Teaching Children With ADHD - Interesting Facts Plus Eleven Simple Suggestions
Teaching children with ADHD is a challenging, and sometimes frustrating, endeavor that can leave both educators and parent exhausted and searching for answers. In this article we will cover a few different areas that directly impacting teaching children with ADHD and offer eleven suggestions that you can use to build a comprehensive teaching plan. But first why don't we quickly walk through some disturbing facts about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The educational system in the United States
The United States is third in money spent for each student and ranks forty eighth in academic performance worldwide. Many choose to blame the teachers, others blame the politicians, and still others blame the parents. Sometimes it seems as if everybody is blaming everybody else.
But the fact of the matter is that if you are a parent of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder your child has an even bigger hill to climb no matter who is to blame since statically they have an 80 percent chance of underachieve the mean both academically and socially.
In recent weeks I have an opportunity to talk to a number of parents and teachers about the current educational environment. The parents main complaint is that the classes are too large and the teachers aren't doing a good job of teaching. The teachers point of view is that they aren't given the support they need, are underpaid and overworked, and aren't allowed the disciplinary freedom to effectively control unruly behavior.
I would like to point out that India ranks very high in academic performance with class sizes averaging around 60 students per class. But teaching effectively in a very large class is only possible if the students are well behaved, motivated to succeed, and the classroom environment is structured and controlled.
But how does all the apply to teaching children with ADHD?
Brain scan studies show that the younger the child the quicker the part of the brain responsible for triggering impulsive behavior is activated. As these individuals age the part of the brain responsible for reasoning and thinking before acting gradually catches up, and after the age of 35 or so starts to take the lead. In translation young children, adolescents, and teens are instinctively programmed to be impulsive, and to a lesser degree inattentive and overactive.
The biology of it all
ADHD children have a biological imbalance that produces different combinations of both social and academic challenges revolving around the primary symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity. In other words they don't have the correct balance of brain chemical messengers (dopamine, norepinephrine) and brain activity sequencing to be self regulating.
What all this means is that without strong leadership, a structured distraction free environment, and possibly some type of treatment these children will almost certainly not be able to live up to expectations. This applies to both home and school.
Eleven Tips for teaching children with ADHD
*Eliminate as many distractions as possible
*Give instructions slowly and clearly
*Involve as many senses as possible
*Never use the phrase "you just need to try harder"
*Try to encourage and preserve self-esteem
*Teach and assist with organizational skills
*Break up assignments into small chunks
*Create a structured environment with a clear written roadmap for success
*Let the ADHD child know what is expected of them beforehand
*Arrange for a private tutor if academic performance starts to slip
*Consider a natural homeopathic ADHD supplement if needed
The educational system in the United States
The United States is third in money spent for each student and ranks forty eighth in academic performance worldwide. Many choose to blame the teachers, others blame the politicians, and still others blame the parents. Sometimes it seems as if everybody is blaming everybody else.
But the fact of the matter is that if you are a parent of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder your child has an even bigger hill to climb no matter who is to blame since statically they have an 80 percent chance of underachieve the mean both academically and socially.
In recent weeks I have an opportunity to talk to a number of parents and teachers about the current educational environment. The parents main complaint is that the classes are too large and the teachers aren't doing a good job of teaching. The teachers point of view is that they aren't given the support they need, are underpaid and overworked, and aren't allowed the disciplinary freedom to effectively control unruly behavior.
I would like to point out that India ranks very high in academic performance with class sizes averaging around 60 students per class. But teaching effectively in a very large class is only possible if the students are well behaved, motivated to succeed, and the classroom environment is structured and controlled.
But how does all the apply to teaching children with ADHD?
Brain scan studies show that the younger the child the quicker the part of the brain responsible for triggering impulsive behavior is activated. As these individuals age the part of the brain responsible for reasoning and thinking before acting gradually catches up, and after the age of 35 or so starts to take the lead. In translation young children, adolescents, and teens are instinctively programmed to be impulsive, and to a lesser degree inattentive and overactive.
The biology of it all
ADHD children have a biological imbalance that produces different combinations of both social and academic challenges revolving around the primary symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity. In other words they don't have the correct balance of brain chemical messengers (dopamine, norepinephrine) and brain activity sequencing to be self regulating.
What all this means is that without strong leadership, a structured distraction free environment, and possibly some type of treatment these children will almost certainly not be able to live up to expectations. This applies to both home and school.
Eleven Tips for teaching children with ADHD
*Eliminate as many distractions as possible
*Give instructions slowly and clearly
*Involve as many senses as possible
*Never use the phrase "you just need to try harder"
*Try to encourage and preserve self-esteem
*Teach and assist with organizational skills
*Break up assignments into small chunks
*Create a structured environment with a clear written roadmap for success
*Let the ADHD child know what is expected of them beforehand
*Arrange for a private tutor if academic performance starts to slip
*Consider a natural homeopathic ADHD supplement if needed