Eight Ways to Help Kids with ADHD in School Succeed
As we all know, school presents myriad challenges for kids with ADHD, just like any other learning disabilities. However, through patience and an effective plan to help kids with ADHD in school succeed, a child can indeed thrive in the classroom. From a parental standpoint, parents can work with their child and his or her teacher to implement practical strategies for learning both inside and out of the classroom while programs aimed at tackling these issues, such as the ACTIVATE protocol from C8 Sciences, continue to evolve.
Whether it’s ADHD medications, ADHD symptoms or ADHD treatment, the common focus should always be on doing what’s right for the child. Let’s take a look at eight formidable ways to help kids with ADHD in school succeed:
1. Communicate with School and Teachers
Parents have to play an active role here because parents are a child’s advocates. For a child to succeed in the classroom, it is vital that parents communicate his or her needs to the adults at the school. It is equally important for parents to listen to what the teachers and other school officials are saying about the child’s progress, behavior and more. Remember to:
• Plan Ahead
• Make Meetings Happen
• Ask the Hard Questions and Give a Complete Picture
• Share Information
• Listen Carefully
• Create Goals Together
2. Develop and Use a Behavior Plan
Children with ADHD are capable of appropriate classroom behavior and interaction, but they require specialized structure and clear expectations in order to keep their symptoms manageable. Parents can help by developing a behavior plan for the child – and sticking to it. Whatever type of behavior plan is implemented, it is vital to create it in close collaboration with the child’s physician, teacher, and the child him or herself.
3. Manage Symptoms
ADHD affects each child’s brain differently, so each case has the ability to make itself look quite unique in the classroom. Children with ADHD exhibit a range of symptoms from seemingly bouncing off the walls with energy to daydreaming and refusing to follow the rules. Parents can help their child with ADHD reduce any or all of these types of behaviors by first understanding how ADHD affects their particular child so that the proper strategies for tackling the problem can be taken.
4. Make Learning Fun
One positive way to keep a child’s attention focused on learning is to make the process as fun and engaging as possible. Instructors should incorporate differentiated instruction and engaging teaching – using kinesthetic movement during lessons, inventing silly songs, allowing learning games and group exercises that help children enjoy learning and even reduce the symptoms of ADHD.
5. Help Children Enjoy Math
Children who exhibit symptoms of ADHD tend to be “concrete thinkers” – they often prefer to hold, touch or take part in an experience for the purpose of learning something new. By using manipulables and games to demonstrate and introduce mathematical concepts, children can be taught that math can be meaningful and fun. In so doing, instructors should:
• Play games
• Draw pictures
• Invent amusing acronyms
6. Help Children Enjoy Reading
Much like helping them enjoy math, there are many ways to make reading exciting for children including reading to them, making predictions or “bets” on what might happen to characters in the stories they’re reading next and acting out the stories, and allowing students the freedom to choose high-interest reading content.
7. Help Children Master Homework
Sure, kids everywhere dread it – but for a parent of a child with ADHD, homework is a golden opportunity. Academic work done outside the classroom provides the parent with a chance to directly support the child, while after-school time can help him or her succeed at school by focusing in a place both parent and child feel most comfortable: Their own home.
8. Look to Programs Such as ACTIVATE
Sophisticated brain games, brain training apps and physical exercises protocols for ADHD in the classroom such as ACTIVATE provide teachers with real-time progress reporting for each and every student. When analyzing ADHD symptoms, ADHD treatment and ADHD in school – in general – the benefits of such a program become clear.
The bottom line is that there are many strategies teachers and parents can use to help kids with ADHD succeed in school, and beyond.
