Useful Strategies for dealing with children with ADHD

ADHD (Attention Defecit Hyperactivity Disorder) and ADD is hereditary in 75% of cases (be aware when talking to parents) and affects brain development. In general ADHD students are 3yrs behind developmentally. ADHD children find it very difficult/almost impossible to:

  1. Inhibit immediate responses
  2. Wait for even the shortest time
  3. Remember what was said or done
  4. Monitor their own behaviour
  5. Accept that they are responsible for controlling their behaviour
  6. Organise themselves
  7. Cope with unstructured time
  8. Focus on mundane activities
  9. Ignore an internal craving for attention
  10. Deal with change of any type
  11. Form successful peer relationships
  12. Deal with criticism
  13. Periods of listening rather than doing
  14. Receive language (text or spoken)
  15. Express themselves adequately
  16. Think ahead to possible concequences

Strategies that will work most of the time:

  • Use visual reminders of any type
  • Keep the student away from distractions
  • Discuss the basic ground rules
  • Frequently remind of basic ground rules
  • Keep rules very brief and simple
  • Get student to repeat back rules or instructions
  • Keep the atmosphere calm
  • Diffuse the “temperature” when not calm
  • Provide student with frequent opportunities to check what they are doing is ok
  • Apply rewards immediately
  • Allow student to use technology as much as possible
  • Sit student near adult through tricky activities
  • Break longer activities into smaller chunks
  • Allow student to doodle or fiddle with things in listening activities
  • Let student pursue personal interests
  • Look for every chance to be positive towards the pupil
  • Stick to SMART targets – don’t overload
  • Give the student responsibility
  • Give immediate positive feedback for appropriate behaviour
  • Avoid use of sarcasm or anger
  • Attribute success to their efforts
  • Pre-empt possible problems
  • Help student to develop systems to improve organisation
  • Prepare student for change
  • Accept and respect them in front of their peers
  • Allow student to devise own solutions to problems
  • Support student at “peak difficulty” times
  • Be prepared to explain/present things in different ways
  • Ignore trivial disruptions
  • Keep all praise genuine
  • Help student equip themselves correctly
  • Make home contact positive whenever possible
  • Allow student to select quieter work area
  • Build in structure and routine
  • Try “reward first” system
  • Use “self-timing” to improve all difficult areas
  • Alternate monotonous and interesting tasks
  • Support/supervise pupil during practical/group activities

Students with ADHD have a brain dysfunction over which they have no control.

  • They tend to have a high level of ability and thinking, which needs skilled channelling.
  • They will be bewildered, confused, frustrated and possibly depressed.
  • They will have experienced blame and negativity when they feel that they have tried their best.
  • They will not understand others’ reactions when they cannot remember the start of a difficult situation.
  • They will feel that they cannot cope because of previous experiences and their poor social relationships.
  • You will feel frustrated at times because you seem to be covering the same ground over and over again – they cannot help much of the behaviour you see.