Effective Classroom Strategies for Children with ADHD
All public schools are required to provide Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for
children with specific learning disabilities. Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are eligible for reasonable accommodations or supports and services under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation act of 1973.
Students with ADHD face obstacles that may interfere with learning. Using the child’s IEP, schools must develop effective strategies to reduce the effects of ADHD in the classroom. Parents, classroom teachers, special education teachers, administrators, counselors, and school psychologists can all work together to facilitate learning and improve outcomes.
Classroom Challenges for Students with ADHD
After parents, teachers are often the most influential adults in a child’s life. Teachers can have a valuable impact by developing classroom policies and designing curricula to accommodate the needs of children with ADHD.
Regular communication between teachers and parents is essential for assisting students with ADHD and helping them meet their academic goals. Classroom challenges faced by students with ADHD may include:
- Difficulty paying attention
- Difficulty sitting still
- Difficulty regulating their feelings
- Difficulty transitioning between activities
- Limited impulse control
- Self-esteem issues
Classroom Accommodations for Children with ADHD
There are a number of steps that teachers can take to create a learning environment that’s more accommodating for students with ADHD. When teachers are aware of the challenges that the students with ADHD are facing at school, they can design a classroom that’s more conducive to the child’s needs.
Classroom design, seating arrangements, and modified learning activities can all be used to enhance the child’s self-discipline, boost self-esteem, and promote positive learning outcomes.
Effective classroom accommodations and instruction tailored to meet the needs of children with ADHD include:
- Minimizing classroom distractions
- Providing hands-on activities
- Allowing extra time on tests
- Segmenting activities
- Increasing the number of classroom breaks
- Providing opportunities for students to move around
- Avoiding long and repetitive assignments
- Designing challenging but attainable goals that match the child’s skill level
- Providing organizational tools such as homework folders
- Limiting the number of details students have to keep track of
- Increasing active student participation
- Allowing students to work through problems in a group or pairs
- Helping students develop time management skills
- Increasing options to demonstrate mastery, such as oral reports and hands-on project
Classroom Management Strategies for Students with ADHD
Children with ADHD can become easily frustrated in a classroom setting. They require a lot of structure, but they can also rebel if they feel like they are being overly restrained.
Classroom teachers will want to involve students with ADHD, parents, counselors, special education teachers, and school psychologists as much as possible when developing a classroom management plan that accommodates the needs of children with ADHD. Maintaining regular communication with parents of children with ADHD can be very helpful.
Effective classroom management techniques for achieving positive educational outcomes for students with ADHD include:
- Rewarding positive behavior frequently
- Providing regular and predictable daily routines
- Providing regular supervision
- Providing parents with daily or weekly report cards
- Seating the child near the front of the classroom
- Posting a list of short and specific classroom rules
Is Your Child with ADHD Getting the Services They Need?
Parents of children with ADHD have the right to be present at IEPs, and you should be consulted regarding the instructional needs of your child. If your child isn’t receiving the services and support they deserve, contact Woodsmall Law Group right away.
We serve children with special needs and their parents in Los Angeles County, focusing on the San Gabriel Valley. We have been helping families make the most out of their educational opportunities for over 18 years.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s placement or the services they are receiving, please call (626) 440-0028 to schedule a FREE initial consultation. We speak English and Spanish.