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Teachers

Introduction
Children who have ADHD may have special needs in the classroom; remaining in their seat,
working quietly and concentrating, or listening to what the teacher says can be difficult.
However, much of a childs time is spent in school and it is where key aspects of growth and
development takes place, both academically and socially. As the leader of the classroom, a
teacher is ideally placed to help recogni!e and manage ADHD, both for the benefit of the child,
but also their peers in the classroom. "he information on this part of the site has been brought
together from a variety of sources to serve as a resource for teachers to help children with
ADHD and their classmates to get the most out of their time at school. "hese skills learned at
school will be beneficial throughout life.
Teaching a Child with ADHD
Children with ADHD find the classroom a particularly challenging environment. As a teacher
you can provide invaluable insights to both parents#caregivers and physicians about a childs
educational and behavioral needs. $y identifying and meeting the unique needs of the child,
you can play a central role in the successful management of a childs ADHD.
ADHD Defined
ADHD is a neurobiological disorder attributed to a developmental delay in brain circuitry which
impacts on a persons sense of inhibition and self control.
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&nattention, hyperactivity and
impulsiveness are the key symptoms.
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A child with ADHD is easily distracted, may move and
speak rapidly and e(cessively, and may often act inappropriately, as if without thinking.
)(hibiting behavior that resembles that of younger children, a child with ADHD may often have
problems forming friendships with other children or siblings, and thinking through the social
consequences of their actions. &f unrecogni!ed and untreated, children and adolescents with
ADHD are less likely to complete high school, further their education or remain employed, than
their peers.
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Diagnosis
All children can be e(citable and energetic at times. &t is important to check whether the
childs behavior differs greatly from his#her peers or is unusual for his#her age. Children with
ADHD e(hibit combinations of the following behaviors+
,
&nattention+
-ailing to give close attention to details and avoiding careless mistakes
Difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or activities
.ften does not seem to listen when being spoken to directly
Difficulty following through on instructions and in organi!ing tasks
Hyperactivity+
-idgeting with hands or feet or squirming in their seat
Difficulty remaining seated when required to do so
.ften runs about or climbs e(cessively in situations when it is inappropriate to do so
Difficulty in playing quietly
&mpulsivity
$lurting out answers to questions before the questions have been completed
Difficulty in waiting for a turn in tasks, games or group situations
.ften interrupts or intrudes on others /e.g. butts into conversations or games0
-or more information see American Psychiatric Press: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).
"he process for diagnosis varies from region to region. A physician should be requested to
evaluate the child for ADHD. A diagnosis of ADHD must be made by a healthcare professional.
&n many cases, a childs teacher is best able to observe how a child with suspected ADHD acts
in the classroom and is first aware of the impact of his#her behavior on his#her ability to learn
or to interact with his#her peers.
"o meet standard diagnostic criteria, some symptoms of ADHD must appear before the age of
seven, cause impairment, and persist for at least si( months to a degree that is unusual for
the persons age.
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Monitoring Treatment
1esearch has shown that medication alone can improve ADHD symptoms,
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the current ADHD
treatment practices focus on management of symptoms through a multimodal approach
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which may include medical, educational and behavioral approaches.
"reatment plans for ADHD should be tailored to each individual child.
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A healthcare
professional should regularly assess the treatment goals using inputs from the childs teachers,
counselors and parents#caregivers, to adapt the therapy as necessary.
&t is also important to set realistic treatment goal targets that can be achieved and measured.
-or e(ample+
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&mprovements in relationships with peers and teachers
&ncreased self5esteem
&ncreased independence through self5monitoring and completion of assigned tasks
&mprovements in academic performance.
"eachers, working closely with parents#caregivers and the childs physician or psychologist
play a key role in monitoring the progress and behavior of the child during treatment.
Behavioral Support
)ssentially, behavior modification is used to help improve not only a child6s behavior but also
his or her relationships 7 by improving interactions with other children and adults. "herapists
teach the techniques to teachers as well as parents#caregivers, for use in daily life.
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"he three areas in which behavior modification is used, also known as the 8A$Cs8 of behavior
modification, are+
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Antecedents 7 things that initiate or precede 6behaviors6
$ehaviors 7 undesirable behaviors
Consequences 7 things that occur as a result of 6behavior6
"he most important and effective behavioral technique is verbal reinforcement of appropriate
behavior, that is praise when a child begins and completes an activity or e(hibits a particular
desired behavior.
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;raise should be specific for the positive behavior displayed by the student. "he comments
should focus on what the student did right and should include e(actly what part/s0 of the
students behavior was desirable. 1ather than praising a student for not disturbing the class,
for e(ample, a teacher should praise him or her for quietly completing a math lesson on time.
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)ffective teachers praise children with ADHD frequently and look for a behavior to praise
before, and not after, a child finishes a task. &nappropriate behavior should be corrected,
without suggesting that 8he#she is a bad child8. Helping the child to understand his#her
disorder, and to learn to manage his#her symptoms is critical for life success.
Educational Support
"he following techniques can help children with ADHD in a classroom setting+
:
<eneral planning
=eat the child near the teacher 7 let the child sit in the front of the room to allow you
to monitor and reinforce the childs on5task behavior.
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.ne approach to applying this principle
is to praise the child often, specifically he#she successfully completes tasks.
"ape recorder 7 ask the student to dictate assignments into a tape recorder, as an
alternative to writing them.
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=tate the materials that will be needed in advance 7 identify all the materials that the
children will need during the lesson, for e(ample, pencil, notebook and ruler.
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An additional
approach to applying this principle is to have e(tra work supplies available in case the child
forgets his#her own is helpful.
Allow for >escape valve outlets 7 permit children with ADHD to leave the class for a
moment 7 to run an errand perhaps 7 to help them settle down.
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=uggestions for facilitating
an escape valve include allowing the child to stand while completing work or establishing
alternative work stations for a restless student.
=ignpost milestones # give advance warning in lessons 7 announce 2 or %? minutes
before the end of the lesson how much time remains.
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@esson planning
=implify instructions 7 break tasks down into small bite5si!e chunks for completion.
;rovide instructions for the first stage, let the child complete this step, and then provide
instructions for the ne(t stage of the task.
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;rovide follow5up directions 7 after giving directions to the class as a whole, provide
additional oral directions for a child with ADHD, or repeat the instructions in writing on the
chalkboard.
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Additional suggestions to help apply the principle is to use picture clues or
collective responses to provide these directions.
;ractice sequencing activities 7 for older children, provide supervised opportunities to
break down a long assignment into a sequence of short interrelated activities.
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Highlight key points 7 highlight key words in the instructions on worksheets to help
the child with ADHD focus on the directions.
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;roofread compositions 7 provide the child with a list of items to check against when
proofreading his or her own work.
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=pecific lessons
Aake the most of your materials i.e. graph paper 7 ask the child to use graph paper to
help organi!e columns when doing math.
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"ake time to re5read problems 7 encourage the child to read a math word problem
twice before beginning to compute the answer.
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Bse real5life e(amples i.e. counting#money 7 set up a class store where children can
practice adding up >groceries and calculating costs and change.
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Bsing storyboards for comprehension 7 ask the child to make story boards that
illustrate the sequence of main events in a story.
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Combine learning with movement 7 with spelling lessons the child could Cump rope
while spelling words out loud.
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-or more information and ideas see Teaching Children ith Attention Deficit !y"eracti#ity
Disorder: Instructional Strategies and Practices$ %y the &S De"artment of 'ducation.
Social Support
1esearch suggests that 2?D of children with ADHD have poor peer relations
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. "hese children
are less likely to make friends, are often reCected by their peers, and might be more likely to
e(perience an(iety, behavioral and mood disorders, substance abuse and delinquency as
teenagers. Eou might like to try+
=ocial skills classes
:
7 encourage children to role5play and model different solutions to
common social problems. Discuss how to resolve social conflicts.
&dentify social cues
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7 encourage the child to follow social cues+ are other children
really listening to him # herF Are others laughing at the wrong timesF $y learning to notice
the reactions of others, children learn to monitor their own behavior.
)ncourage children to Coin e(tra curricular and social activities
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. Gon5academic
activities can help a child discover his or her strengths and build self esteem
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.
&t is important to set clear goals for the child, and be realistic in your e(pectations. $y using
cooperative teaching techniques, it will help the student to become a helper # e(pert and
encourage the child to work in collaboration with others .
Before & After School Activities
!
Children with ADHD respond well to routines. Hork with the childs parents#caregivers
to help include any before of after school activities into a written routine and display the
schedule where the child can see
@ook to include the child in activities that require individual coaching, such as tennis,
wrestling or diving.
After school activities involving movement are good options for e(ample sports like
running or swimming are popular with children with ADHD.
"ry to avoid sports that have a lot of >down time such as baseball where the child may
end up in a position that doesnt see much action.
Activities which require a lot of divided attention can be difficult for a child with ADHD
as they require focus on many things at once. Hith team games for e(ample, look to break
down the activity and coach the sport in a step wise approach.
"or#ing with $arents%Caregivers
As the childs teacher you are ideally placed to help his#her parents#caregivers understand how
the child is at the end of the day, for e(ample they may look upbeat but actually be mentally
quite tired
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. &t is important that parents#caregivers collaborate and partner with teachers to
ensure the childs ADHD is correctly managed and that appropriate support services are made
available for the child
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.
"eachers and parents need to discuss the e(pectations to which a child with ADHD should be
held in completing his#her homework. Horking together with the child, parent and teachers
need to establish rules and goals for completing homework. $y implementing a reward
system, the child can be motivated for the work they complete. =imilarly, for work that is not
completed, points or rewards can be deducted
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. $y working together you can help the child
reach their potential in the school situation, and help set them up to reach their full potential
in life.
&urther reading
%. American ;sychiatric ;ress. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders /D=A5&I0. Hashington
/DC0+ "he ;ress; %::,
'. $arkley 1.A. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder+ A Handbook for Diagnosis and "reatment,
<uildford ;ress, %::9
*. ;arents, ;rovision and ;olicy 7 A Consultation with ;arents. ADD&==, =eptember '??*
,. ADHD $ackground, ADD&==
2. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder on www.allaboutkidshealth.ca
3. A <uide to .rganising the Home and .ffice. Gational 1esource Centre on ADHD /CHADD0 at
www.help,adhd.org
4. =pecific @earning Difficulties. -actsheets for parents and teachers. 1oyal College of ;sychiatrists '??,.
9. )ducational 1ights for Children with ADHD. Gational 1esource Centre on ADHD /CHADD0 at
www.help,adhd.org
:. "eaching Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder+ &nstructional =trategies and ;ractices,
by the B= Department of )ducation.
'eferences
%. Durston =. '??*. A 1eview of the $iological $ases of =DHD+ Hhat Have He @earned -rom &maging
=tudies. Aent 1etard Dev Disabil 1es 1ev :+%9,5:2.
'. "annock 1. %::9. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder+ Advances in Cognitive, Geurobiological, and
<enetic 1esearch. J Child ;sychol ;sychiat *:+ 325::.
*. de $oo <A and ;rins ;JA. '??4. =ocial &ncompetence in Children Hith ADHD+ ;ossible Aoderators and
Aediators in =ocial5=kills "raining. Clin ;sychol 1ev '4+495:4.
,. $arkley 1A. '??*. &ssues in the Diagnosis of Attention5Deficit#Hyperactivity Disorder in Children. $rain
Dev '2+4459*.
2. <reydanus D), ;ratt HD and ;atel D1. '??4. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Across the
@ifespan+ "he Child, Adolescent, and Adult. Dis Aon 2*+4?5%*%
3. <lobal ADHD Horking <roup, <lobal consensus on ADHD#HKD, J )ur Child Adolesc ;sychiatry%,+%'47
%*4
4. American Academy of ;ediatrics. =ubcommittee on Attention5Deficit#Hyperactivity Disorder and
Committee on Luality &mprovement. '??%. Clinical practice guideline+ treatment of the school5aged child with
attention5deficit#hyperactivity disorder. ;ediatrics %?9+%?**5,,.
9. Gational 1esource Centre on ADHD /CHADD0. -actsheet+ ;sychosocial "reatment for Children and
Adolescents with ADHD. www.help,adhd.org# Accessed * July.
:. B= Department of )ducation. '??,. "eaching Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder+
&nstructional =trategies and ;ractices. www.ed.gov#about#offices#list#osers#osep#inde(.html Accessed * July
'??4.
%?. Hithout $oundaries 1eport at www.wfmh.com Accessed * July '??4.
%%. Ailler =1, Ailler CJ, $loom J=, Hynd <H, and Craggs J<. '??3. 1ight Hemisphere $rain Aorphology,
Attention5Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder /ADHD0 =ubtype, and =ocial Comprehension. J Child Geurol '%+%*: 5
%,,.
%'. Gational 1esource Centre on ADHD /CHADD0. -actsheet+ ;arenting a Child with ADHD.
www.help,adhd.org Accessed * July.
%*. HebAD. ADHD and After5=chool Activities+ -inding the 1ight -it.
http+##www.webmd.com#content#article#:*#%?',:'.htm Accessed * July '??4.

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