Which classroom accommodations would be most helpful for your child with attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD) or learning disabilities like dyslexia? Seek input from the teacher and your child's doctor, and be sure to consider the results of any psychological tests.
1. Seating the student near the teacher and away from doors and windows. This helps the child stay focused on the teacher.
2. Allowing a student to tape-record assignments. Kids with ADD tend to have trouble remembering spoken instructions.
3. Providing the child with a note-taking partner. ADHD-related handwriting problems can make it hard to keep up when taking notes.
4. Giving a lighter homework load. This is appropriate for children with ADD who struggle to get their homework done. The questions are just as hard - there are just fewer of them.
5. Granting extra time for test-taking. The idea is not to make the exam "easier" for the child but to level the playing field, by providing sufficient time for the child to show what he knows.
6. Letting the student run occasional errands for the teacher. This can help hyperactive kids burn off some energy.
This article comes from the February/March 2006 issue of ADDitude.
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