Title of Product
Teaching students with AD/ADHD
Name of Author(s)
Not indicated
Name of Producer
Helpguide.org
Date of Production
Not indicated
Language of the review
English
Language of the product
English
Type of product
Online Publication
Thematic Area
Identification of students’ at risk, Students with learning difficulties
Website of the Product
www.helpguide.org (ATrusted Non-Profit Resource)
Home/AD/ADHD in Children – AD/ADHD&School – Related Articles
Description of Contents
This guide for teachers shows both the characteristics of students with problems of hyperactivity and / or attention problems, and the possible strategies to be adopted as a teacher to manage the behaviour induced by the problem, being able to achieve significant learning in students with ADHD and in the class group involved. Hyperactive students have difficulty in controlling compulsive behaviour. From the point of view of teaching, these aspects are particularly highlighted: they fail to work in groups and reveal problems with procedures that require a sequence in the steps to be completed.
A profitable teaching management to ensure the educational success is identified in the synergy of three main components: adaptation of spaces in the classroom and of the knowledge we’re meant to propose, methodology appropriate to times, ways and styles of learning for the pupil in question, prevention of behaviours that adversely affect the level of attention of the students. For the latter it is suggested the use of sound "signs", manuals or verbal, shared by the hyperactive student as indicators of "stop" to the disruptive behaviour.
With regard to the first component of action it is highlighted the need for an “ ad hoc” provision of places of ADHD pupils in the workplace, so that you can avoid distracting elements (such as proximity to windows) and the identification of an area of the classroom or of the school dedicated to the recreation and one to the silent study.
Other key aspects, which are held as very important, are: the best management of time in lectures, the carrying out of more complex tasks in the early hours of the morning and the division of long-term work in distinct segments, with final gratification (assignment of a "prize" at the end of each step successfully achieved).
The hyperactive pupil is generally disorganized and the teacher has a duty to help him in the management of school items and useful study materials. For the teaching methodology it has been given detailed suggestions concerning the conduct of the lesson: it must be accurately specified to pupils the real moment of start and end of the explanation, which must be articulated using more tools in order to stimulate especially the visual attention for the understanding of the topic;
it is not recommended to ask questions in front of the whole class group, in order to avoid the sense of frustration about the possibility of a mistake, with a lower level of self-esteem.
What the teacher should always do is make sure that the instructions about the work to do are clear and always given in the same way.
They must be also communicated to the family.
Review
- Clarity of structure, logical sequence of contents
The guide has a brief introduction which outlines the features of the students AD and ADHD. The content as a whole is divided into sections and subsections marked with a title. The topics are exposed to points, with quite short explanations. For the goals the guide aims to, the typical features of the ADHD pupil are described both in relation to the issue of critical behaviors in the school context, and to the specificity of learning styles.
In addition to this aspect, the treatise provides insights into what the teacher can do to help ADHD pupils and possible measures to minimize distraction and frequent interruptions. The "Organization" section is the concluding paragraph and it is structured in order to give practical guidelines to coordinate the various phases of the lesson.
- Educational and learning value
The article is in line with the general philosophy of the portal from which it is drawn. In fact it is clearly stated that what is published has only informational purposes and does not replace the value of the theoretical / clinical aspect. It's a very practical indication, based on attention to aspects that are often considered to be secondary for a teacher (such as the preparation of the environments and suitable spaces) but, instead, form the perfect starting point for the management of the problem itself.
- Quality and relevancy of content
The content is rich in suggestions, sometimes even very simple but nonetheless it gives a sense of effectiveness. The ADHD student is seen both from the perspective of the personalization of teaching and in the context of the class.
- Compatibility of the content with the target group
The publication is relevant to the target group identified. The teacher who has an ADHD student in his class is well reflected in the various contexts described. It refers mostly up to secondary school teachers of Middle School, the period in which the effects of the disorder are markedly visible.
Please also give an overall evaluation of the product
The content is a little different from the usual guidelines, often very general and poorly operating. The management of the problem is covered in its entirety and complexity, from the environmental planning to the individualized planning, to the organization in the class group, ending with the preparation of domestic work.
It’s possible to observe that the clinical recognition of ADHD is not always accepted by the parents, who often do not put the school in the right position to consider these students as being “ recognized carriers", thus laying the basis for a probable school failure of the pupil; the well-discussed description of the events of pupils with ADHD gives a good idea of how difficult it is to distinguish what is "pathological" from what is a simple attitude to be changed by the teacher.
Please dedicate a specific section to:
- The transferability potential
The aid is intended to specific cases, but some steps can be considered valid in real cases. It’s useful to discuss, for example, whether to expose a student always and anyway in front of the classmates during oral tests, or on the effectiveness of spending time on particularly long explanation of procedures that may themselves be a source of distraction and loss of concentration.
.
Points of strength and of weakness (if any)
Points of strength:
1) Beware of the speed of learning of individual pupils.
2) Sense of efficiency at the basis of a good perception of the self for the ADHD student.
3) Clarification about the educational value of the operative command in relation to the general rule.
4) Centrality of the student in relation to his school, which has the task of adapting to the student in difficulty, even derogating from generally acquired customs such as the traditional arrangement of desks in the classrooms.
5) The key role of monitoring and making sure of intermediate levels achieved.
Points of weakness:
1) This article is not accompanied by real stories, which serve instead to give greater sense of validity for those who look at the guide.
2) It is not considered the opportunity for the teacher to make use of other professionals/experts (for example, the school employees) that can act in synergy with the teacher to ensure the educational success of ADHD students
