How Teachers Can Help
Attention Deficit Disorder can lead to several different problems such as slow work completion, inconsistent accuracy in class work and homework, and poor study skills (DuPaul & Stoner, 1994). In order to decrease the problems that result from the disorder, teachers must accommodate and assist the children by using various techniques and ideas. Even though medication is widely used as an intervention for students with ADD, training in “organizational strategies, self-monitoring, self-evaluation, and self-instruction procedures can also help these students to perform better in general and special education settings (Shimabukuro & Prater, 1999).” Children with Attention Deficit Disorder need structure placed in
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“Teaching in a normal school is congruent with the "left-brained" educational system that emphasizes orderliness, sequentially and familiarity…ADD children are right-brained, visual and random in their processing.”(Kai, p.27). The teacher should make the instructions clear and easily understandable. Complex instructions to assignments should be simplified and instructions repeated clearly (Kidsource, 2000). When giving assignments to students, teachers must modify them. This means that the time given to complete the task should be based on the teacher’s knowledge of how the student works. Children with ADD often become frustrated when working. In order to reduce this, teachers must monitor and support them frequently. Positive reinforcers can be used as a form of support as well as verbal encouragement. (Kidsource, 2000).
Other interventions have been devised in order to assist students in learning. One such intervention is computer-assisted instruction. The benefits of it include individualized instruction, immediate feedback, consistent correction and motivation. It is more interesting then typical class work and provides highly stimulating and fun activities (ADDinschool). In fact, in a study by DuPaul and Stoner,
From the research, children with ADD/ADHD seem difficult to control and teach. It has been discovered that these children act different in home and school. At school, they have difficulties sitting still for a long time, blurting out, distracting others, and completing assignments in a timely manner. Joined with other children in the class, the teacher is unable to give them the one-on-one time that is needed to make sure everyone succeeds, academically. Most of the time, preschools children with ADD/ADHD fail their grade and do not learn the required information in education because of the common disorder that takes over their body and mind.
Read the article Diagnosis Coding and Medical Necessity: Rules and Reimbursement by Janis Cogley located on the AHIMA Body of Knowledge (BOK) at http://www.ahima.org.
Some of the most common words moving around in the psychiatric circle are attention Deficit; hyperactivity; Ritalin; ADD, ADHD. These words are being most commonly discussed by most educators, physicians, psychologists and young parents in the society today. In spite of extensive advancements in technology which has brought new insights into the brain and learning, there is still a lacuna in the field of problems faced by children who are unable to remain focused on the task given to them in the classroom owing to their inability to pay attention.
Attention Deficit Disorder better known as ADD and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder ADHD are diseases mostly discovered in children that have difficulty staying on task and focused in a classroom setting. Children take certain medications to help them concentrate and stay on task. Parents believe that medicating students will allow them to better fit in school. Schools believe that if students take these certain medications, it will help them perform better on assignments and on tests. Teachers think that students will be able to adapt to the learning curriculum better.
The students in this resource class had learning or behavioral disorders including: ADD, ADHD, or intellectual disabilities. By observing the students, I noticed most seemed anxious, rested or impatient. I think these characteristics related to them having an attention disorder. Students were impatient while waiting to answer questions or easily disrupted the class with a random thought. Some students had trouble staying focused and would look around the room. The teacher would have to say let’s stay focused or pay attention throughout the lesson.
Carbone’s rationale for his research begins with his knowledge that students with ADHD do not have a mental retardation, but the disorder holds them back from grasping important information being taught when they behave inappropriately or are mentally detached during a lesson. Evidently, he says these psychological facts prove that teachers now have to work more on a student’s strengths rather than do nothing for a child who will grow to have a worse condition. Carbone believes that too often, teachers make changes in the classroom after a child’s inattention has caused him or her to fall significantly behind. The article recognizes the increasing importance of teachers being prepared for the likelihood that
I have dealt with the highest degree of Attention Deficit Disorder. Between disorganization, inability to focus, and my impulsive nature to ditch homework lead to the school being my worst nightmare. Education didn’t agree with my insomnia or interests. When talking with adults about things that interested me, they would proclaim I was one of the smartest children they had ever met. Intelligence means nothing in the real world if you can’t manage yourself to focus on things that matter. The most frustrating and motivating aspect was teachers who thought I was just lazy and didn’t want to succeed. It was motivational because it created the drive for me to prove that I was worth more than my predisposition of ADD. ADD is in its own way a minority because while some may see it as a disorder there are certain nuances that suggest otherwise. For example, individuals with ADD can focus and perform just as well as anyone else if they are interested in what they are doing. ADD is also linked to higher levels of creativity. Why not create an academic environment that allows children to both learn and be interested in what they are
It is estimated that between 3 and 12 percent of the population has to deal with conditions known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). This equals approximately 3 million children in the United States alone. Both of these disorders (ADD and ADHD) exhibit the same traits leading them to be lumped together. Children affected by ADD or ADHD have behavior and emotional problems. Trouble concentrating on simple tasks, a short attention span, failing to give attention to details, and disruptive behavior are a few of the problems resulting from
Many adults and caregivers do not know what Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is and therefore do not know how to properly care for those children. They believe that because their children have ADD, they will not be able to learn or succeed in a normal class with other normal students. The truth is that only 1 out of every 35 students with ADD need additional help outside of the classroom because they are not sufficiently learning in it(Cowan). Many teachers and parents believe that putting children with ADD in specialized classes will help them to overcome their problems and become more successful in the classroom, but instead it will slow down their learning process,
Although the progression of ADD was a long and never ending process, myths surrounding ADD still manage to accumulate. The only way to put these myths to rest is to become educated on the facts about ADD and help raise awareness. One of the greatest misunderstandings is that a person with ADD cannot also have other psychiatric disorders. The “debunk” of the myth is that ADD usually overlaps other disorders and people with ADD are actually more likely to have other psychiatric or learning disorder than most other people. The most common disorders that co-occur with ADD are: Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is negative, hostile and defiant behavior; Conduct Disorder (CD) is behavior that violates others basic rights or society’s rules; Anxiety is excessive worry, occurring very frequently and is difficult to control; Depression (which can come in many forms), is marked by trouble concentrating, sleeping, and feelings of guilt; and Learning Disabilities are problems with reading, writing, or mathematics or testing. These mental health conditions can be the result, addition to ADD, or mistaken for ADD. Another belief is that ADD doesn’t destroy or cause much damage to a person’s life. In actuality, if untreated ADD syndrome may severely impair learning, education, work life, family life, social interactions, and over-all safety. Thankfully, most people with ADD that receive sufficient
Some students have major difficulties in life when faced with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or more commonly referred to as “ADHD” , although if recognized early by noticing symptoms this disorder can be properly treated and contained causing minimal troubles for the victim. ADHD will distinguish itself commonly at an early age. There are exceptions to this with ADHD in adults. Some people can go years without noticing their disorder. These people in particular fall to the devastating effects of this disorder. They do have the power in their
The National Institute of Mental Health (2016) describes Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as a neurodevelopment disorder that has an effect on someone 's functioning or development. ADHD affects the way someone functions because of the chronic conditions of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. However, it is possible that while some people with this neurodevelopment disorder experience both hyperactivity and inattention, that others may only experience one of the behaviors. Although Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) is not a term used in the medical field anymore, I will still explain the difference. ADD is a type of ADHD that is also a brain disorder that has an effect on someone 's functioning, but without the hyperactivity or impulsivity behaviors (Kinman, 2015). When a student has the symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity associated with ADHD and ADD, then it may cause learning challenges in the classroom that will impact their academic success. Therefore, it is crucial for teachers to know and understand how to identify ADHD in their students, what to do when they suspect that one of their students may have ADHD, and what teaching strategies will be beneficial to that student.
Teacher referrals are normally where the school system gets the first idea that a child may have an ADD or AD/HD problem. Parents are not good judges due to their day-to-day contact with their children and are less likely to recognize the symptoms. Parents will normally sit down with the teachers and try to figure out what could work to help the child get back on track. A determination can be made at this time as to whether the family would like for their child to see the school psychologist. The school psychologist can, in a sit down meeting with the child, usually determine within five minutes whether the child has ADD or AD/HD. Once the diagnosis has been made that the child has the disorder, the psychologist will administer some tests to determine where the child has the most difficulties. These tests can include but are not limited to hearing, reading, and comprehension. A lot of children with ADD or AD/HD will have problems with auditory processing because they cannot pay attention long enough to get the information clearly. A clear example of this is, if I give my son three directions such as, take the trash out, feed the dog and close the door, all it would take is one distraction, and some of these tasks may not be completed. Some
Given the facts presented in the article, it’s hard to argue with its conclusion that primary and secondary teachers need to be better prepared to deal with the large number of students with ADD. It’s also difficult to argue with the practical and reasonable recommendations for improving the situation that the authors suggest.
The educational system has a lot of high expectations for children. From an early age, they have to spend most of the day submerged in studying difficult subject matters. There are few breaks in between their lessons, since recess time has been shortened to just a fraction of what it used to be. This increases the mental strain that they have to endure. Most children are able to adapt well enough to keep this up year after year. However, if there are any psychological problems present, this is very difficult for them to do, especially in cases of attention deficit disorder. Because of this, it is very important that parents read the following information about the disorder's symptoms, causes, and treatment options.