Creating an ADDFriendly Classroom
Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D.
Presentation Overview
• How ADHD affects students
• What to look for in the classroom
• Description of an ADD-Friendly best
practices
• ADD-friendly classroom techniques
We now know that ADHD
affects many systems:
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Attention systems
Control/decision-making functions
Arousal system
Time awareness system
Memory functions
Attention System- Three
separate systems
1- focused on external stimuli –
distractibility
2- focused on internal
thoughts/memories - daydreaming
3- control and decision-making system
mediates between internal and
external attentional systems
ADHD is NOT short
attention span, but…
• A dysregulated attention system
including :
– Patterns of hyper-focus
– Less control re shifting focus
– Difficulty with voluntary control of
focus
ADHD affects
Control/Decision-making functions
• Prefrontal lobes are last part of
brain to develop
• ADHD symptoms can mimic
immaturity
ADHD affects the
brain’s arousal system
Reticular Activating System
Dysregulated arousal system can cause
1) hyperactivity,
2) hypoactivity, or
3) a combination of both
ADHD Affects the brain’s
TIME AWARENESS system
Time awareness functions located in
the basal ganglia and parietal lobe
Basal ganglia differences found in
ADHD
Poor time awareness affects all
aspects of planning and functioning
ADHD affects
Memory System in the Brain
• WORKING MEMORY – directions,
multi-step tasks
• FORGETFULNESS – lack of
awareness, events don’t register
• PROSPECTIVE MEMORY –
remembering to perform an action in
the future without reminder
Frontal Lobes: The
Brain’s “Executive”
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Associate
Organize
Plan
Initiate
Monitor
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Compare
Follow-through
Evaluate
Modify (selfregulate)
What does Inattentive ADD
look like in the Classroom?
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Messiness, disorganization, forgetfulness
Often doesn’t finish assignments
Off-course when called upon
More frequent teacher questions
Poor test performance compared to inclass work
Inattentive Type continued
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Withdrawn in class (shy, quiet)
Somatic complaints, frequent absences
Disheveled appearance
Often loses personal items
Trouble following multi-step directions
Careless errors
Problems with mechanics of writing
ADHD, Combined type girls in
the Classroom
• Hyper-social or hyper-talkative
• Loses temper easily - verbal aggression
toward peers
• Generally compliant toward rules (girls)
• Shows “minor” ADHD patterns fidgeting, frequent teacher solicitation,
messiness
Combined type girls,
(cont’d)
• Blames others
• Unaware of affect on others
• Rushes through assignments with
careless errors
• Misreads directions
• Chews fingers, twirls hair, taps pencil
• Frequently interrupts
Typical classroom behaviors
for Combined type boys
• Not as motivated to please teacher
• Out of seat behavior/restless, fidgets
• Openly bored, looks for ways to amuse
himself
• Class clown – looks for laughs from
fellow students
• Very hard to stick with demanding task
for more than a few minutes
Why (High) School is So ADDUnfriendly
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Fatigue - sleep deprivation
Boredom - little choice of classes
Demand for prolonged concentration
Little opportunity for movement
Distracting environment
Requires lots of memory, organization
ADD-unfriendly Practices
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Believes ADD is an “excuse.”
Yells, loses temper, intimidates
Rigid and inflexible teaching style
Lessons that are repetitive, noninteractive, not creative
• Disorganized classroom routines
• Refuses to remind or set up visual cues in
the classroom.
More ADD-unfriendly
practices
• Refuses to repeat – “if you’d been
listening you’d know”
• Tough-love approach to learning
• Believe that helping creates
dependence
• Motivates through criticism rather
than praise and encouragement
ADD-Friendly Teaching
• Excited about subject matter – gets
student excited
• Flexible - works with students to help
them create “niche environment”
• Encourages rather than criticizes
• Sophisticated understanding of how ADHD
affects wide range of brain functions
• Organized and clear course requirements
An ADD-Friendly Teaching
• Teaching style is fun, engaging,
interactive
• Problem-solves with student to
create accommodations (verbal cues,
in-box, squish ball, doodling)
• Uses multiple modalities to teach all
types of learners
• Allows students to select medium for
projects (skits/plays, graphic, aural)
ADD-Friendly Teaching
• Structure - teach use of day planners
• Reminders - re homework, quizzes, etc
• Active/interactive learning; highresponse opportunities
• Make it relevant to real life
• Using internet/email to be ADD friendly
• Check assignments/turn in assignments
on internet
• Mind-mapping training
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Multi-sensory methods
Addressing ADHD in the
Early Grades
• Restlessness/hyperactivity
– Don’t remove recess as a punishment –
– Find acceptable ways for children to
move within the classroom
– Fidget objects that don’t distract
others
– Permission to stand at times
– Balance ball seating or wiggle pads
Classroom Calm Down
Exercises
• Lower the lights
• Cue mood with music – play same calm pleasant
music – cues children to engage in calm down
activity
• Place heads on arms on desk, close eyes, lead class
through short guided imagery exercise imagining a
calm, peaceful place
Managing Restlessness in
the Classroom
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Fidget objects, stretch bands, wiggle seats
Maximize controlled movement in the classroom
Allow work while standing
Build in 3-minute movement exercises led by
teacher between periods of concentrated learning
• Structure the day so that periods of
concentration are followed by periods of
creativity or movement.
Classroom Quiet Down
Technique
• Speak in a softer and softer voice –
“If you can hear me, touch your
nose.”
• Notice and verbally reward children
that are listening – “Wonderful,
Adam!” “Great listening, Lise.”
Helping Young Students
Transition to Next Activity
• Give TRANSITION WARNING – in two minutes we’ll stop
_________.
• Use MUSICAL CUES for transitions
• Use ACTIVITY CHART at front of class – ask for show of
hands – Who knows what activity comes next?
• Raise your hand when you have your ____ materials out and
ready.
• VERBALLY NAME AND PRAISE each child as he or she
raises hand in readiness.
ADD-friendly Classroom
Techniques
STRESS
• Stress increases ADHD
symptoms
• Stress often related to:
– Overwhelm
– Anxiety
– Fear of failure
SOLUTION
• Teach relaxation and
focus techniques – begin
day with class-wide
relaxation and focusing
exercise
• Research supports
class-wide mindfulness
meditation training
ADD-friendly Classroom
Technique
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Cognitive Fatigue
• Cognitive fatigue
related to prolonged
– Concentration
– Decision-making
– Problem-solving
Solutions
• Green Break - Research
shows that exposure to
nature refreshes the
brain and decreases
ADHD symptoms
• Snacks to raise blood
glucose levels
• Exercise
ADHD-friendly Classroom
Technique
Poor impulse control
Self-discipline more
difficult and tiring
1) harder to maintain
effort
2) harder to resist
temptations
Solutions
• Self-control exercises
• Set reachable goals
• Remove temptations
• Frequent breaks
• More structure and
oversight
Classroom Games to
Increase Self-Control
• FREEZE – play music, everyone freezes when the
music stops, child must sit down if he moves. Last
one standing wins.
• MOTHER MAY I? Teaches children not to follow
initial impulse and ask for permission before
acting. Fun because children are giving the orders.
• TALKING STICK – group activities in which the
only one that may talk is the one holding the
talking stick.
Adding Interest to
Learning Activities
• PASS THE BALL – student with ball
tosses ball to another student who is
the next one to answer a question
from the teacher.
• TEAM PLAY – Boys with ADHD
tendencies often more engaged when
an academic activity is competitive
GIVING CHOICES
• Allows choices so that students can
learn skills while focusing on areas of
interests
• Choices of reading assignments that
appeal to the child.
Awareness of Brainbased challenges
• Emphasizes areas of strength
• Aware of developmental lags in
younger children
• Allows gifted children to move ahead
w/o emphasizing areas of weakness
(handwriting, spelling, careless
errors)
ADD-friendly Classroom
Technique
Restlessness
• Students with ADHD
have great need for
both minor and major
motor movement
Solutions
• Fidget objects
• Desks that allow variety
of positions
• Opportunities for
movement within
classroom
• Exercise breaks
ADD-friendly Classroom
Technique
Aerobic Exercise
1) Calms the brain
2) Increases focus
3) Enhances ability to learn
Spark by John Ratey, MD
ADD-friendly Classroom
Technique
Build “green breaks” into the day –
research shows that exposure to the
“green” of nature directly helps to
reduce ADHD symptoms.
ADD-friendly Classroom
Technique
Use friendly competition as a
motivator – to get it done, make it
fun!
Good technique for memorization of
math facts
ADD-friendly Classroom
Technique
Teach organizing skills on a daily basis.
Give each student a day planner and
then train them to use it throughout
the day, each day.
Tie new habits to existing ones.
Habits require less brain energy!
ADD-friendly Classroom
Technique
Make teaching highly relevant to the
“real” world outside of class.
Use role playing and peer feedback to
keep students actively engaged
ADD-friendly Classroom
Technique
• Use positive motivators rather than
negative ones (gold stars instead of
demerits)
• Make rewards appealing and as
immediate as possible – build in daily
as well as weekly rewards for desired
behaviors
ADD-friendly Classroom
Technique
• Teach strategies
• Then provide structure and support
to use strategies successfully
• Buddy system – for interactive
learning
• Accountability
ADD-friendly Schools
Provide
• Ability to turn in homework online
• Online support
– Homework
– Notes
– Outlines
How does ADHD affect
Writing?
• Planning and organization (topic, ideas, sequence,
structure of genre)
• Divergent thinking – ideas not linear
• Memory (working and long term)
• Self-monitoring (make sense? enough detail?)
• Editing (revision, proofreading)
• Speed of written output and production
ADHD-friendly
Written Language Strategies
• Use organizers for all written assignment
planning
• Provide models for all written assignments
• Instruct through modeled and guided writing
• Editing assistance
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A “Minus” in School/
A “Plus” in Life
Can’t sit still
- Distractible/Can’t
Focus
- Talks in class
- Wastes time-games
and TV
- Oppositional
- Impulsive
- Listening/reading
difficult for learning
- Doesn’t complete
projects
- Daydreams
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+ Energy & Drive
+ Notices everything
+ Good sales skills
+ Can hyper-focus on
projects that
interest him
+ Knows his own mind
+ Able to act quickly
+ Learns through
experience
+ Good at start-up
projects
+ Many creative ideas
Kathleen G. Nadeau, Ph.D.
Director
Chesapeake ADHD Center Of
Maryland
www.chesapeakeadd.com
Silver Spring/Annapolis
301-562-8448
[email protected]