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Tips for the Classroom Teachers with ADHD Students

Author: Douglas Cowan, Psy.D.

Thank you for all that you do in the classroom! It is hard enough being a classroom teacher today, but when you add to the difficulties two or three children with either Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or minor head injuries from FAS, managing a classroom can be a real challenge!

The ADHD Information Library has designed a web site just for you classroom teachers. We have taken 500 classroom interventions that we have gathered over the years from dozens of sources, and placed them on the site for you to visit, consider, and use if appropriate. Consider it a resource from classroom teachers to classroom teachers. The site is located at http://www.ADDinSchool.com, and we would invite you to visit often.

Here are some of the tips for teachers that are also on the site. They are just a brief look at the 500 interventions available.

1. Use rows for seating arrangement, and avoid tables with groups of students. Having groups at tables maximizes interpersonal distractions for the ADHD child when he is trying to do individual work. Where possible, it may be ideal to provide several tables for group projects and traditional rows for independent work. Some teachers report that arranging desks in a horseshoe shape promotes appropriate discussion while permitting independent work. Whatever arrangement is selected, it is important for the teacher to be able to move about the entire room and have access to all students.

2. Have distractible students seated near the teacher, as close as possible without being punitive. Locate the student's desk away from both the hallway and windows to minimize auditory and visual distractions. Keep a portion of the room free of obvious visual and auditory distractions. For example, have one area of desks that doesn't have interesting objects hanging over it that invite the child to study them rather than her/his work.

3. Use desk dividers and/or study carrels. Be sure to introduce their use as a "privilege" or pair appropriate carrel usage with reinforcement, so these study aids are not perceived as punishment.

4. Seat appropriate peer models next to ADHD child.

5. Stand near the student when giving directions or presenting the lesson. Use the student's worksheet as an example.

Please consider some of these ideas that have been passed on to us at the ADHD Information Library over the years from professional educators.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

...

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Tips for High School Teachers with ADHD Students: Impulsive Behaviors

Author: Douglas Cowan, Psy.D.

Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com. This is a sampling of over 500 classroom interventions for your use at http://www.ADDinSchool.com.

Here are some tips on improving social skills with your ADHD students. Remember, the best interventions are the ones that will help all of your students be more successful, not just the ADHD students.

Give your ADD ADHD students a break once in a while. Know the difference between big things and little things, and don't confront attention deficit students on each little thing. It is hard for ADD ADHD students to control themselves all of the time.

Students with attention deficit disorder experience many difficulties in the social area, especially with peer relationships.

ADD ADHD students tend to experience great difficulty picking up other's social cues, and often act impulsively. Attention deficit stuents usually have limited self-awareness of their effect on others. They are likely to over-personalize other's actions as being criticism. They tend not to recognize or respond well to positive feedback. In fact, ADHD may be directly related to a deficit in recognizing rewards.

Students with Attention Deficit Disorder tend to get along better with younger or older students when their roles are clearly defined. ADD ADHD students tend to repeat self-defeating social behavior patterns and rarely learn from experience.

In conversations ADD ADHD students often ramble and say embarrassing things to peers.

Students with ADD ADHD tend to get into the most trouble during times with little structure or little supervision.

Enlisting the support of peers in the classroom can greatly enhance the ADD ADHD student's self-esteem. Students with good social awareness and who like to be helpful can be paired with the attention deficit student. This pairing can take the form of being a "study buddy" while doing activities/projects. Cross-age tutoring with older or younger students can also have social benefits. Most successful pairing is done with adequate preparation of the paired student, planning meetings with the pair to set expectations, and with parental permission. Pairing expectations and time commitments should be fairly limited in scope to increase the opportunity for success and lessen the constraints on the paired students.

Students with ADD ADHD tend to do well in the cooperative group instructional format. Small student groupings of three to five members, in which the students "sink or swim" together to complete assignments/projects, encourage students to share organizational ideas and responsibilities, and gives an ideal setting for processing interpersonal skills on a regular basis.

Hopefully these will help the ADHD students in your classroom to be more successful. You can learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder at the ADHD Information Library.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity in the Classroom Hints for Classroom Teachers
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Teachers Should Write, During Their Summers

Author: Mark Barnes

Before I became a teacher, I was a sports writer. Working for a newspaper taught me a lot about writing, especially dealing with the pressures of deadlines. I enjoyed the writing so much that I started writing fiction about 10 years ago, during my time off.

Although many teachers take summer jobs, I have always used my time for family, recreation and writing. This is how I was able to complete my first novel, The League.

I know many teachers who are excellent writers. They teach at colleges, tutor high school and university students, and some even publish articles. Few live their dream, though, of publishing a novel. I've never truly understood their reasons.

This is the best profession in the world for writers. The time off is plentiful, and if you don't have to take another job, there's nothing like winter break, spring break and summer vacation for research and writing. Hopefully, those of you who are teachers and have considered writing short stories, children's books or even the great American novel will take my advice and start writing on your next extended break.

Don't blame time on not realizing your dream. Quit your part-time job, sit down at your computer and bang out that story. It's probably inside your head, just waiting for you to let it spill out. If you're a teacher, use your summer to write. I did, and now I'm a published novelist.

Mark Barnes is the author of the new novel, The League, the first work of fiction, based on fantasy football. He is also an investment real estate and home loan finance expert. Learn more about his suspense thriller at http://www.sportsnovels.com. Get his free mortgage finance course at http://www.winningthemortgagegame.com

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Teachers and School Supplies, Help Children, Educational Needs, Kids in Need

Author: Stuart Malkin

We need to insure that the children have adequate tools to meet their classroom needs are justified. This is a critical need.

Teachers in California (and elsewhere) have a plight now that is seriously affecting the empowerment of children. In California schools, there is not enough budget money to adequately provide classroom supplies in enough quality and quantity to insure excellent education. And for decades, many teachers have provided such supplies at their own expense. In some cases, paper, pencils, ink cartridges and yes, even books, have been provided at the expense of the teacher!

In past years, there has been both a Federal and a State tax allowance that helped teachers with this effort. But recently both the State and Federal tax breaks have been abandoned. Parent groups and others do donate supplies (I did), but there is still a significant shortfall. And with the explosion of class sizes, additional faculty means new (and younger) teachers... hardly able to add the burden of providing supplies to their own personal budgets.

Teachers spend large sums on school supplies that, in times past, were provided by the School Districts. The administrators are not to blame... budget crunches have serious impacted their ability to maintain current instructional levels. There are a few organizations around the country that are helping, but not enough.

Abstracted from �Empowering Children� by Dr. Stuart J. Malkin. Much more in the book at: http://www.buybooksontheweb.com/description.asp?ISBN=0-7414-2331-6

Dr. Malkin holds a B.Sc. in Business and a Masters and Ph.D. in Religion. He has made hundreds of visits to schools with a moving and effective motivational presentation, urging teens to do their personal best. His mentoring programs have empowered many, many children. His quest for years has been to teach the power of Right Action, working towards the goal of a better world.

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Teacher Tips: Your Room Set-Up and ADHD Students

Author: Douglas Cowan, Psy.D.

Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com. You can read over 500 classroom interventions at http://www.ADDinSchool.com.

Right from day one, make clear rules and post them, with logical consequences and with rewards.

Move the ADHD student's desk to where there are fewer distractions. Close to the teacher to monitor and encourage, or near a child who is better able to focus.

Privacy boards can work well, but should never embarrass the child.

Students with attentional problems do better in classrooms with four walls than in an "open pod" arrangement. Open pods allow too many visual and auditory distracters throughout the day.

It is usually better to use of rows for seating arrangement and to try to avoid tables with groups of students. Often the groups are too distracting for the ADHD child.

In the ideal setting, provide tables for specific group projects, and traditional rows for independent work. Of course, we are rarely in an ideal setting.

Every once in a while, try arranging desks in a horseshoe shape to allow for appropriate discussion while permitting independent work.

Your student's desk should be near the teacher (for prompting and redirection), away from other challenging students, and not touching others' desks. However, if you notice that your student looks around a lot to see where noises are coming from, because he is very auditorily distractible, he may benefit from being seated near the rear of the classroom. Experiment with seat location in the front of the classroom (near the board) and instructional area if your student is more visually distracted.

It is important for the teacher to be able to move about the entire room and to have access to all students. Practice "Management By Walking Around" in the classroom. The more personal interaction, the better.

Have all of the distractable students seated nearest to place in the class where you will give directions or lectures. At least as close as possible without being punitive.
To minimize distractions, seat the student away from both the hallway and windows

Keep a portion of the room free of obvious visual and auditory distractions. Have at least a part of the room free from bright, loud, or distracting objects.

Use desk dividers and/or study carrels carefully. Make sure they are used as a "study area option" rather than as a punishment.

Your student will function better when able to anticipate times requiring increased concentration. A visual representation of the day's schedule will provide another opportunity to internalize classroom routine.

Your student tends to lose focus and his activity?level may increase during the day. Therefore, schedule the most demanding attentional tasks in the morning.
In our desire to provide an engaging classroom for students, try to be aware of the auditory and visual distractions present. Attempt to place your student where these would have the least effect.

Seat those really smart and quiet girls next to the ADHD child.

Stand near the student when giving directions or presenting the lesson. Use the student's worksheet as an example.

We know that teachers are neither God to control the weather, nor the janitors to control the thermostats. But as best as you can, provide comfortable lighting and room temperature.

Use individual headphones to play white noise or soft music to block out other auditory distractions. Be sure the music is not too interesting so that it becomes a distraction.
It has become somewhat fashionable to play classical music, or baroque music, quietly in the background while students are working. This may, in fact, actually work.
Provide a quiet, carpeted space in the room as a special study section for independent reading.

Many students often bring their own distractions (toys) from home. Try to make a classroom rule about appropriate time/place to share them with classmates and limit their appearance in the classroom and on the desks. Establishing certain categories for classroom sharing on certain days can limit the number and type of items brought to school and make it more successful for the students.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

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Teacher Tips: Using Worksheets with ADHD Students

Author: Douglas Cowan, Psy.D.

Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com. You can read over 500 classroom interventions at http://www.ADDinSchool.com.

Here are some tips on using worksheets with your ADHD students...

Stress accuracy instead of quantity of work. This is really what you want as a teacher anyway.

The child is easily overwhelmed and discouraged. Reduce the quantity of work on a page. Instead of giving 30 problems on a page, give only five or six. Then the child won't be overwhelmed, and successes will build up his self-esteem.

Your student may tend to want to be "the first one done" on assignments. Set reasonable accuracy goals with him and collect the entire group's work at once to reduce time pressures.

Use larger type.

Keep page format simple. Include no extraneous pictures or visual destructors that are unrelated to the problems to be solved.

Provide only one or two activities per page. Have white space on each page. Use dark black print. (Avoid handwritten worksheets or tests.)

Use buff-colored paper rather than white if the room's lighting creates a glare on white paper.

Write clear, simple directions. Underline key direction words or vocabulary or have the students underline these words as you read directions with them. Draw borders around parts of the page you want to emphasize.

Divide the page into sections and use a system to cover sections not currently being used. If possible, use different colors on worksheets or tests for emphasis, particularly on those involving rote, potentially boring work. Have the students use colored pens or pencils.

Give frequent short quizzes and avoid long tests. Provide practice tests.

Provide alternative environments with fewer distractions for test taking.

Using a tape recorder, have the student record test answers and assignments or give the student oral examinations.

Shorten assignments. If the child can demonstrate adequate concept mastery in 10 or 20 questions/problems, don't require 30 or 40 problems.

Learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder at the ADHD Information Library.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

...

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Teacher Tips: Presenting Your Lesson to ADHD Students

Author: Douglas Cowan, Psy.D.

Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com. You can read over 500 classroom interventions at http://www.ADDinSchool.com.

Use peer tutoring whenever possible. Get older children to help your ADHD student, and perhaps allowing him to tutor a younger child.

Provide an outline with key concepts or vocabulary prior to lesson presentation.

ADHD kids are easily bored, even by you. Try to increase the pace of lesson presentation.

Include a variety of activities during each lesson. Use multisensory presentations, but screen audio-visual aids to be sure that distractions are kept to a minimum. For example, be sure interesting pictures and or sounds relate directly to the material to be learned.

Make lessons brief or break longer presentations into discrete segments.

Actively involve the student during the lesson presentation. Have the ADHD student be the instructional aid who is to write key words or ideas on the board.

Encourage the students to develop mental images of the concepts or information being presented. Ask them about their images to be sure they are visualizing the key material to be learned. Allow the students to make frequent responses throughout the lesson by using choral responding, frequently calling on many individuals, having the class respond with hand signals.

Try role playing activities to act out key concepts, historical events, etc. I have taught ADHD students the history of the Revolutionary War in the parking lot of the school, using cars, trees, and other objects to represent events and places in history. This can work well. Be creative!

Yes, it is possible for even you to bore a student. Work at teaching, motivating, and entertaining. The more exciting a subject is to a child, the better he will learn. Be excited about what you are teaching!

A small student to teacher ratio enables an increased amount of feedback during prime times of difficulty. Attempt to involve parent volunteers, para-professionals, or support staff in this capacity.

Your student will respond better to situations that he finds stimulating and engaging.

Varying the instructional medium and pace will help sustain his interest. Your student would probably find lessons that emphasize "hands-on" activities highly engaging.
Keeping the time required for sustained attention on task balanced with more active learning will improve his performance.

Use cooperative learning activities, particularly those that assign each child in a group a specific role or piece of information that must be shared with the group.
Develop learning stations and clear signals and procedures for how students transition from one center to another. Use game?like activities, such as "dictionary scavenger hunts," to teach appropriate use of reference/resource materials.

Interact frequently (verbally and physically) with the student. Use the student's name in your lesson presentation. Write personal notes to the student about key elements of the lesson.

Pair students to check work. Provide peer tutoring to help student's review concepts. Let ADHD students share recently learned concepts with struggling peer.

When presenting a large volume of information on the chalkboard, use colored chalk to emphasize key words or information.

Changes in instructor's voice level and variation in word?pacing will also increase his attention during instruction.

Make sure that your student establishes eye contact when receiving direction/instruction. This will improve his understanding and follow?-through on the task.

Your student will be more successful when given directions one step at a time. When a series of instructions are given, retention beyond the first direction is difficult.

Combine verbal directions with illustrations or demonstrations of the desired task. The use of multiple modes of instruction increases the probability of successful learning of the task.

After giving your student directions, have him paraphrase what the teacher has said. This will increase his comprehension and provide an opportunity to check for understanding.

Your student may tend to want to be "the first one done" on assignments. Set reasonable accuracy goals with him and collect the entire group's work at once to reduce time pressures.Learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder at the ADHD Information Library.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

...

Identifying Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the Classroom Eight Things Teachers Should
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