How To Manage ADHD In The Classroom

By Timothy Taylor


Attention deficit - hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, affects a large number of children. Only in the USA, it is estimated that up to five million kids suffer from this unpleasant brain disorder that affects their life, their success in school and their behavior. They usually have difficulties controlling their emotions and actions, they have poor concentration and ADHD in the classroom might be difficult to handle.

There are many early symptoms of this disorder, and most usually start in early ages. Children easily get distracted, they tend forgetting things, often have troubles finishing different tasks, mostly because they usually switch from one activity to the other too quickly. They talk too much and often lose their things. Some run around all the time and cannot control their emotions. This can be hard to control at home, and especially in the classroom.

Including the lack of patience, all these symptoms usually cause different problems in school. The fact is that there is no real cure for this disorder, but things can get better when different therapies are used, including various medications, psychotherapies or the combination of these treatments. Combining medication and psycho social therapy is considered to be the best approach, according to medical experts in this field.

Anyway, there are some things the teacher can do to make their learning more successful. Creating positive, calm and predictable environment in their classrooms is something that will certainly have a very good effect on such children. Ordered environment and the teacher who is aware of their needs and provides clear and understandable rules and instructions, this can make a great difference.

The next thing any teacher should do is to get to know every child. Individual approach could make wonders, especially when the teacher knows exactly which approach worked the best for this child before. Talking to both the child and the parents, understanding child's needs and special characteristics, all these require time, but results with better understanding and easier interaction.

There are different methods that can be used for inspiring your students. If you recognize and reward their skills, efforts or talents, or a good behavior, maybe with a star, or an extra point, this might affect child's behavior. Pleasant environment, calming music, all this can additionally improve the quality of learning.

If the teacher notices that some children simply cannot stay concentrated any longer, it might be a good idea to make a pause and involve any kind of a physical activity. A simple exercise will be a welcome distraction, but it is highly important to explain this to the children. This way they will be able to understand that there is a time for doing something, and why is it so.

The teacher has to use a calm, gentle tone, not commands, and should never punish or blame children for something they cannot do at once. Divide lessons and tasks into smaller, simpler units, and insert a few questions now and then, just to provoke their interest. When dealing with hyperactive child, you may also assign some special assignment for this child to do, just to satisfy his or hers need to move.




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