Directed Writing [0500/22, March 2022]
Text A: Why can’t some people just keep still? The following text discusses why some people fidget more than others. Not long ago, handheld toys called fidget spinners became so popular that they had to be banned from some schools. They were marketed as useful ‘stress relievers’ but had become distracting in classrooms. However, it’s not just kids who like to fidget. Look around your office and you will probably see people bouncing their legs up and down, turning pens over in their hands, chewing, doodling – not because there’s something wrong with them: they’re just fidgety people! We all know someone who can’t keep still, but why do some people fidget more than others? And if fidgeting really helps to relieve stress, does that mean we should all embrace it? Research suggests fidgeting or moving around might help us to increase or lower our attention, depending on what is required – either calming or energising us. People who fidget tend to do so when their mi...