Strategies and Tools to Use When Supporting Students with ADHD

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Strategies and Tools to Use When Supporting
Students with ADHD

• Live Classroom
• Wednesday March 11, 2009
• ALDI Diana Carr

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Review of the Facts

• Onset of ADHD generally presents between the ages
  of 3 and 6 years of age
• In some cases the onset is more gradual but is
  usually evident before the age of 13 years
• In childhood there is a 31 ratio for the male
  gender
• In adult population there is a 21 ration for the
  male gender

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Review the Facts

• 3-7 prevalence in childhood population
• 2-5 prevalence in the adult population
• 20-35 youths diagnosed with ADHD outgrow the
  disorder
• 10-25 youths diagnosed with ADHD develop
  difficulties dependence and over use with
  substance abuse (drugs, alcohol and tobacco) and
  delinquent behaviour

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Review the Facts

• ADHD is universal and can be found in all
  countries although it holds different labels
• Found more likely in families with a history of
  ADHD and depression
• School performance is greatly affected
• 30-50 of individuals diagnosed with ADHD are
  retained at least once in their educational
  career
• 25-36 of individuals diagnosed with ADHD do not
  complete the requirements in order to graduate
  high school

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Co-Morbidity

• Conduct problems and disorders
• Delinquency
• Tic disorders such as Tourettes Syndrome
• Learning disabilities
• Prenatal exposure to alcohol and tobacco
• Premature birth and low birth weight
• Those who have experienced significant trauma to
  the frontal region of the brain

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Three Main Characteristics

• Impaired response inhibition, impulse control, or
  the capacity to delay gratification
• Excessive task-irrelevant activity or activity
  that is poorly regulated to the demands of a
  situation
• Poor sustained attention or persistence of effort
  to tasks

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General Strategies

• Use proximity control
• Establish and consistently maintain a clear
  routine
• Keep rules simple, to a minimum, post and review
• Use visual and auditory cues
• Have clear concise consequences and when
  delivering, do so unemotionally and immediately
• Involve the home, communication system
• Concretely record progress (A-B-C)
• Realistic expectations
• Consider alternatives to typical tests

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Difficulty Maintaining Focus

• Preferential seating
• Attention grabber when giving a new instruction,
  rise student awareness
• Eye contact
• Private signal
• Vary your teaching style, multi-sensory
  presentation
• Brief, breaks and segments
• Involve the student of concern
• 3 students, 3 repeats, teacher/student switch
  roles
• Use of timer, visual schedule, menu on board

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Lacks Awareness of Personal Space

• Rows for seating arrangement, avoid tables
• Seat student near positive role models
• Rules regarding personal space posted for all
• Support student possessing and organizing their
  own supplies
• Praise positive behaviour

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Restless and Fidgety Student

• Allow movement, standing, secondary work station,
  other classroom
• Use of individual headphones
• Classroom music
• Short breaks at frequent intervals
• Praise on task behaviour

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Manifests Disruptive Behaviour

• Ignore minor inappropriate behaviour
• Positive attention to students who are engaged in
  appropriate behaviour
• Be specific when commenting positively, not just
  Well done
• Use praise significantly more frequently than
  reprimands and reward positive behaviour with
  greater frequency
• Remind yourself to catch them being good

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Difficulty with Transitions

• Use a visual schedule that removes a task or
  event once it has been completed
• Provide adequate warning cues and timing
• Before a transition such as recess and lunch
  allow the student extra time to avoid the crowds
• Give a specific role to the student during a
  transition
• Keep the hands busy

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Weak Social Skills

• Do not give the whole class a consequence as a
  result of the behaviour of the student with ADHD
• Modeling and a systematic method of talking
  through conflict-resolutions
• Involve other classes and or staff in providing
  positive praise for the student
• Social skills teaching and activities
• Include co-operative activities in your teaching
• Teach and discuss trust
• Capitalize on the childs interests and/or skills

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Organizational Skills

• Regular desk, locker, bag clean ups (teach)
• Colour code materials, supplies, bins
• Visual cues
• Desk Fairy reinforcement
• Use folders, multi subject binders
• Cue cards and post-it notes
• On work tasks use large print, sections, borders
• For tasks, have and teach a page set-up routine
• Frequent reminders and cues for complex or long
  tern projects/assignments
• Portable hole punch, stapler, post-it note glue

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Difficulty Remembering Homework

• Clearly provide expectations and due date
• Directions clearly posted (Board/notes)
• Allow student to email/call home
• Student friendly agenda and teach how to use it
  as a tool
• Colour coordinating tasks and materials
• Allow adequate time and timing
• Enlist home support, parental participation
• Duplicate materials
• Appropriate praise for success

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Resists Homework

• Homework Buddy, after school program, relative or
  Tudor
• Assist parent to establish a schedule and routine
• Designated place to work
• Necessary supplies available
• Checklist
• Large calendar (desk blotter type)
• Supply names and numbers of a few peers, extra
  materials from school
• Develop a class study guide
• Make the homework process a consistent part of
  the classroom routine

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• Resources

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www.russellbarkley.org

• Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D., is an internationally
  recognized authority on attention deficit
  hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and
  adults. Dr. Barkley has specialized in ADHD for
  more than 30 years and is currently a Research
  Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the
  SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New
  York and resides in the Charleston, South
  Carolina region. This is his official web site.
  It is designed to
• Provide free, scientifically based information
  about ADHD in children and adults including some
  of Dr. Barkley's most recent publications.
• Provide information on Dr. Barkley's clinical
  newsletter, The ADHD Report , and how to
  subscribe.

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http//www.meq.gouv.qc.ca/GR-PUB/m_englis.htm

• Plans of Action
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder -
  Working Together to Provide Better Support for
  Young People

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www.janssen-ortho.com

• Download these from the site or call for your
  free copies!
• Toll Free
• 1 [phone]

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Sandra F. Reif, M.A.

• The ADD/ADHD Checklist An Easy Reference for
  Parents Teachers
• 1998 by Prentice Hall
• ISBN
• 0-13-762395-X

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Sandra F. Reif M.A.

• How To Reach And Teach Children with ADD/ADHD
  Practical Techniques, Strategies, and
  Interventions
• Published by Jossey-Bass
• ISBN 0-7879-7295-9

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Lynn Senecal, PhD

• The Red Reflect Handbook
• Reflect Strategies to Promote Reflective,
  Attentive, and Responsible Behaviour
• (January, 2001)
• Inclusive Learning Resource Network (I-LRN)
• Contact Lynn Senecal ?Tel. [phone]
  ?Email learning_resources_at_videotron.ca