Listen Up: 9 Ways to Help ADHD Kids Follow Directions

Students with ADHD sometimes struggle to slow down, listen, and follow instructions -- especially with so many classroom distractions. Here's how teachers can help them better follow directions.


Filed Under: For Teachers of ADHD Children, School Behavior
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5. State the direction, remain silent, and wait...

...10 seconds for the child to comply.
If a child still doesn’t begin the task, address him by name and repeat the command, preceded by “You need to....” For instance, “Michael, you need to sit down at your desk right now.”

6. Be specific when issuing a command.

Instead of saying “behave appropriately” or “do careful work,” say, “bottoms in your chairs,” “book open to page 21,” and “desks cleared.”

7. Provide multisensory directions...

such as visual cues and graphics, along with verbal explanations. Demonstrate exactly what you want the kids to do. Place visual reminders, like the class schedule or a rules-and-routines chart, in plain view in the classroom.

8. Assign a classmate to clarify directions.

Ask one student to “tell your partner what we are going to be doing on page 247.”

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