What is Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopment condition that affects both adults and children. In this article, I will be focusing on students with ADHD. ADHD consists of a triad of symptoms which include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Students with ADHD face challenges in areas such as remaining focused, following through with instructions and tasks, managing their time, and organizing their belongings. Some may also experience behaviours associated with impulsivity coupled with excessive restlessness.
How is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosed?
Students with ADHD will undergo a combination of clinical assessment, behavioural assessment, and informal assessments which includes obtaining data from parents and teachers.
The management of ADHD varies from student to student and it might involve medication which can only be prescribed by the doctor. It also includes behavioural therapies and intervention, as well as lifestyle adjustments so as to manage the symptoms and improve the overall functioning of the student with ADHD.
How does the ADHD symptoms affect students in the classroom and in school?
One of the reasons for inattentiveness is due to boring and repetitive tasks which could cause a lack of intrinsic motivation for the student. As a result, the student is more susceptible to losing focus and become task avoidant.
Hyperactivity tends to increase when a student is faced with mundane tasks which leads to a surge of irrelevant activity. Students tend to exhibit excessive movements such as shifting posture, shaking hands and legs so as to self-regulate in order to focus on the tasks at hand.
Students with ADHD also tend to display impulsiveness due to an impairment in impulse control, response inhibition and the inability to delay gratification. Consequently, they are observed to have difficulties in having to wait for their turn during conversations and while in a queue. They also have difficulties in having to stop and think before acting. Hence, they are fixated in wanting to be first in line and to demand answers to their questions to satisfy their curiosity with immediate effect.
Understanding students with ADHD using the Interactive Factors Framework (IFF)
During the ADHD course, I was introduced to the Interactive Factors Framework (IFF) model. The IFF has provided a holistic approach in understanding the challenges that student with ADHD face from the environmental, biological, cognitive, behavioural and the management of the student perspectives.
With reference from the example above, a student with Dyslexia or even ADHD (biological factors) from an impoverished language environment and parents who do not value academic excellence (environmental factors) will likely result in having a poor academic performance at school (cognitive factor). Moreover, the student with ADHD has a tendency to be singled out by teachers frequently which leads to triggering behaviours such as observable defensive and reactive behaviours in the classroom.
Applying the IFF for Behavioural Intervention in the classroom
Personally, I found the IFF comprehensive with the associated questions related to each of the factors above for further assessment and reflection. The IFF has guided me in understanding and appreciating the student with ADHD and acknowledging their individual differences.
Furthermore, there is no size fits all approach in behavioural intervention. This gives benefit to the multi-level approach to intervention. Overall, the ADHD course has provided insights that has helped me in expanding my repertoire of behavioural strategies in managing behaviours in the classroom.
Other challenges that students with ADHD face in the classroom
Apart from co-morbidities such as ADHD with Dyslexia, Autism, and the varying sensory profiles, students with ADHD also face challenges in other areas such as learning languages and numeracy.
Due to a poor working memory, students with ADHD have a tough time in retaining information while performing their tasks. For example, they have a tendency to be weak in mental arithmetic and math problem sums due to the difficulties in following multi-step instructions and recalling key details. Moreover, it includes the inability to exclude irrelevant information which could affect their focus.
Students with ADHD also have challenges in emotional regulation which could lead to anxiety, frustrations, outbursts and mood swings. They have a higher tendency in being involved in arguments and fights in the classroom.
A lack of social skills is another area of challenge as they face difficulties in interpreting social cues and maintaining friendships. As a result, they may be involved in misunderstandings and difficulties maintaining friendships with peers.
Behavioural interventions for students with ADHD in the classroom
How should teachers foster a conducive learning environment for students with ADHD and to ensure that their individual needs are met? Below are some intervention approaches that teachers could adopt in their classrooms:
1) Anticipate situations: Teachers are encouraged to anticipate situations so as to prevent triggers which could lead to further escalation in the classroom. This can be done by obtaining prior feedback from other teachers, parents and other caregivers of the student. It involves identifying the students’ triggers, being informed of their backgrounds and getting to know the students’ strengths and challenges.
2) Adopt the ABC model: Teachers should cultivate the ability to identify the Antecedent, Behavioural, and Consequence in their students’ behaviours so as understand the undesired behaviours in its entirety. By being consistent and intentional, the teacher will be able to prevent certain undesirable situations when he/she is aware of the antecedents beforehand.
3) Discipline, not punish: Students with ADHD requires clear boundaries, classroom rules, class schedule and concise instructions. They tend to be associated with negative connotations such as not being compliant or disruptive. This phenomenon is due to their lack of understanding of the expected behaviours or a lack of intrinsic motivation for the classroom activities.
4) Respect the person, correct the behaviour: Students with ADHD are predisposed to negative labels such as “naughty”, “stubborn”, “uncooperative” etc. It is crucial to avoid labelling the student, be empathetic of their challenges and focus on correcting the undesired behaviours which can lead to an overall self-improvements in students with ADHD.
It will be beneficial for teachers to be aware that the student is not intentionally giving the educator a hard time. In fact, the student is likely to be undergoing a tough time adapting to the classroom setting and adjusting to the teacher’s teaching style and expectations.
It is also important for the teacher to be aware that the expected behaviours are achievable for their students by implementing the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable Relevant and Time-bound) goals approach.
5) Create a structured environment and the use of visual aids
Teachers are encouraged to maintain a predictable routine and schedule for students with ADHD. They will be able to know what’s next without the cognitive overload. In addition, teachers should also give concise and clear instructions and have the student repeat what was said so as to check his/her understanding.
Teachers could also provide visual cues and checklists to encourage independent learning and monitoring without being too reliant on verbal promptings throughout the lesson.
6) Provide movement breaks and tools to help with attention
Teachers should cater short movement breaks during the lesson to allow physical activity and to manage restlessness. A flexible resistance band tied at the legs of the table for the student’s legs to bounce on is an alternative behaviour, instead of, jumping on chairs and desks or rolling on the ground.
7) Accommodations and the use of technology in the classroom
Teachers are encouraged to provide accommodations such as assignments with scaffolding content, quiet workspaces and one to one assistance. The use of technology will often pique students’ interest in learning the content and to meet their multisensory needs. Students will likely be more engaged with devices used for learning than merely relying on worksheets.
Strengths and talents of students with ADHD in the classroom
Having discussed the symptoms and challenges that students with ADHD face in the classroom. I would like to invite the reader to have a mindset shift in acknowledging the strengths and talents that students with ADHD possesses.
During the ADHD course, I was introduced to the ADHD guided strengths framework. I like this framework as it helps me to focus on the strengths and talents of my students instead of only their challenges. For example, instead of perceiving that a student likes to interrupt the lesson, I can acknowledge that the student is an eager learner and inquisitive to know more about the people and world around him/her.
Students with ADHD has unique qualities and talents that should be harnessed in order to support their personal growth. These are some common strengths of students with ADHD:
They possess high energy, deemed to be enthusiastic and dynamic in the classroom. They are willing to contribute to class discussions and are engaging participants. They also tend to be creative students who can think out of the box and create original and innovative ideas. Students with ADHD may interject humour and use it to connect with teachers and other students. Nonetheless, they are a joy to have in the classroom.
Notwithstanding their challenges, students with ADHD may also develop resilience as they learn how to overcome obstacles in their learning journey and to persist through their struggles. Hence, those challenges tend to cultivate perseverance and resilience.
Some successful individuals with ADHD include Michael Phelps, an Olympic swimmer, and Simone Biles, a famous gymnast. They have been public about their ADHD diagnosis, how they have managed it and are successful individuals in their respective fields.
In conclusion, teachers are encouraged to get to know the student with ADHD from a holistic perspective using the IFF and to implement effective classroom strategies. In addition, teachers should also be flexible and adjust their approaches based on the individual needs of the student.
Lastly, teachers should recognise the strengths their students with ADHD possess and nurture those talents so as to enhance their self-esteem and confidence which could lead to personal successes in future.
Article written by:
Priscilla Chan
Educational Therapist, Dyslexia Association of Singapore
RETA Associate Fellow
