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ADHD children often benefit from special academic accommodations established by teachers and parents who spend thoughtful time pinpointing problematic ADHD symptoms, and then devising classroom accommodations that help solve those problems.
Following is a list of common challenges faced by ADHD students, and the accommodations that can help bring success at school.
Classroom Setup
If your child: Is easily distracted by classroom activity or by activity visible through door or windows
Try: Seating the student front and center, away from distractions
If your child: Acts out in class to gain negative attention
Try: Seating the student near a good role model
If your child: Is unaware of personal space; reaches across desks to talk to or touch other students
Try: Increasing distance between desks
Assignments
If your child: Is unable to complete work within given time
Try: Allowing extra time to complete assigned work
If your child: Does well at the beginning of an assignment but quality of work decreases toward the end
Try: Breaking long assignments into smaller parts; shorten assignments or work periods
If your child: Has difficulty following instructions
Try: Pairing written instructions with oral instructions
Distractibility
If your child: Is unable to keep up during classroom discussions and/or note taking
Try: Providing peer assistance in note taking and ask student questions to encourage participation in discussions
If your child: Complains that lessons are "boring"
Try: Seeking to involve student in lesson presentation
If your child: Is easily distracted
Try: Cuing your student to stay on task with a private signal
If your child: Turns in work with careless mistakes
Try: Scheduling five-minute period to check over work before turning in homework or tests
To discuss more classroom accommodations , visit the ADHD at School support group on ADDConnect.
