ADHD Accommodations And Study Tips For ADHD Students in Primary, Middle & High School

ADHD students have higher rates of problems in schools, higher rates of suspension, higher rates of dropouts, addictions, crime, all 3 eating disorders, car crashes, lower post-secondary entrance rates and higher post-secondary drop out rates and suicides.

See The Economic Costs of ADHD By Dr. Margaret Weiss. 

Yet politicans on ALL sides of the political spectrum neglect them and discriminate against their human rights.

So in regards to how to teach ADHD students, learning different accommodations for ADHD is very important to give ADHD students a fighting chance.

Hint to teachers, if a child has ADHD, remember, ADHD is the number 2 genetically inherited condition. 80% genetic.

So it’s important that the parents get screened for ADHD too, if not for themselves, then for the benefit of their ADHD child.

If the mother or father or both are in denial or minimization about their ADHD, (which may often look different than the child’s ADHD) they will often be in denial or minimization about their child’s ADHD.

This creates worse outcomes at school and at home, and it’ll be harder for you to teach them.

Let alone higher divorce rates. Which will often create even worse outcomes for them and make it even harder for you to teach them.

Here’s a 5 minute Harvard Adult ADHD Screening Test, and 10 ways to manage adult ADHD.

Here’s a list of many different types of accommodations for elementary, middle and high school students with ADHD.

50 Tips on the Classroom Management of Attention Deficit Disorder

Edward M. Hallowell, MD and John J. Ratey MD. Authors of several books on Attention Deficit Disorder.

Accommodations Help Students with Attention Deficit Disorders

Harvey C. Parker, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist. Author of The ADD Hyperactivity Workbook for Parents, Teachers, and Kids and The ADD Hyperactivity Handbook for Schools. Lists examples of accommodations which teachers can make to adapt to the needs of students with Attention Deficit Disorder. They are grouped below according to areas of difficulty: inattention, impulsivity, motor activity, mood, academic skills, organizational planning, compliance, and socialization.

Adjustments in Classroom Management

By Ldonline.org Gives practical suggestions for dealing with ADHD students in these areas:

Finding the right spot
The “good neighbor”
Time limits and schedules
Dealing with disorganization
Controlling distractions
Avoiding social problems.

Behavior Modification in the Classroom

By N. Mather and Sam Goldstein. Talks about different aspects of behavior modification such as methods, techniques, consequences and reinforcements. Very detailed with many examples.

Checklists for Teachers Reprinted from THE ADD/ADHD CHECKLIST

Sandra Rief, author of The ADD/ADHD Checklist: An Easy Reference for Parents and Teachers. Lists ideas for getting ADHD students’ attention, focusing students’ attention, maintaining students’ attention, and keeping students on-task during seat work.

Dr. Russell Barkley’s Classroom Accommodations for Children with ADHD PDF

The ADHD researcher’s researcher. He goes over 9 principals followed by his detailed management recommendations. This includes increasing incentives, self-awareness training, how to make rules and time obvious and in physical form, and possible punishment methods.

Encouraging Compliance and Managing Non-Compliance at School

“Dr. Russell Barkley, an expert in child behavior, encourages teachers to examine compliance and non-compliance in light of four factors: 1) the nature of the student, 2) the nature of teachers and care-givers, 3) the effectiveness of child management methods, and 4) the student’s environment and related stress.

Solicit a student’s input when creating any strategy. Better to have them in the role of engineer rather than of demolition expert.

Never forget it is the student’s job to test limits. Never lose sight of the fact that the strong-willed student can change the world as a strong-willed adult.”

Examples of Accommodations from State Assessment Policies

Lists four categories that should be considered by the IEP team and gives examples in each. Timing/Scheduling Accommodations, Setting Accommodations; Presentation Accommodations; Response Accommodations.

Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Education of Children with Disabilities

Americans only. Covers the interrelationship of IDEA and section 504, protected students, evaluation, placement, procedural safeguards, terminology

Great Classroom Accommodations for ADHD

Talks about the physical environment of the classroom for children with Attention Deficit Disorder.

Helping Students With ADHD – Section 504 Accommodations

Section 504 is For American students, parents of Canadian ADHD students don’t advocate as much as American parents do. 

So ADHD children in Canada don’t get as much help as American kids do.

By Keath Low at ADD.About.com Goes over what is a 504 accommodation plan, how to developing a 504 accommodation Plan, and specific accommodations Available to Qualified Students With ADHD

Helping the Student with ADHD in the Classroom Strategies for Teachers

by Stephen E. Brock, NCSP & Lodi (CA) Unified School District. Lists specific strategies for teaching kids with ADHD

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

For Americans only. Sadly. By CHADD USA.

Who is Eligible?

What Does IDEA Provide?

Evaluation

Discipline under IDEA

What are my responsibilities as a parent?

Motivating the Child with Attention Deficit Disorder in The Classroom

By Rick Lavoie. “School is quite literally a stacked deck for the child with ADD. Often, teachers will invest significant time and effort in attempting to change the child. Their time might be better spent trying to change the policies, practices, and procedures that they are using with the child.

The expectations of the classroom are in direct conflict with the limitations of the ADHD student. Lists the classroom expectations and the ADHD symptoms that interfere with those expectations.

Provides many specific teaching strategies that may foster the ADHD student’s motivation.

Avoid attributing moral or judgmental reasons for the child’s inconsistency and impulsivity. Remember that these behaviors occur through no fault or choice of the child’s.

Accusatory feedback is counterproductive. Don’t blame the victim. Avoid attributing moral or judgmental reasons for the child’s inconsistency and impulsivity. Remember that these behaviors occur through no fault or choice of the child’s.”

Recognizing ADHD in the Classroom

By CHADD. Strategies & tips to help students with ADHD. Covers:

Seating, organization, classroom management, information delivery, and student work.

The graphic at the top of the page is an example of part of it.

Section 504

For Americans only. Sadly. By CHADD USA.

Who is Eligible?

What Does Section 504 Provide?

Evaluation

Discipline under Section 504

How do I file a complaint about my school or school district?

Section 504 and IDEA for American Students With ADHD Disabilities

Suggested Classroom Interventions For Children With ADD & Learning Disabilities

Has general ideas for ADHD children in the classroom, strategies for cognitively impulsive children and lists 35 problem behaviours and gives different accommodations to manage each one.

Taking Charge of ADHD, Third Edition: The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents

By Dr. Russell Barkley.

Teacher to Teacher. Classroom Interventions for the Student with ADHD. Full Day Workshop by CHADD USA

“Identifies common ADHD-related learning problems plus practical classroom techniques, interventions, and the latest research to enhance school success for students with ADHD. Designed for mainstream classroom teachers, Teacher to Teacher will provide best practice strategies in an interactive, hands-on format.

Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss solutions to common academic and behavioral problems in a “case-based” format.”

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs’ (OSEP’s) IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Website.

It provides a “one-stop shop” for resources related to IDEA and its implementing regulations. Many resources here.

Tips for Early Childhood Educators/Parents & Strategies for the Classroom

From CADDAC. The booklet’s title is What you need to know about early childhood for ADHD. Scroll down to page 12 to see the tips for early childhood educators/parents & strategies for the classroom. That section covers:

General tips, classroom structure and routines, supporting attention regulation impairments, giving instructions, how to work with hyperactivity, strategies for impulsivity, impulsivity, impairment in self regulation, rules and behaviour management, strategies for executive functioning impairment in organization/time management and transitions, emotional dysregulation in children with ADHD, strategies to assist the child with their emotional regulation, and how to support the development of social skills.

For example.

Rules and Behaviour Management:

• Children with ADHD will require specialized behaviour strategies.
• Develop very simple, clear rules.
• Review and post picture reminders and review consequences.
• Confirm the child’s understanding of the rules.
• Talk less and act more – do not nag or the child will tune you out.
• Don’t argue, debate, or be drawn into power struggles – state rules calmly and make the rule the “bad guy”.
• Use consistent, immediate positive verbal feedback and positive consequences (rewards) – be very specific on exactly what was done right so they will know what behaviours to repeat.
• Allow the child to choose between two options, both of which are acceptable to you.
• Ignore as much of the minor annoying behaviour as possible – it is often not under the child’s control.
• Learn to recognize triggers for the child and proactively implement accommodations.
• Try and use behaviour missteps as teaching opportunities. Review what they could have done differently, expected behaviours and then have them explain what they plan to do the next time.
• Observe any new and improved behaviour and praise frequently.

Useful Accommodations Which May Assist the ADHD Child

By CADDAC, Centre For ADHD Advocacy. Covers instructional accommodations, environmental accommodations, adaptive equipment, and assessment accommodations.

Lists examples of these different interventions that may impact the success of the ADHD student. In planning a program, remember to try and catch the student doing well or behaving well. Ignore minor inappropriate behaviours. Remember, behaviour is the result of a need not being met.

Your Defiant Child, Second Edition: Eight Steps to Better Behavior.

By Dr. Russell A. Barkley and Christine M. Benton.

Dr. Barkley has written many books on ADHD. Have a look.

What 500+ Teachers Say Helps Students With ADHD Achieve Success In School

“Ethnographic study of 10 school districts with over 500 teachers and responders to the question: “What teachers say helps students with ADD achieve success in school”.

This compilation is the prioritized consensus of their most effective classroom accommodations (finding drawn from data collection).”

Organized by physical, instructional and behavioural accommodations for ADHD students.