Teaching kids with ADHD is a big challenge. These kids have diverse ways of learning things that are entirely different from those of disorder-free children. That is why having them in the mainstream requires extra effort from the teachers. But instead of treating this as an inconvenience, teachers should view this as a guide on how to handle these types of kids. Parents are so stressed out by this issue and assistance and guidance from their ADHD kid’s teacher is a big help.
“From my evolutionary perspective, it is not at all surprising that many children fail to adapt to the school environment, in ways that lead to the ADHD diagnosis. All normal children have at least some difficulty adapting to school,” Peter Gray, PhD, wrote.
Anyway, below are some ideas on how to teach students with ADHD.
Stage A Creative Class Project
A child with ADHD has a very limited attention span. They quickly get bored with monotonous and routine tasks that are usually done at school. Because of this, teachers must design their teaching methods more creatively.
Design activities that will catch their attention and keep them interested. Allow them to explore and exercise their creativity since children with ADHD are more inclined to be creative. Doing so will keep them focused on the lesson and learn from it at the same time.
Below are some class creative ideas you can try:
Own a (insert thing here)
Students identify themselves on a specific topic (career, decade, plant, animal, shape, etc.). Divide the class into small groups, assign an issue and encourage them to present it more creatively.
Create a New Ending
Allow students to make a conclusion or overview of the lesson. This will enable you to assess if they have fully understood the lesson.
A portfolio is a compilation of work, may it be art pieces, literary pieces and so many more. This collection will encourage the student to do more and do an even better job to make their collection stand out.
Flashcards
ADHD also means having a poor memory. John Grohol, PsyD, noted, “Homework is particularly hard. They will forget to write down an assignment, or leave it at school. They will forget to bring a book home, or bring home the wrong one. The homework, when finally finished, will be full of mistakes.”
To make information sink in and stick to the child with ADHD’s mind, the teacher should innovate ways. One of the suggested means is having the details in flashcards. In those flashcards, features and information should be stated and should be made very visible to the child. Seeing the words more often will help make the details memorable for the child with ADHD. As Carey Heller, PsyD, wrote, “The real secret to long-term success for teens with ADHD is giving them the tools they need to complete tasks themselves rather than constantly reminding them.”
Role-Playing Activities
Role-playing activities in the classroom allow students to move around and interact with other kids. For a child with ADHD, this kind of activity can be very beneficial as he gets to use his energy with the physical activity and make use of his creative skills in fulfilling the task given to him.
Classroom Debates
One characteristic of people with ADHD is the inability to wait. In class discussions, they tend to blurt out questions or answers even uncalled for. However, having a class debate will teach them how to express their ideas accurately and to wait patiently for their turn to speak up.
Game Show-Style Reviews And Exams
Since children with ADHD have a hard time focusing and remembering details, extra effort should be exerted just to get the lessons in. One way to make an experience worth remembering this kind of student is having a game show set up. It is fun and will be very interesting to the child. He will have fun with it instead of getting bored with the usual study routine.
More Lesson Ideas
For teachers to be effective in their teaching with children with ADHD, they have to do research and innovate their lesson plans.
Children with ADHD can be managed in class, and instead of setting them aside, they should be given attention too. Despite their disorder, they can learn. Teachers and parents just have to work hard just to reach the child’s level of understanding and learning. With these tips, teachers can alleviate problems from the parent’s hands, and this can also help the couple lessen their stressful life.