These strategies will help and support the child who has difficulty sustaining attention in the classroom and while working on homework and new tasks.
ADHD diagnoses in children (and adults later in life) continue to trend upward and have rapidly increased within the past decade. Educators, parents, and guardians recognize the critical need for understanding and creating strategies to produce positive learning outcomes that work with and for students. The Mayo Clinic defines ADHD as “attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder that includes a combination of difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior.” While this can present challenges in a classroom that expects children to sit still in their seats and sustain focus for prolonged periods, accommodations and understanding how the student thinks, learns, and engages can lead to successful outcomes.
Below are strategies to provide supportive programs and activities to increase engagement with students with ADHD.
LEARNING STYLES: VISUAL, AUDITORY, OR KINETIC?
Understanding what type of learner your student is can affect participation, attention, and interest and make a significant difference in how the student receives and retains information. Is the student a visual learner and learns best from graphs, charts, writing down notes, or watching a video? One could be primarily auditory and retain information best by listening rather than reading. A kinetic learner uses body movement to interact with the subject and is tactile. Examples of this include building models, making flashcards, and conducting experiments.
For example, manipulatives and blocks are more effective for my son when teaching math concepts than a worksheet, and we use a wooden Melissa and Doug toy clock to help him understand time.
To find out your child’s learning style, take a quick assessment, such as the one found at educationplanner.org. Understanding the primary learning type your child has allows you to work with educators to create strategies that will help the student better comprehend the information and make learning easier and more fun than trying to stick a square peg into a round hole.
PHYSICAL EXERTION BEFORE CONCENTRATION
Children whose ADHD exhibits hyperactivity and impulse control often need physical stimulation before they can focus. Accommodations such as a school’s 504 plan or IEP can include physical activity or directions (such as heavy lifting activities and sensory stimulation such as utilizing swings).
In classrooms and at home, utilize brain breaks when doing schoolwork. Brain breaks are short mental breaks that work best when incorporated into physical activities. They help students exert energy while refocusing. An example of a brain break activity is the statue freeze game, where a student is asked to move around the room (whether it be hopping, tiptoeing, jumping, or walking) and then you say, “Be a statue of a *fill in the blank* animal!” Kids will then move into that pose until you say “Unfreeze!” This not only provides physical movement but the student can utilize their imagination pretending to be the different animals.
MANAGING EXPECTATIONS AND MINI GOALS
Recognize that a worksheet with multiple problems may be overwhelming and distracting, which can lead to procrastination. To mitigate this frustration, break the questions up into sections, letting the students know you will do x amount at a time. For example, if there are 10 math problems on a page, break them up into doing 3/3/4 at a time or 3/3/2/2 with breaks in between.
If they reach their goal faster, it’s easy to keep going despite giving the expectation to take a break after. Yet honoring your word rewards and compliments them on doing well. Always ask if they want to keep going, and let them know they can ask for a break at any time since they finished earlier to take a break now. Recognize that they are working hard and that it takes a lot of energy and effort in their brain and body to focus.
ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS
Have a designated study space that is quiet with an empty surface to reduce distractions and stimuli. Put pencils in a cup on a surface behind the student, and only have what the student needs in front of them. Have a black piece of paper available to cover parts of the page so only the part that is being read is seen. That way, the rest of the page is not a distraction or an opportunity to overwhelm the student. A pointer light is another helpful tool.
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT AND ENCOURAGEMENT
Focusing for extended periods can not only be mentally but physically exhausting for a neurodivergent brain. Students often “mask” (a term used to change oneself to adapt and fit into social situations) to follow the rules of the classroom, which can feel challenging, uncomfortable, and very difficult. Positive reinforcement is essential for a student to gain confidence and make progress. Focus and emphasize the student’s hard work and efforts compared to the results. Time activities too and allow for breaks.
When students have a break, emphasize that they worked extremely hard and that you are proud of them. When students express wanting to change the task into something else (ex: drawing or watching television), use the phrase “First this, then that.” For example, “First let us finish these three math problems and then we can take a five-minute brain break and play a game. I am proud of you! The first problem says… *and then dive back into the work*”
ACCOMMODATIONS AT SCHOOL
“All students who attend a US government-funding school have the right to be evaluated for a disability. If a student is found eligible, either under a 504 plan or an IEP, then appropriate services and accommodations will be provided by the school district” (US Department of Education). You and your student have the right to a free appropriate public education, so do not hesitate to advocate for your child if you feel they may need accommodations. This can be a daunting process, especially if you are unfamiliar, but we have local resources, such as Special Kids Connect, for individual assistance and advocacy support, resources, and training on this process.
Learning new tasks presents challenges but learning from methods and styles that do not sync with the way one’s brain is wired is an extremely frustrating experience. Understanding what type of learner your student is allows you and educators to use teaching methods that will increase learning outcomes. ADHD brains are just wired in a different way than neurotypical brains, and students deserve the respect, understanding, and accommodations to ensure they have the tools and resources to achieve their individual goals.
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