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This article focuses on how the teachers can manage a classroom that has children with ADHD. The article details the steps that can be taken and useful pointers for the teachers on changing negative behaviour of children into positive ones. The authors, Sanober Nadeem, Anjum Sharif and Zulfiqar Bachani talk about how the ADHD child can be managed in the classroom. |
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A child with ADHD in the classroom
- May often be out of their seat
- Can’t wait for their turn
- Doesn’t follow instructions
- Seems disinterested
- Makes careless mistakes
- Gets involved in and interrupts other children’s work
- Gets into trouble constantly in the playground
- Is fidgety and restless
- Doesn’t finish tasks
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Like other children with or without disabilities, children with ADHD learn best when their teachers understand their individual needs and individualize their educational program to meet these needs. The following are suggestions for teachers teaching in a classroom of children with ADHD.
- Make sure that the child’s hearing and vision has been checked recently and other medical problems have been ruled out.
- Make sure you have the support of the school and the parents.
- Don't be afraid to ask for help. You, as a teacher, cannot be expected to be an expert on ADHD. You should feel comfortable in asking for help when you feel you need it.
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| Assess the Child's Individual Needs |
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Assess the educational needs of a child with ADHD considering both academic and behavioural needs. Children with ADHD often have difficulty learning and achieving academically in school. Effective teachers constantly monitor the child’s performance and modify academic directions accordingly. Teachers need to compile a list of characteristics or behaviours that the child can be legitimately praised for. Below is the list of some negative and positive attributes of an ADHD child. |
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| Negative attribute…… |
…..changed to a positive attribute |
Distractible
Short attention span
Poor planner, disorganized
Distorted sense of time
Impatient
Difficulty converting words into concepts
Has difficulty following instructions
Daydreamer
Acts without considering consequences
Lacking in social skills |
High level of environmental awareness
Responds on motivation
Flexible, ready to change strategy
Tireless when motivated
Goal-oriented
Visual concrete thinker
Independent
Imaginative/bored by dull tasks
Willing to take risks
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| Classroom Accommodations |
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Children with ADHD need structured environment. They benefit greatly from having a table or list to refer back to when they get lost during activities. They need reminders. They need previews. They need repetition, direction and limits.
Here is a list of helpful suggestions:
- Seat near the teacher: Assign a child a seat near your desk or in the front of the room. This seat arrangement provides opportunities for you to monitor and reinforce the child's on-task behaviour.
- Seat near a student role model: This seat arrangement provides opportunities for children to work cooperatively and learn from their peers in the class.
- Limit group assignments: Try not to give a lot of group tasks. These children are more distracted and distract others in group settings. When a child is involved in group work, expectations for behaviour and the child's contribution to the group work need to be carefully defined and frequently monitored.
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| Set Expectations |
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Consider these strategies to get benefit from the class assignments.
- Do a recap of the previous lessons
- Set learning expectations
- Set behavioural expectations during task
- State needed materials
- Prepare the child before moving on to the next activity
Students with ADHD often have difficulty refocusing their attention as they end one task and move on to the next. When teacher conclude a lesson, she should prepare children for moving on to the next task.
- Tell in advance: At the beginning of each lesson, inform the children about the time they have to complete it. Indicate to the children when 5 or 10 minutes are left for the time to be up.
- Check assignments: Check completed assignments. Review with some students what they have learned during the lessons to identify how ready the class was for the lesson and for planning the next lesson.
- Preview the next lesson: Instruct students on how to begin preparing for the next lesson. For example, inform children that they need to put away their textbooks and come to the front of the room for a large group spelling lesson.
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| Reinforcement & Reward |
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For some children with ADHD, behavioural agreement, tangible rewards, or token economy systems are helpful in teaching them how to manage their own behaviour. Because students' individual needs are different, it is important for teachers to evaluate whether these practices are appropriate for their classrooms.
- behavioural contract: Work together with the child to cooperatively identify appropriate objective such as completing homework assignments on time and obeying safety rules on the school playground. Take the time to ensure that the child agrees that his or her goals are important to master.
- Tangible Rewards: Use tangible rewards to reinforce appropriate behaviour. These rewards can include (a) stickers such as "happy faces" or sports team emblems or (b) privileges, such as extra time on the computer or lunch with the teacher. In some cases, you may be able to enlist the support of parents in rewarding the children at home.
- Token Economy: A child can earn points for each homework assignment completed on time. Token economy systems motivate children to achieve a goal.
- Verbal Reinforcement: Children benefit from frequent reinforcement of appropriate behaviour and correction of inappropriate behaviour. Verbal reinforcement takes on the form of praise and reprimands.
- Verbal praise: Simple phrases such as "good job" encourage a child to act appropriately. Praise children frequently, and look for behaviour to praise before a child is off task.
- Verbal reprimand: The most effective reprimands are brief and directed at the child's behaviour -- not at the child.
- Selective ignoring of inappropriate behaviour: In some instances, it is helpful to ignore the child's inappropriate behaviour, particularly if a child is misbehaving to get your attention.
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