Awareness of Students with Diverse Learning Needs,
What the Teacher Needs to Know, Volume 1

Classroom Strategies

When the Student has not been Diagnosed

If you suspect a student in your class may have AD/HD but s/he has not been diagnosed, consider:

• Eliminating causal factors such as poor attendance, failure to understand instructions, under-stimulating environments, frequent family relocation, visual/hearing impairments and cultural deprivation. These may be contributing factors in delayed or poor learning habits and should be addressed in consultation with team members.
• Observing, describing and documenting behaviours across times and settings.
• Consulting with parents and the child on an information-sharing basis to encourage involvement and understanding and to provide consistency in behaviour.
• Refering to other professionals (school psychologist, doctor, psychiatrist) for a thorough assessment

When the Student has been Diagnosed

If a student in your class has been diagnosed as having AD/HD, consider the following strategies:

• Develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) to ensure an effective approach to learning.
• Develop a model of behaviour management which is compatible with both the home and classroom environment, and which is clear in its expectations, e.g., consequences, rewards. Students with AD/HD can be trained to monitor their own behaviours.
• Recognize the issue of compliance versus comprehension and be able to discriminate between these two types of behaviour.
• Set predictable intervals of "no-work" periods which the child may earn as a reward for effort. This helps increase attention span and impulse control through a gradual training process.
• Be familiar with the resources in your school and your community.
• Plan for success: break tasks into manageable sequential steps the student can handle, with frequent breaks which can be seen as rewards for appropriate behaviour. Provide a sequential checklist for longer assignments and projects.
• Help the student get started with individual tasks.
• Supplement oral instructions with visual reinforcement, such that the student can frequently check that s/he is following instructions (e.g., write the assignment on the board, photocopy printed instructions, use of an overhead, or have matched instructions on tape).
• Encourage the use of a homework journal so that the student with AD/HD has a record of assignments completed and those yet to be done. Another student could check to assure accuracy.
• If the student has difficulty taking notes, supply a copy of the notes from another student or from the teacher's notes.
• Frequent breaks can be created by allowing the student with AD/HD to compare responses with a strong student on assignments that require drill and practice such as math questions.
• Modify tests if necessary (e.g., provide extra time or divide the test into two parts to be completed at different times during the day).
• Modify assignments, if necessary (e.g., assign fewer questions in math, use contracts for longer assignments).
• Consider where the student with AD/HD is seated. A quiet seat in close proximity to the teacher could assist the student in staying on task.
• Offer a screened corner to your class as an earned privilege during scheduled times rather than a punishment. This avoids segregating the child who may need the screened corner to reduce distractions.
• Try a variety of teaching strategies including: assigning a peer tutor, class-wide peer tutoring, development of class meetings, and life-space interviewing.
• Give responsibilities that can be successfully carried out to help them feel needed and worthwhile.
• Work with the student to develop social interaction skills, e.g., interpreting non-verbal communication cues. Modeling and role playing along with reinforcement of appropriate skills tend to be most effective.
• When transitions or unusual events are to occur, try to prepare the child for what is to come by explaining the situation and describing appropriate behaviour in advance.
• Offer the student training in study skills, time management, organizational skills, communication skills and test taking.
• Assist the student in applying any new skills or strategies learned outside the classroom to all areas of classroom work.