How to Focus the Attention of ADHD Children

Creative ways to keep distracted children with ADHD and learning disabilities focused and engaged in the classroom and at home.

by ADDitude Editors

You've probably noticed that your child with attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD) can focus intently on certain activities - playing video games, for example, or building Lego creations. But when it comes to schoolwork, he's easily distracted and has a hard time staying on task.

Scientists now recognize that ADHD doesn't impair the ability to pay attention, but rather the ability to control what one pays attention to. Medication can do a lot to help many kids concentrate, but all people with ADD can benefit from the strategies listed here.

SOLUTIONS

In the Classroom

• Seat children with ADHD away from distractions, such as doors, windows, high-traffic areas, and noisy radiators. Surround them with well-behaved classmates. Arrange the room furniture in a configuration that will allow you to circulate freely and have easy access to all students - your movement will help hold their interest and let you gently redirect a student whose attention is drifting.

• Make lessons exciting, funny, and mysterious. Turn off the lights and use a flashlight to illuminate objects or words on the blackboard. Invite a surprise guest. Draw silly stick figures to illustrate key points, and invite students to the board to do the same.

When possible, plan lessons around current events or topics of particular interest to your students. For example, calculating batting averages and other baseball statistics should hold their attention during math.

• Vary your teaching methods. Spend less time lecturing students. Have them chant math facts, tap out the number of syllables in words, or formulate "test questions" for their classmates to answer. Have students work in small groups, and give each student a specific task.

AT HOME

• Get the medication right. If your child takes ADD meds, make sure he's getting the right medication at the right dosage. When paired with behavioral techniques, stimulants and other ADD drugs can dramatically improve a child's ability to focus.

• Make learning interactive. Encourage your child to get involved in his homework. Have him underline reading material with colored pencils, or draw cartoons to illustrate vocabulary words. When he's working on math problems, let him use pieces of popcorn to work out computations.

• Teach self-monitoring. Help your child become aware of the things that distract her. With time and practice, she'll get to know what being distracted feels like, and will recognize when her attention is drifting. ADDers benefit from positive affirmations, such as "I will pay attention to my work" and "I will stay focused until I'm finished." Teach your child to repeat these as needed to encourage herself to keep going.

• Play attention-boosting games. Many classic children's games, including Simon Says and musical chairs, require attention and good listening skills.

In a game called Champion Distractor, one player focuses on completing a task, while the other does everything possible to distract him. Then, they switch roles. To win the game, a player needs to be a good Distractor, and also must be able to avoid being distracted by others.

• Spend more time outdoors. Recent studies link time spent outside, especially in natural environments, with improved concentration. Whenever possible, plan activities in parks, gardens, and other "green" settings.

Try walking or driving the green route to school, and give your child time to play outdoors before she sits down to do homework.

This article comes from the August/September 2006 issue of ADDitude.

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