ADHD can affect the ability of the student to pay attention, focus, take note, or put effort into schoolwork. ADHD also can make a student restless, fidgety, disrupt the class or talk too much. Kids with ADHD may also have learning abilities that cause them to have issues in school.
Most kids with ADHD start school before their ADHD is diagnosed. Teachers are at times the first to notice possible signs of ADHD. They might talk it over with the child’s parent. The parent can then have the child assessed by a health provider to see if it is ADHD.
Hadar Swersky says that teachers can help kids with ADHD in a number of ways, some of which are as follows:
• Every student with ADHD is diverse. Some need assistance in managing distractions and paying attention. Some need assistance staying categorized. Others need assistance regarding the starting of their work, or finishing work they start. A few students with ADHD have problem working quietly or staying seated. Ask the teacher how ADHD affects your kid in the classroom and what you can do to assist your child with schoolwork.
• Hadar Swersky further says that you can ask the teacher to know how your child is doing. Using a file that goes backward and forward between you and your child’s teacher is a way to share notes about progress.
• Based on what a student needs, a teacher can do things such as:
Offer instructions that are brief and clear.
Seat a student where there are lesser distractions.
Be positive, encouraging, and warm.
Have simple classroom rules and routines.
Praise efforts.
Direct kids to hold back and take their time.
Help with organization.
Help them to stay on task.
Give additional time to complete work.
Give breaks to play in the classroom.
Teach students how to check their work and catch slipshod errors.
• For older students, teachers can also:
Teach study skills such as reading aloud, taking notes, and prepping for tests.
Break down multi-step assignments and projects into smaller parts.
Thus, teachers can bring out the best in your kid. When teachers see the best in their students, students see the best in themselves. Teachers can communicate that every student can learn, grow, and succeed whether or not they have ADHD.
Knowing what to look for and getting your kid assistance at the first sign of problem is the best way for you to guard a child with ADHD.