3 Smart ADHD Study Strategies

Tips to help ADHD students fine-tune their study strategies for specific test formats: multiple choice, essay, and math/science tests.

by Michael Sandler

Many parents of students with attention deficit disorder (ADHD) want to pull out their hair. And most share the same school-related frustration. "She knew the material at home, but she flunked the test."

What students with ADHD know — or think we know — is not always on the test. The cardinal rule for studying smarter is: "It’s not what you know, it’s what your teacher wants you to know."

Because we often wait until the last minute to study, we forget this rule. We study hard — but we study the wrong material. Or, in a rush, we don’t dig deep enough into the material, even though that’s what the teacher expects us to do. I’ve been there and done that.

A week before the test, make a rough outline or study guide. Show it to your teacher and ask her if you’re studying the right material, if you’ve missed anything, and where to focus your efforts. After you’ve targeted the relevant material, consider the test format: Different kinds of tests require different study strategies.

Continue reading about Multiple-Choice Exams...

This article comes from the Spring 2009 issue of ADDitude.

To read this issue of ADDitude in full, SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Multiple-Choice Exams

Multiple-Choice Exams

Have you ever studied for a multiple-choice test, felt confident you had the information down cold — and then done poorly?

To do well on a multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank test, you need to know what the teacher is likely to ask, and that isn’t always obvious. For example, there are at least five test questions that could come from the following fact on a biology study sheet: "Bacteria are motile. They use either flagella or cilia to achieve movement."

How do bacteria move? is one question.
What are “flagella”? is another. But how about What is motility? or Do bacteria move? or What do flagella do?

Think of all the ways a teacher could ask a question.

What you should do: Get a stack of flashcards. On one side of each card, write down all the questions you can think of (framed in different ways and from different angles). Write the answers on the other sides. Then quiz yourself.

When formulating questions from lecture notes and end-of-chapter summaries, keep asking yourself, “What questions could the teacher ask?” Think of all the whos, whats, wheres, whens, and hows, then dig for them.

For instance, if the teacher discussed the Declaration of Independence, you may need to know who wrote it, who signed it, where it was signed, when it was written, when it was signed, why it was written, and how it affected the colonists.

Continue reading about Essay Exams...

This article comes from the Spring 2009 issue of ADDitude.

To read this issue of ADDitude in full, SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Essay Exams

Essay Exams

Do you know the key concepts discussed in class? What did the teacher highlight or emphasize in her lectures? What were the main topics she spoke about each day leading up to the test? The answers to these questions are important clues for what to study.

What you should do: Make a study sheet by writing down the main ideas discussed in each lecture (you do record class lectures, right?), textbook chapter, or handout. Bring your list to your teacher and ask whether you’re studying the right material. Now come up with key questions based on the main ideas. Write the questions on one side of a flashcard and the answers — in outline, story, or drawing format — on the other.

What you write on the back should be an abridged version of an essay answer. For example, if you’re explaining the history of civil rights, you might list key events, the date and location each occurred, who was involved, and why these events took place.

Quiz yourself from the questions on the flashcards, and write out the answers on a piece of paper. Then reverse the process — read the answers and formulate potential questions. Make sure you write out answers in “sandwich” form: an introductory sentence, three to five supporting statements, and a one-sentence conclusion. This will help you remember them.

Continue reading about Math & Science Exams...

This article comes from the Spring 2009 issue of ADDitude.

To read this issue of ADDitude in full, SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Math and Science Exams

Math and Science Exams

The key to studying for math and science tests is practice. There are no shortcuts when studying for tests that require calculation.

What you should do: Answer all of the sample questions in your textbook; then answer sample questions from another math textbook, if you can get one. Have a tutor quiz you with questions of her own. Ask your teacher for more practice questions, and go over your answers with him.

When solving problems, label each step of your process, and leave white space between steps, so you can figure out where you went astray.

When studying for essay tests in science, create interesting stories that use the themes in the material. Repeat your stories under your breath while taking the test, to refresh your memory. You can also draw each story. As you answer the essay question, redraw your story on a piece of scrap paper, and refer to it as an outline.

More ADHD Study Help

Helping ADHD Students Cram for Tests

Test-Taking Tips and Homework Help for ADHD Students

Taking Good Class Notes with ADHD: Homework Help for Teens

More homework and study help for ADHD students...

This article comes from the Spring 2009 issue of ADDitude.

To read this issue of ADDitude in full, SUBSCRIBE NOW!