ADHDAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Shawn Baker & Sarah YocumProfessor Schilling

EDUC 352

Table of Contents

I. Statistics of ADHD

II. Symptoms of ADHD

III. Accommodations for ADHD

IV. Teaching Techniques for ADHD

V. Teacher’s Attitude

VI. Review Questions

Statistics on ADHD from Dr. Russell Barkley• A classroom with 30 students will have between 1and 3 children with ADHD.• Boys are diagnosed with ADHD 3 times more oftenthan girls.• Emotional development in children with ADHD is30% slower than in their non-ADD peers.

• One fourth of children with ADHD have seriouslearning disabilities such as: oral expression,listening skills, reading comprehension and/or math.

Darch and Kame’enui’s Instructional ClassroomManagement

• Drugs are not always the solution for all studentswith ADD.

• Research suggests that medication helps about70% of children with ADD become more focused andless active during classroom instruction.

Common Classroom Expectations

• Sit still.

• Listen quietly.

• Pay attention.

• Follow instructions.

• Concentrate.

Unfortunately…

These are the very things thatstudents with ADHD havetrouble completing. Instead theyare more likely to…

Struggle in these three particular areas:

1. Attention span

2. Impulse control

3. Hyperactivity

Attention Span• Pays little attention to details; makes carelessmistakes • Has short attention span • Does not listen when spoken to directly • Does not follow instructions; fails to finish tasks • Has difficulty organizing tasks • Avoids tasks that require sustained mental effort • Loses things• Is easily distracted • Is forgetful in daily activities

Impulse Control• Blurts out answers before questions arecompleted

• Has difficulty awaiting turn

• Often interrupts or intrudes on others

Hyperactivity• Fidgets; squirms in seat

• Leaves seat in classroom when remainingseated is expected

• Often runs about or climbs excessively atinappropriate times

• Has difficulty playing quietly

• Talks excessively

Great. Now what?

Classroom Accommodations: Seating

• Seat the student with ADHD away from windowsand away from the door.

• Put the student with ADHD right in front of yourdesk unless that would be a distraction for thestudent.

• Seats in rows, with focus on the teacher, usuallywork better than having students seated aroundtables or facing one another in other arrangements.

Classroom Accommodations: Seating Cont.

• Surround students with ADHD with good role models.

• Encourage peer tutoring and cooperative/collaborativelearning.

Classroom Accommodations: Information Delivery

• Give instructions one at a time and repeat asnecessary.

• If possible, work on the most difficult materialearly in the day.

• Use visuals: charts, pictures, color coding

• Create outlines for note-taking that organize theinformation as you deliver it.

Classroom Accommodations: Student Work

• Create a quiet area free of distractions for test-taking andquiet study.

• Create worksheets and tests with fewer items; givefrequent short quizzes rather than long tests.

• Reduce the number of timed tests.

• Test the student with ADHD in the way he or she doesbest, such as orally or filling in blanks.

Classroom Accommodation: Student Work Cont.

• Show the student how to use a pointer or bookmarkto track written words on a page.

• Divide long-term projects into segments and assign acompletion goal for each segment.

• Let the student do as much work as possible oncomputer.

• Accept late work and give partial credit for partialwork.

Classroom Accommodations: Organization

• Have the student keep a master notebook, a three-ringbinder, and make sure everything is put on the rings inthe correct section.

• Provide a folder for homework assignments, completedhomework, and notes to parents (permission slips, PTAflyers).

• Color-code materials for each subject.

Classroom Accommodations: Organization Cont.

• Allow time for student to organize materials andassignments for home.

• Post steps for getting ready to go home.

• Make sure the student with ADHD has a systemfor writing down assignments and important datesand uses it.

Teaching techniques for student with ADHD:Starting a lesson• Signal the start of a lesson with an aural cue (eggtimer, cowbell, horn).• List the activities of the lesson on the board.• Tell students what they are going to learn and whatyour expectations are.• Tell students exactly what materials they will need.• Establish eye contact with any student who hasADHD.

Teaching Techniques: During the lesson• Keep instructions simple and structured.• Vary the pace and include different kinds ofactivities (rapid and intense occasionally).• Use props, charts, and other visual aids.• Have an unobtrusive cue set up with the studentwho has ADHD, such as a touch on the shoulderor placing a sticky note on the student’s desk.

Teaching Techniques: During the lesson Cont.

• Let the student with ADHD squeeze a Koosh ballor tap something that does not make noise as aphysical outlet.

• Try not to ask a student with ADHD to perform atask or to answer a question publicly that might betoo difficult.

Teaching Techniques: Ending the lesson

• Summarize key points.

• If you give an assignment, have three differentstudents repeat it, then have the class say it in unison,and put it on the board.

• Be specific about what to take home.

Teacher’s Attitude

• Be positive

• Be enthusiastic

• Be encouraging

• Be open to new ideas

• Have a sense of humor

Review Questions

1. List the three problematic areas forstudents of ADHD.

Attention Span

Impulse Control

Hyperactivity

2. Give us an example of what the teachercan do to the seating arrangement for astudent with ADHD.

Slides 11 & 12

3. Evaluate the accommodations fororganization. Are there any that areunachievable expectations or tasks? Ifso, why?

Slides 16 & 17

4. What would you use as yoursignal for starting a lesson foryour students with ADHD?

Slide 18

5. Is the idea of giving a studentwith ADHD a Koosh ball orsomething to tap quietly during thelesson a good idea or a bad idea.Why?

Slide 20

Conclusion

Each of you tell us what your slip ofpaper says, and give us a modificationthat you think would help your studentwith ADHD.

“Fidgeters” “Standers”

“Blurter” “Talker”

“Daydreamers”

“Walker”

References• Bailey, E., (2007, September). ADD/ADHD Statistics. RetrievedOctober 3, 2008, fromhttp://www.healthcentral.com/adhd/c/1443/13716/addadhd-statistics/

• Darch, Craig B and Edward J. Kame'enui. (2004). Instructionalclassroom management:A Proactive approach to behavior management.(2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

• Jaffe-Gill, E., Dumke, L., Segal,R., Benedictis, T., Smith,M., and Segal,J. (n.d.). ADD/ADHD in the Classroom. Retrieved October 3, 2008, fromhttp://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_teaching_strategies.htm#authors

References• Teaching Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderADHD/ADD (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2008, fromhttp://www.childrensdisabilities.info/adhd/teaching-adhd.html

• Teaching Students with Disabilities (n.d.). Retrieved October 3,2008, from http://www.adapts.gatech.edu/faculty_guide/teach.htm

• Teaching Tips for Those Working with ADHD Kids (n.d.). RetrievedOctober 3, 2008, fromhttp://user.cybrzn.com/kenyonck/add/teaching_tips.html