Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com. This is a sampling of over 500 classroom interventions for your use at http://www.ADDinSchool.com.
Here are some tips on Improving Consistency of Performance with ADHD Students:
Computer games, artistic media, and action-based play (sports or other physical activity), building sets, and activities outside of the school setting, can be effective. Ask your student what he would like to earn. Your student is the best source of identifying the reward. Rewards should be changed frequently to maintain their "novelty power".
An effective system for immediate reinforcement and highly stimulating rewards is a "point system". Students earn points for accomplishments of: 1) achieving prearranged goals that have been discussed and agreed to by the student, teacher, and parent, and 2) any valued activity or behavior that occurs spontaneously during the school day. Point values are assigned to various tasks/behaviors. Teachers have the flexibility of increasing point values or giving any assignment/activity a point value. Points are accumulated and "cashed in" on a reward menu. Points can be added on a continuing basis for a running total kept with the teacher/student. This menu can be a hierarchy of reward activities such as extra computer or playground time to out of school activities, such as lunch or bowling, for an accumulation of many points. The student is in charge as to when to "spend" their points. This system is designed to enhance the delay of gratification for students. It is important in any behavioral system that your student finds early success to "buy in" to the program.
One of the characteristics of attentional problems is the variability of work performance across settings, tasks, and over time. Rather than take high performance on some tasks as an indicator that low performance on other tasks is due to low motivation and willfulness, it is important to understand this as the nature of attentional problems. Your student will do better on tasks he finds inherently interesting and stimulating. He will tend to do worse on tasks that required sustained attention and are more mundane. Your student may have difficulty with tasks that require complex problem-solving strategies. There is continued difficulty with the "executive processes" (strategies that are used to organize and monitor thinking and action). He may tend to persist using strategies that have proven ineffective. Although your student may seem expansive in using oral language, he may be limited in producing ideas in written form. Assignments that require extensive fine motor skills are difficult.
Give seat work one sheet at a time, if possible. This will prevent your student from feeling overwhelmed. This is also a helpful technique in testing him.
Identifying your student's goals with his involvement is effective. Goals should begin by being simple and easy to understand. Two to three goals are sufficient to begin any goal attainment intervention. The criteria for success (or earning points) should be simple and clear. Successful goal attainment early in the process is critical. Ask your student to generate possible goal areas or have him choose from a menu that the teacher has created. The larger the role that he has in identifying the goals, the greater investment he will have in reaching them.
Have someone actively monitoring your student during tests, especially multiple choice, fill in the "bubble" tests. He can get off track and fill in the wrong places or become so frustrated that he might answer at random to simply complete the test.
Emphasize that part of the work routine is to "check your work". Students tend to complete work and turn it in without checking it over. Give the student some instruction in how to check his work and practice it with him.
In assignments that require research reports and creative writing, have the student dictate the words to someone rather than writing it down. The student can then copy the words using the word processor. This technique will yield greater output on tasks requiring expressive written language skills by removing the written component.
Hopefully these will help the ADHD students in your classroom to be more successful. You can learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder at the ADHD Information Library.
Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.
"What's Not ADHD?"
Let?s look at five behavioral issues which are not ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). While these difficulties may be found along with ADHD, it doesn?t mean that they are symptoms of ADHD.
Teacher Tips: Using Worksheets with ADHD Students
Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com.
ADHD: A Dialogue With a Non-Believer, part three
Dear Sir,
It was with some interest that I read the article What You Should Know About Attention Deficit Disorder by Edward W. after having it handed to me by a member of our church.
The Challenges Of Raising An Adhd Child
When you find out that your child has ADHD, it?s not uncommon to be shocked and concerned about what to expect. However, you should know that although ADHD can be limiting for a child, there are ways to manage it successfully. ADHD does not have to be the biggest factor in your life as a parent, nor does it define your child. Raising an ADHD child is achievable without losing your sanity with the right strategies and attitude.
The Help Group Summit 2007 Features More Than 20 Leading Experts in Autism, Learning Disabilities & ADHD
Two-Day seminar for professionals and parents to present cutting edge information in research and best practices.
Understand ADD/ADHD And Stimulant Meds
Stimulant drugs do not cure ADHD. These medications only help people with ADD or ADHD to have better control of their behaviours so that they can be productive academically, when they are at home, or when in social gatherings. Therefore, stimulant medication can be viewed just as a `tool' to alleviate problems related to ADD or ADHD. To be truly effective, stimulant medication should be taken together with behavioural skills training.
Teacher Tips: Improving Social Skills in ADHD Students
Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com.
The Truth about the Effects of Too Much Television on ADD or ADHD
Attention deficiency disorder (ADD) or attention deficiency and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might not kill you, but its adverse effects could last a lifetime. While there are various possible inborn causes for ADHD, letting your child watch too much television at an early age can also increase the chance of your child having this condition. In conclusion, television do contribute to ADD and ADHD.
Child Recipe For ADHD - Is There A Recommended Diet For ADHD
A child who suffers from ADHD is hyperactive and diet plays a rather significant part in their behaviour as well as the severity of the symptoms. Observe for yourself the link between certain food stuffs and their behaviour, perhaps keeping a diary so you can identify and record what food types causes the worst reactions. Eventually you can prepare a good food menu for adhd child.
Nutrition Expert and Author Shares Important Diet Information For ADD, ADHD and Weight Loss
This interview is an excerpt from Kevin Gianni's Fountain of Youth Summit, which can be found at fountainofyouthworldsummitcom
New Website, OurChildrensHealth.com, Offers Free Half Hour Consult and Expert Advice about Drug-free Treatment for ADHD, Obesity, Asthma and Allergies
Dr. Laura Thompson, pioneer health educator, author and speaker offers free nutritional counseling to parents of children and teens with ADD, ADHD, autism, asthma, allergies, vaccine injury, obesity, stress, depression and behavioral problems.
The Most Innovative New Approach for ADHD, a Natural Remedy
What's new and effective in the treatment of Attention problems? A powerful intervention that is clinically tested with computerized testing, not merely parent reports, has been available to the public since 1997, but is little known.
It is an over the counter product that contains specific Amino Acid combinations, Essential Fatty Acids, Phospholipid complexes, and Homeopathic Medicines.
Adult Attention Deficit Disorder
Attention Deficit Disorder tends to focus predominately on children, leaving the ADD adult largely under served. Most of the information presented about Attention Deficit Disorder focuses on children, parenting and school issues.
Treating Attention Deficit Disorder with Nature
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), also known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), is an issue that more and more parents are dealing with every year. Thousands of children are being diagnosed with attention deficit disorder every year, a major behavioral disorder that strains family relationships, hinders learning abilities and future productivity.
ADHD: Causes and Treatments
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that is largely neuroligical in nature. ADHD is characterised by inattentiveness, restlessness and/or inappropriate impulsiveness and hyperactivity. Although commonly associated with children, this disorder can persist into adulthood. Symptoms often interfere with children learning and socialising.