The key to sustained attention, when all is said and done, is interest. There is no substitute for the fascination of interest. As Magnusson says: "Monotony is the great enemy of attention. Interest is the attention-compelling element of instincts and desires." The teacher can feel assured of success only when he is so fully prepared that his material wins attention because of its richness and appropriateness. Special thought should be given in the preparation of a lesson to the attack to be made during the first two minutes of a recitation. A pointed, vital question, a challenging statement, a striking incident, a fascinating, appropriate story, a significant quotation--these are a few of the legitimate challenges to attention. * * * * * QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS--CHAPTER XI 1. Discuss the statement: "There is no such thing as inattention; when pupils appear inattentive, they are singly attentive to something more interesting than the lesson." 2. Explain the force of attention in the learning process. 3. What is attention? 4. Discuss and illustrate the different types of attention. 5. Give some practical suggestions on the securing of attention. 6. Point out the distinction between attention and interest. 7. Discuss the effect of monotony on attention. 8. How do children and adults differ in their powers of attention? HELPFUL REFERENCES Pillsburg, _Attention_; Norsworthy and Whitley, _Psychology of Childhood_; Strayer and Norsworthy, _How to Teach_; Betts, _How to Teach Religion_; Weigle, _Talks to Sunday School Teachers_; Fitch, _The Art of Securing Attention_; Thorndike, _Principles of Teaching_; Dewey, _Interest and Effort in Education_; Brumbaugh, _The Making of a Teacher_. CHAPTER XII WHAT MAKES FOR INTEREST OUTLINE--CHAPTER XII Individual differences and interest.--What makes for interest.--Interest begets interest.--Preparation is a great guarantee.--Knowledge of the lives of boys and girls a great help.--The factors of interestingness: The Vital, The Unusual, The Uncertain, The Concrete, The Similar, The Antagonistic, The Animate. After discussing the relation of interest to attention we still face the question: What is it that makes an interesting object, or an idea interesting? Why do we find some things naturally interesting while others are dull and commonplace? Of course, everything is not equally interesting to all people. Individual differences make clear the fact that a certain stimulus will call for a response in one particular person, quite unlike the response manifested in a person of different temperament and training. But psychologists are agreed that in spite of these differences there are certain elements of interests that are generally and fundamentally appealing to human nature. To know what it is that makes for interest is one of the prerequisites of good teaching.