Think you have a student with ADHD in your class?
There’s a couple of children in your classroom who you find challenging to manage.
One is really quiet – she often looks like she’s day-dreaming. You’ve caught her out a couple of times because she missed hearing the homework tasks. Because of this, she’s actually started to fall behind.
The other is completely the opposite – from the minute he arrives, he’s constantly on the move and talking to others. It’s exhausting just watching him.
You’ve noticed them both at lunchtime, not paying attention when with their friends and missing social cues at times, either because they are too busy or daydreaming.
If your student does have ADHD this means they have to work much harder to control and filter attention, behaviours, emotions that come naturally to others of the same age. This is the nature of the "disordered" part. It commonly results in significant fatigue and an even more profound loss of control by the end of the school day.
Having ADHD has many benefits, and you want the best for them. However, not knowing how to manage certain behaviours exhibited by children can be frustrating - especially when you're managing 30 other children as well.
One is really quiet – she often looks like she’s day-dreaming. You’ve caught her out a couple of times because she missed hearing the homework tasks. Because of this, she’s actually started to fall behind.
The other is completely the opposite – from the minute he arrives, he’s constantly on the move and talking to others. It’s exhausting just watching him.
You’ve noticed them both at lunchtime, not paying attention when with their friends and missing social cues at times, either because they are too busy or daydreaming.
If your student does have ADHD this means they have to work much harder to control and filter attention, behaviours, emotions that come naturally to others of the same age. This is the nature of the "disordered" part. It commonly results in significant fatigue and an even more profound loss of control by the end of the school day.
Having ADHD has many benefits, and you want the best for them. However, not knowing how to manage certain behaviours exhibited by children can be frustrating - especially when you're managing 30 other children as well.
Hear Dr Sarah Watson on the Impact of ADHD on Learning
This is provided for educational purposes only. ADHD NZ does not provide medical advice, assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Your GP can recommend a suitable healthcare professional.
What should you do if you think you have a student with ADHD?
The first thing to do is to share your thoughts or concerns with the SENCO at your school and the student’s parents. It’s important you say what your concerns are, but at this stage not to propose a specific diagnosis (as it may confuse their parents should this not be the case when their child is later assessed).
If their parents ask what they need to do next, please encourage them to speak to their GP. Their GP will arrange a referral to the appropriate specialist – whether private, public or using insurance etc.
Successful management of ADHD is a team effort between home and school. Therefore, you’ll need to maintain a close “working” relationship with their parents.
Click on each heading or "+" below to find out more.
If their parents ask what they need to do next, please encourage them to speak to their GP. Their GP will arrange a referral to the appropriate specialist – whether private, public or using insurance etc.
Successful management of ADHD is a team effort between home and school. Therefore, you’ll need to maintain a close “working” relationship with their parents.
Click on each heading or "+" below to find out more.
Behavioural techniques and classroom management strategies for managing children with ADHD
a) Consistency is the key
Children with ADHD need to have a sense of external structure, as they tend to lack a sense of internal structure, so do not deal with change very well. Even if it's a positive change.
b) Help them focus by:
c) With ADHD there are two kinds of time… lots and none.
Help them manage their time optimally and meet your expectations for task completion by:
d) Many are VISUAL learners
Try making things more visual or tactile and they may grasp them better. Instead of memorizing words, ask them to “make a movie in their head and play it back”.
e) Encourage creativity
These children are often extremely creative. Try to encourage artistic (or musical) abilities. But to avoid chaos, keep any creative sessions structured.
f) Try to work within their attention span
Frequently changing the type of work enables them to continue to work productively.
g) It's not a reflection on you…
Don’t take their behaviour personally and do not vent your frustration on them.
Children with ADHD need to have a sense of external structure, as they tend to lack a sense of internal structure, so do not deal with change very well. Even if it's a positive change.
b) Help them focus by:
- seating them nearest the blackboard or close to the teacher, and
- minimise their distractions by seating them in a quiet study area or minimising the number of other children sitting at the same table.
c) With ADHD there are two kinds of time… lots and none.
Help them manage their time optimally and meet your expectations for task completion by:
- helping them to break tasks down into small components, and/or
- using colours or shapes to help them organise.
d) Many are VISUAL learners
Try making things more visual or tactile and they may grasp them better. Instead of memorizing words, ask them to “make a movie in their head and play it back”.
e) Encourage creativity
These children are often extremely creative. Try to encourage artistic (or musical) abilities. But to avoid chaos, keep any creative sessions structured.
f) Try to work within their attention span
Frequently changing the type of work enables them to continue to work productively.
g) It's not a reflection on you…
Don’t take their behaviour personally and do not vent your frustration on them.
Maintain a close relationship with the parents/guardian
Successful management of ADHD is a team effort.
If you have any ADHD children in your classroom, you're automatically part of the treatment process. Therefore you have to maintain a close “working” relationship with the other members of the team (namely the parents).
This can be achieved simply by:
If you have any ADHD children in your classroom, you're automatically part of the treatment process. Therefore you have to maintain a close “working” relationship with the other members of the team (namely the parents).
This can be achieved simply by:
- weekly updates on behaviour/work in class (either written or phone)
- keeping an eye out in the playground to see if they're they making and maintaining friendships, and
- alerting the parents immediately if you notice any changes in behaviour.
find out more about adhd
The more informed you are, the more manageable things will be. Find out:
- What is ADHD?
- Whether you have a role in the ADHD diagnostic process
- How to manage ADHD
- What organisational support and healthcare services are available in NZ, and
- What your legal responsibilities are.
FAQS on children with ADHD at school
Q: Teachers don’t seem to understand how ADHD can affect children. What can you do?
A: You need to find a way to work with teachers to manage ADHD in the classroom.
One way to do this is to get an IEP (Individual Educational Plan) set up. At the IEP you and your support person/advocate will be able to identify, with the teachers, your mutual concerns and what can be done to accommodate your child’s needs.
The best possible plan is drawn up with everyone’s agreement to be reviewed at a later date.
Whatever you do, the sooner you do it the better it will be for everyone. The problem won’t go away if you do nothing.
A: You need to find a way to work with teachers to manage ADHD in the classroom.
One way to do this is to get an IEP (Individual Educational Plan) set up. At the IEP you and your support person/advocate will be able to identify, with the teachers, your mutual concerns and what can be done to accommodate your child’s needs.
The best possible plan is drawn up with everyone’s agreement to be reviewed at a later date.
Whatever you do, the sooner you do it the better it will be for everyone. The problem won’t go away if you do nothing.
Q: Your child seems OK at school but his behaviour changes when he gets home. Is this ‘normal’?
A: Yes it is ‘normal’ for you to experience this!
School life for someone with ADHD can be very stressful. Many are astute enough to know what is required of them ‘to get through the day’ without getting into too much trouble. Tension can build up at school by having to behave in a way that is not natural for them. By the end of the day, this tension can reach a tipping point, so when they get home their stress levels are extremely high. This may be what you're seeing.
A suggestion – some team sports or other exercise can be beneficial for relieving some of the stress.
A: Yes it is ‘normal’ for you to experience this!
School life for someone with ADHD can be very stressful. Many are astute enough to know what is required of them ‘to get through the day’ without getting into too much trouble. Tension can build up at school by having to behave in a way that is not natural for them. By the end of the day, this tension can reach a tipping point, so when they get home their stress levels are extremely high. This may be what you're seeing.
A suggestion – some team sports or other exercise can be beneficial for relieving some of the stress.
Q: Your family is really stressed out after each school day trying to get the required homework completed. What can you do?
A: Homework should never cause stress, cause family disharmony or disruption in the home.
Talk to the teacher and ask that if you make sure your child spends the required time on the homework but does not complete it in that time, that this not incur punishment.
Home-life is far more important than any homework will ever be.
A: Homework should never cause stress, cause family disharmony or disruption in the home.
Talk to the teacher and ask that if you make sure your child spends the required time on the homework but does not complete it in that time, that this not incur punishment.
Home-life is far more important than any homework will ever be.
