How to Teach Children with ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is a disorder that affects children starting as young as 3 and can last throughout their entire adulthood. ADHD comes with specific symptoms that can make it quite challenging to teach children affected by the disorder in a traditional learning environment. Certain changes are needed to better help students suffering from ADHD learn.

Instructions

How to Teach Children with ADHD

• 1

  Create the right classroom learning environment. Certain measures need to be taken to help keep your ADHD student focused. Simple acts such as keeping his desk close to your desk, or placing him at the front of the class so that he is not distracted by looking at the students in front of him, can help create a learning environment free of distraction. Keeping him away from windows or doors that have views to the outside can also keep him on track while you are teaching.

• 2

  Have the student's parents set up a learning area at home. A large part of school includes homework. If the parents get on board the learning process and create a special learning area free of distractions at home, the student can double the amount of learning he is able to accomplish by working both at school and at home. Similar precautions should be taken at home to keep him in an area where he is not distracted while studying or working on homework.

• 3

  Adjust the student's assignments. Children with ADHD have a hard time balancing more than one task at a time. Loading the child with homework is a quick way to ensure that he gets too frustrated to finish even one of the tasks. Keep an encouraging attitude, and give the student any extra time that he may need. You may need to defuse the student from getting agitated or frustrated during the assignment. Keep a calm voice, and continue to encourage the child to finish the assignment while giving him as much help as is needed.

• 4

  Remain consistent with discipline. When a child is suffering from ADHD, it can be easy for him to give up on learning and act out instead. It is important that you establish firm rules and consequences ahead of time, and that you make the child aware of the consequences before he acts out. This both helps encourage the child to not act out, as well as creates a plan to quickly discipline him and get him back into a learning state of mind without having to argue or debate with the child.

• 5

  Create a schedule. Children with ADHD have a hard time dealing with change. Whether it be constant seating changes or even different times for assignments or tests, it can lead to a stressed-out child. Try to have specific days of the week that different learning events happen so that the child is not distracted or discouraged by too much change during the week.