Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Federally recognized under IDEA as an Other Health

Impairment
Federal Definition of OHIa child having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened
alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect
to the educational environment that is due to a chronic or acute health problem
(such as ADHD), AND adversely effects a childs educational performance.
Common Characteristics of children with ADHD
Academic difficulty focusing and completing tasks, forgetfulness, loses things,
makes careless mistakes, inattentive
Social lack of restraint or impulse control (leads to difficulties with friends),
talking non-stop, interrupting, has problems playing with others
Behavioral lack of impulse control leads to anger management issues, not
listening when directly spoken to, difficulty following directions
Functional difficulty sitting still
Strengths of Children with ADHD
Read well, good at art, good at gross motor skills and athletics, helpful, good
with computers, variety of interests, good with animals
Parent Communication

Keep parents informed of homework assignments due (use online resources)

so they can help ensure they get completed

Give parents a 2nd set of books/materials to keep at home so things dont get
lost or forgotten on the way to and from school

Watch for negative side effects of medications taken and inform parents right
away if seen

Keep parents in the loop on activities and projects coming up so they can
have extra time to prepare and extra time to work on projects.

Ask parents what works well at home parents know their kids the best!
Educator Resources

ADDitude Magazine

ADHD Together

CHADD.org

Learning Disabilities Association of America (has ADHD specific info)

Specific Strategies for Learners with

ADHD
Classroom Accommodations

Move seat to front, center, away from distractions, near well-behaved

student
Provide balance balls for children to help with wiggles and fidgets
Provide standing desks for children to stand instead of sitting
Peer Tutoring
Set clear rules at the start of a class and be consistent with enforcement
Decreased noise in classrooms during reading time to improve concentration

Instructional Strategies

Behavioral Interventions Including:

Frequent Feedback on what the student is doing
Behavior Specific Parise to specifically let students know what they are
doing well and should continue to do
Classroom Token Economies (stickers, smiley faces, etc)
Establish a cost for inappropriate behaviors
Cognitive Behavioral Approaches

Learners self-manage behavior by recording actual behaviors compared with

goal behaviors
Compare learners written record of behaviors with teachers record
Slowly fade out the teacher recording component
Problem Solving and Self Instruction taught to follow a series of steps to
accomplish a goal
Initiated by the teacher, but with a goal of students making it their own

References
Berger, F.K. (2014, February 24). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: MedlinePlus Medical Encycylopedia. Retrieved
January 25, 2016, from https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001551.htm
Lessing, A. & Wulfsohn, R. (2015). The potential of behaviour management strategies to support learners with Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the classroom. Education as Change. 19:1, 54-77.

Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2015). Exceptional Learners (13th ed).
Upper Saddle River; NJ, Pearson, Chapter 7.
Trout, A.L., Ortiz, T., Reid, R. & Epstein, M.H. (2007). A review of non-medication interventions to improve the academic
performance of children and youth with ADHD. Remedial and Special Education. 28(4). 207266.