Awareness: Identifying & Managing ADHD In the Classroom

As educators, it is important to remember that not all children learn the same way.  In an average classroom of 30 students, it is not uncommon to have at least 1 child who displays some type of hyperactivity or inattentiveness.  It is not only frustrating and challenging for the teacher in the room, but also the students trying to learn (including those displaying signs and symptoms of ADHD).  Using proper assessments, classroom management techniques, and differentiated instruction, will help create a calm and focused learning atmosphere where all children will be rewarded with the learning process. 


Following is a video describing ADHD in the classroom.

A student showing signs of ADHD will find it challenging to concentrate, and completing tasks in reading, writing and mathematics may be difficult to complete.  Following are some of the strengths they may have and the core challenges they may face in each subject area.

Writing

One of the greatest challenges in literacy for an ADHD student is writing.  They often struggle with spelling and editing, and are not able to self-monitor their drafts.  They also find it challenging to plan and organize neat, chronological orders of events in writing assignments.  They frequently need detailed, one-step directions to complete a writing task (Barkley, 2006).  Handwriting skills are also weak, as their fine motor skills are often underdeveloped.  This means their handwriting is often illegible, and they are unable to keep up with required copying/writing tasks in the class. they will often show signs of fatigue, writing in incomplete sentence structure, and in some cases become unruly and irritable due to inability to complete required tasks. 

Reading

Students may show strength in decoding and site word recognition skills, but struggle to recall important comprehension in reading material.  This is because they have an inclination to skim over reading material, paying little or no attention to word meaning.

Maths

Depending on their level of memorization, students with ADHD may be quite strong in math.  However, when problems require more than just one step directions, students will find it difficult to complete all the steps in order and produce careless mistakes, such as misalignment or failure to notice operational signs.

What Should a Teacher Look For?

A struggling student will often show signs that indicate possible hyperactivity and inattentiveness in lessons.  The charts below (2006) list behaviours commonly seen in students with ADHD.

Inattention Easily distracted Leaves tasks incomplete Short attention span Daydreams Frequently forgets or loses things Cannot follow more than one or two instructions at a time	Hyperactivity/Impulsivity      Restless, fidgeting, constant movement  Seems more excitable Acting without thinking or planning Blurts inappropriate remarks Demonstrates unsafe behaviour Difficulty maintaining information, frequent short term memory loss
Social/Emotional Difficulties Overly reacts to situation in class Cries easy and often Become frustrated easily Not a team player Limited self-esteem Finds managing anger difficult	Executive Functions Unable to self-monitor tasks Delayed gratification Unable to self-evaluate Finds organizing tasks frustration or near impossible

Once a teacher has identified several of these behaviours, the school guidance counsellor should be involved in planning an assessment and involving the parents.   Initial assessments will be needed to provide documentation to parents regarding their child's behaviour and ability in class.  Providing an enriched learning environment for hyperactive or inattentive students is imperative for a effective classroom.  The following video shows what ADHD might look like in the classroom, and some strategies teachers are using to monitor progress and keep active students on track.

To support the growth of each students success, the following video provides some additional classroom management techniques to develop children facing inattentiveness and hyperactivity, while still providing an inclusive learning environment for all students in your class.

 

Not all hyperactive or inattentive children need to be placed in special classes. With the help of professionals both in your school and selected by parents, the majority of these children can be successful in mainstream education. A combination medical or non-medical intervention (Goldstein & Goldstein, 1992), and appropriate classroom management techniques will help provide the tools for each students success.

References

Barkley, R. (2006). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and     

             treatment (3.rd ed., Vol. 1). New York: The Guilford Press.

Focusing on success: Teaching students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, grades 
1 to 12. (2006). Edmonton: Alberta Education.

Goldstein, S., & Goldstein, M. (1992). Hyperactivity: Why won't my child pay attention? New York: J. Wiley.

Kinecticvideo.com. [Kineticstreaming]. (2013, November 12). ADHD in the Classroom, Strategies for Teachers, 15619 [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_frrhJlY5sc

InsideADHD.org. (2007, September 9). ADHD Classroom Strategies [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd62-eL0JYI

The Academic Grid Channel 0 for Educational Videos & the Institute of. [TAG]. (2012, December 15). Teachers TV – ADHD in the Mainstream [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ylIl8T-q7c