Teacher strategies for students with ADD/ADHD

            Before attempting to implement any strategy for a child with a learning disability, it's important to emphasize that each child is different. The nature of their learning disability differs, which is why I will try to avoid any "one size fits all" strategy recommendations. This variation is especially true in students with ADD/ADHD as discussed by my colleagues in the previous posts. I would recommend one reads these strategies as a collective tool box that lists strategies at a teacher's disposal, but doesn't require complete adherence to them.
               Three Factors for students with ADD/ADHD
            According to an article written by Rick Lavoie (a special education expert), students with LD are affected by these three factors in the classroom: "the degree of interest in the activity, the difficulty of the activity, and the duration of the task." For this reason many traditional classroom activities such as worksheets or independent reading can prove to be difficult for students with ADD/ADHD, leading to disruptive behavior. Understanding that a student with ADD/ADHD is looking for stimulation and interested work is key to setting up your student with success. One strategy would be to tailor materials and tasks so that they match the interest of the child. Another strategy is to take ordinary tasks such as a worksheet and turn it into a competition. Of course if the task is difficult and the time frame long, no amount of gimmick or tailoring will keep a student with ADD/ADHD from becoming frustrated. To counteract such frustration a teacher can break up the assignments into smaller portions or "chunk." This allows students with ADHD to feel accomplished and prevents them from becoming overwhelmed by a huge task. Understanding that with the proper motivation and differentiation, students with ADD/ADHD can successfully complete work is the first step to making your students feel successful.

The power of engaging material

          Organization and ADD/ADHD: the now and not now

       Students with ADD/ADHD tend to have difficulty with planning and organization. This difficulty can result in forgetting to do homework, failing to study for exams and other seemingly careless behavior. What's important to acknowledge is that the student is not purposely trying to act in an irresponsible manner. Lavoie discusses in his article a concept developed by Dr. Edward Hallowell that explains the mindset of many students with ADD/ADHD. Dr. Hallowell suggests that people with ADD/ADHD see the world in two paradigms: the now and not now. When our students have that paradigm, then classwork given days in advance seem to be distant and unimportant tasks that will eventually be completed. This oversight isn't a result of irresponsibility or carelessness. Instead teachers need to create an environment that allows students with ADD/ADHD to easily become organized. 

     One strategy that can be used to encourage organization is by having a structured and predictable environment. The predictability makes it easy for students with ADD/ADHD to remember tasks that need to be completed as it becomes a routine. Another strategy is to break down long term projects or assignments into smaller much more immediate assignments. By breaking down assignments, the student gets a heightened sense of expediency since the task moves further from the "not now" into the "now."  Other strategies outlined by the British Columbia school district are using check lists to help students monitor completion, explicitly teaching study strategies, and providing a class agenda for the student.

Engaging material, regardless the subject matter, can lead to great effort

     Realistic implementations

       While, many of the strategies outlined in this post are useful, it is difficult to change mid-year everything in your classroom. In recognition of the difficulty many teachers face, I wanted to leave some short and tangible changes one can make to help their students with ADD/ADHD. One strategy one can implement right now is giving your student a short checklist that allows them to monitor their progress for an assignment. Another strategy is to target specific behaviors you want a student to produce and express to that student (either with a constant reminder like a post it note or verbal cue) that they will be rewarded for completing these two behaviors. Finally, trying to develop a predictable environment will greatly help your students (regardless of them having ADD/ADHD or not). 

      Remember our kids may have issues with the traditional classroom, but in terms of effort and work ethic, students with ADD/ADHD can work just as hard (at times harder) than any other student. Beginning the conversation with your students about why their disability is not a hindrance, but a part of who they are is something we should all strive to do as special educators. Here is a video you can show your kids, so they can see positive representation of students with ADD/ADHD.