important to take notes as the teacher is speaking. Don't write down word for word what they're saying, but try to take in the meaning, and transform it into your own jot notes. Taking notes will keep you much more awake and alert than if you just sit there. Trust me. If you are having extreme difficulty paying attention, you may want to speak with your teacher about this difficulty. It's their job to help you learn, so let them help! It is also possible you have a form of attention deficit disorder (ADD), so you may want to speak with a doctor about it if it is severe, and negatively impacting your academic performance. Best of luck on your future studies! Hang in there!

Ultimately, you will have to get interested in what is being taught to increase your attention. If you don't like it, there is no way you will be forced to focus.