ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER:
WHAT TEACHERS SHOULD KNOW
Index
ATTENTION
DEFICIT DISORDER:
The child who
repeatedly disrupts your class and who seldom
completes assignments may not be deliberately
troublesome, but could be showing signs of
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Similarly, a
student who constantly stares out of the window
might not be intentionally ignoring you, but
instead could be demonstrating behavior caused
by ADD. This disorder causes impulsive behavior,
difficulties in focusing attention, and
sometimes hyperactivity. Fortunately, when ADD
is identified correctly, a program that combines
supervised medication and teaching strategies
designed to modify behavior can lead to success
in the classroom.
Like other
children with disabilities, students with ADD
are helped best when the teacher understands the
students' special problems and makes some
modifications to the instructional program.
However, you do not have to face these
challenges alone; teachers work as part of a
team that includes administrators, special
educators, school psychologists, healthcare
professionals, and the parents.
Many children
with ADD are not identified until they enter
school. A child's impulsiveness, inattention,
and hyperactivity are most visible in the
classroom because they interfere with learning.
While teachers are not required to make the
final diagnosis of ADD, you can help these
children by recommending that a child who
frequently demonstrates these behaviors be
checked for ADD or other learning problems.
Specialized teaching strategies can also work
even before formal identification of the child's
problem.
The students who
should be referred to specialists are those who
persistently do not listen and those who give
the impression of not knowing what is happening
in class. Such children may have difficulty
determining what is important and focusing on
it. While other children occasionally may become
bored with a topic and stop paying attention for
a time, children with ADD appear distracted
frequently and for long periods of time,
regardless of the tasks assigned. Children with
ADD have difficulty concentrating on a task and
often move from one assignment to another
without finishing any work. They behave
impulsively, without pausing to think about the
consequences of their actions. In general, a
child with ADD seems immature, his or her
behavior resembles that of a younger child.
Many children
with ADD are hyperactive, fidget when seated,
and constantly run around in the classroom.
Overexcited, they cannot wait their turn and
blurt out answers to questions without waiting
for the teacher to call on them. These
characteristics are persistent, present in
different settings and with different
activities, and severely interfere with the
child's learning.
If you suspect a
student's behavior is caused by ADD or another
learning disorder, it is helpful to keep a diary
of the child's behavior for documentation,
noting how much work the student completes and
how often the student leaves his seat. Write
down the time of each disturbance and the
activity the child was supposed to be doing.
Other factors may
cause student behavior that resembles symptoms
of ADD; they include child abuse, drug use,
prolonged deprivation, disorganized or limited
home or school environments, and other
developmental problems and psychological
disorders. Therefore, consult with the school's
special education staff and psychologist to see
if they know of other circumstances that explain
the behavior. Show them your notes on the
child's behavior and how those notes show
possible signs of ADD. Explain how you attempted
to resolve the problems and how the student
responded.
Contact parents
early in the process to describe the problems
with the child. They may have already
investigated their child's behavior or have
concerns of their own. They may have information
that can help explain other factors influencing
the behavior.
If the child
behavior specialist or the parents decide that
the child should be systematically checked for
ADD, the administration will call a conference
with a team of parents, teachers,
administrators, health care professionals,
school psychologists, and other specialists.
Your role at this conference is to describe the
behavior you observed and how that behavior is
interfering with the child's learning.
During the
evaluation process, you may be asked to complete
a standardized rating form and answer questions
about the child and his or her behavior. You may
also be asked to try other classroom
accommodations and evaluate their effects on the
progress of the child. A specialist in ADD will
come to the classroom to observe the student's
behavior. In addition, if the team decides the
child has ADD, you will play a major role in
designing a specialized plan to improve the
child's academic performance.
Between 60 and 90
percent of students with ADD are treated with
some form of medication. Due to legal issues, a
teacher should not recommend medication;
however, you may suggest the parent take the
child to a doctor for examination.
If medication is
prescribed by a doctor, ask parents about the
type of medication prescribed, when the
medication is to be taken, and what side-effects
might develop. A proper dose of medication
should not make the child sleepy or lifeless,
but should enable the child to focus on his or
her work without being easily distracted.
While medication
can reduce children's hyperactive behavior
temporarily, it does not solve the academic
problems experienced by children with ADD, and
most studies show that medication has few
long-term benefits on academic achievement and
social adjustment. Instead, medication is a tool
that facilitates the use of other methods for
helping students with ADD. For example, a child
will complete more work when the child's
academic schedule is coordinated with the
medication so that most of his or her schoolwork
can be finished while the medication is calming
the child's behavior.
The child should
not take the medication without an adult
present, and your school's policy may require
the school nurse to administer the medicine. The
school or the parents should inform all of the
child's teachers about the medication so they
can be alert for side-effects and medical
problems.
Secrets
of Successful Schools
The schools that
are most successful in helping students with ADD
make certain that individual student differences
are reflected in the design of their education
plans. The teachers and administrators
demonstrate a common commitment to working with
students with ADD, understand the complexity of
the disorder, and believe strongly in the
services they are providing to all children.
Such schools work as a team to deal effectively
with students with ADD by matching techniques
and modifications to students' individual
potential and methods of learning. Since
students with ADD often are rejected by their
fellow students, successful schools train
students with ADD in social skills and pair them
with non-ADD peers. These schools serve as
partners for parents and develop a common
understanding of goals and objectives, as well
as a common plan to carry out those objectives
and communicate any progress or problems.
Responsive
schools organize their programs and instruction
to meet the special needs of all students,
including those with ADD. In redesigned
programs, the entire class participates in a
management system that does not separate the
child with ADD from the rest of the group.
Programs range from a simple "target
behavior of the day" with an immediate
reward system to an elaborate system of
"levels," in which each level has
specific rules and privileges. Schools vary
their activities, use cooperative learning and
games as part of their strategy, and provide
additional training for teachers who need it.
Many schools use
a checklist to help classroom teachers, special
education teachers, and parents communicate. One
school developed a system in which parents
reward at home their child's behavior in school.
Parents in that school meet with teachers and
come to a mutual agreement about targeting
certain specific behaviors. During class, the
teacher monitors and evaluates students'
behavior. The children are given feedback and
notes on their behavior, and they gain or lose
privileges at home based on their behavior at
school.
Successful
schools realize that students with ADD are not
"problem children," but children with
a problem. They encourage the school, parents,
and teachers to work together with the child
with ADD in order to help that child develop
skills and work habits that he or she will need
to be successful in school and in life.
You do not have
to wait for a formal decision to evaluate the
child for ADD before starting these strategies.
Many of these will be effective even if the
student does not have ADD but has other problems
causing inattention, distractibility, and/or
hyperactivity.
Teachers work
with a team of parents, administrators, special
educators, school psychologists, health care
professionals, and other child professionals to
support their efforts. This team will help you
develop accommodation plans that may modify the
physical arrangement of the classroom, lesson
presentation, work assignment, test-taking
methods, or classroom management as necessary.
The plan will specify what accommodations will
be made and how the team will work together.
Students with
ADD, and other attention or behavior problems,
do best in a structured classroom -- one where
expectations and rules are clearly communicated
to them, and where academic tasks are carefully
designed for manageability and clarity.
In addition,
teachers can break down assignments into
smaller, less complex units, and build in
reinforcement as the student finishes each part.
Students with ADD may need more time (especially
on tests) than other students. You can give a
student confidence by starting each assignment
with a few questions or activities you know the
student can successfully accomplish.
Some teachers
have found that pairing a student with ADD with
another student or dividing the class into
cooperative groups can be an effective way to
encourage the student to concentrate on the
work.
Because no two
children with ADD are alike, no single
educational setting, practice or plan will be
best for all children. Instead, teachers can
help all students by identifying students'
individual strengths and special learning needs
and designing a plan for mobilizing those
strengths to improve students' academic and
social performance.
Although students
with ADD are easily distracted, simple methods
can help them focus their attention. These
include: placing students near your desk or in
the front row; maintaining eye contact with the
students; using gestures to emphasize points;
and providing a work area away from
distractions. Reduce the amount of materials
present during work time by having the student
put away unnecessary items. Have a special place
for tools, materials, and books.
Students may need
both verbal and visual directions. Provide the
child with a model of what he or she should be
doing. Periodically remind the student of the
assignment.
You can help
students shift from one task to another by
providing clear and consistent transitions
between activities or warning students a few
minutes before changing activities. Similarly,
when you ask a student with ADD a question,
begin the question with the child's name and
then pause for a few seconds as a signal to the
child to pay close attention.
Recent research
suggests that providing more stimulation and
variety can improve the performance and behavior
of students with ADD. You can alter the type of
assignment, the activities involved, or even the
color of the paper used.
Communication
with parents is essential when working with ADD.
A simple way to improve communication is to use
a checklist system for parents that records when
a student achieves a goal or objective, such as
arriving on time, being prepared, and completing
classroom work. For each subject, the child
should write down the homework and then show it
to the teacher so that it can be checked for
correctness. At the end of the class, repeat the
homework assignment out loud as a reminder.
Parents will then use the checklist to ensure
the child completes the homework.
Students with ADD
may need more help than their peers in learning
strategies to help them study and organize their
work more efficiently. Help in these areas may
include focusing on listening skills, outlining
structure, task structuring, and notebook
organization. Teach students techniques for
taking notes from both lectures and textbooks.
Some teachers have found it helpful to give
their students an outline for their notes and to
list the main ideas or concepts in advance.
Children with ADD
respond well to a behavior management system in
which rewards are given for good behavior.
Reward systems encourage students to work toward
earning privileges or rewards by gaining points
for desired behavior and losing points for
undesirable behavior. If you use this system
with younger children, you may want to make
charts or use tokens or stickers to show
students the consequences and positive results
of their behavior.
An effective
management system concentrates on a few
behaviors at a time, with additional behavior
patterns added when the first ones are mastered.
The reinforcement is something the student is
willing to work for (or to avoid). The teacher
gives or removes points immediately, according
to the behavior, so the child understands why he
or she is being rewarded or punished. While
older children may be willing to work toward a
deferred reward, younger children may need
immediate reinforcement.
You can help
children with ADD behave in a disciplined manner
in the classroom by establishing a few rules
which result in immediate consequences when they
are broken. Give the child specific rules that
are phrased positively in terms of what the
child should do. When you praise and reward the
student for good behavior and punish for
inappropriate behavior, the child can see you
apply the rules fairly and consistently.
Another proven
strategy used by teachers is to provide a
specified time-out location to which the student
can go when he or she is not in control. This
should not be seen as a punishment but as a
place for the student to go for a few minutes to
calm down. Older students can be taught to sense
when they are getting out of control and go to
the time-out area on their own.
For hyperactive
children, you may want to establish active tasks
such as cleaning the blackboard or leading the
class to the lunchroom as rewards for good
behavior.
Since children
with ADD have difficulty understanding different
rules for different places, parents and teachers
benefit from working together to develop a
consistent set of rules and a similar management
system. When teachers and parents communicate
with each other about a child with ADD, they
increase the likelihood that he or she will be
able to learn effectively.
Credits:
Published By
Division of Innovation and Development Office of
Special Education Programs Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services U.S.
Department of Education This document was
developed by the Chesapeake Institute,
Washington, D.C., with The Widmeyer Group,
Washington, D.C., as part of contract
#HS92017001 from the Office of Special Education
Programs, Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, United States
Department of Education. The points of view
expressed in this publication are those of the
authors and do not necessarily reflect the
position or policy of the U.S. Department of
Education.
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