Classroom Interventions for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Classifications:
Predominantly inattentive type
The student may:
o submit inaccurate or incomplete work,
o have difficulty attending to conversations, activities, or tasks,
o be easily distracted,
o have difficulty following directions,
o frequently lose materials, and/or
o have difficulty organizing tasks and materials.
Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type
The student may:
 appear to be in constant motion,
 frequently fidget or move in his or her seat,
 become restless during quiet activities,
 leave his or her seat when expected to remain seated,
 interrupt others and classroom activities,
 talk excessively, and/or
 fail to follow classroom procedures (e.g., blurt out answers without raising hand).
Combined type
The student may exhibit symptoms that include behaviors from both categories above.

Academic Interventions
Giving Directions
Many students with ADHD have trouble following directions. The guidelines below help address
this problem.
 Number of Directions: Give a minimal number of directions or steps at a time. If
necessary, have students repeat the directions to the teacher or a peer partner.
 Form of Directions: Provide written directions or steps, or a visual model of a completed
project. Teach students how to refer to these items as reminders of process steps to
complete tasks. This strategy is particularly helpful for long-term projects.
Written Assignments
 Many students with ADHD have particular challenges with written work due to fine motor
skills difficulties, motor planning issues, and difficulty alternating their attention from a
book to their written responses. Students with ADHD may also need assistance breaking
a larger task or project into smaller, more workable units.
 The following strategies can be used to address these needs.
Deconstructing Tasks: Break tasks into smaller units.
 Limit amount of work per page.
 Cover up part of the work on a page.
 Allow extra time for completing tasks.
 Provide work breaks.
 Allow student to use a computer to type or to use speech-to-text software.
 Reduce the length of written assignments.
Organization
Many students with ADHD have significant difficulties with organization. They are more likely to
respond positively when teachers establish class routines and set procedures and maintain a
well-organized learning environment. Clear rules and advanced planning are keys to success
for teachers of students with ADHD.
The following organizational supports are particularly useful. Students should be taught to use
these tools through teacher modeling and guided practice with feedback before being expected
to use them more independently.
 Assignment Notebook: Provide the student with an assignment notebook to help
organize homework and seatwork.
 Tape a schedule of planned daily activities to the student’s desk to help with time
management and transitions.
 Checklist of Homework Supplies: Give the student a checklist that identifies
categories of items needed for homework assignments. The checklist can be taped to
the inside of the student’s locker or desk.

Classroom Considerations
When using a proactive approach to classroom management, teachers support all students and
create conditions that prepare them for learning. Some strategies for positive management
include clear directions, meaningful feedback, and opportunities for collaboration with
peers.
 Transition Buddies: Transition buddies are helpful for students with ADHD who have
trouble refocusing their attention as they transition from one academic lesson to the
next. Further, verbal or nonverbal teacher cues signaling upcoming transitions help
prepare students for changes in activities or lessons.

Behavior Management Strategies

Prevention Strategies
The following are preventive measures that support students in demonstrating positive behavior.
 Nonverbal Supports: Together with the student, develop inconspicuous, nonverbal
messages such as eye contact, hand gestures, or other signals that teach students to
recognize the conditions that trigger specific behaviors. Once the system is developed,
students can learn to manage their behavioral responses before they occur. For
example, creating a signal and routine for “taking a five minute break” at a specified
classroom location provides an opportunity for the student to recognize when he is
becoming restless or frustrated and prevents behavior from escalating. This system is
most effective if used before the behavior escalates or intensifies.
 Checking With Chimes: In order to teach students to monitor their attention to task, set
reminders at random intervals on an electronic device, such as a smartphone or kitchen
timer. Time intervals should be set based on the student’s attention span and the pace of
the lesson (typically 3 to 5 minutes). When the tone sounds, the student charts or marks
whether she is engaged in learning. A simple yes or no checklist works well. Students
can monitor their own behaviors by giving themselves points or checkmarks for
appropriate behavior. Extra points may be awarded when student and teacher ratings
match. The student could then chart her score using a computer program, tablet,
smartphone, graph paper, or poster board.
 Visual and Environmental Prompts: Use behavioral and environmental prompts to
increase desired classroom behaviors. For example, pictorial prompts of students
attending in class serve as a reminder of the teacher’s expectations for learning and
behavior.
 Priming Procedure: Prime the student before an assignment or lesson by reviewing a
list of student-identified privileges or reinforcements that can be earned following a
specified work period.
 Proximity Control: Teacher proximity is highly effective for helping students with ADHD
maintain attention. For example, the teacher may move closer to the student when
giving directions and monitoring seatwork.
 Timers: Set a timer to indicate how much time remains in the lesson or work period. The
timer should be clearly visible so students can check remaining time and monitor their
progress.
 Music: Play different levels and tempos of music to help students understand the activity
level appropriate for particular lessons. For example, using quiet classical music for
individual learning activities helps block distractions and creates a calm classroom
environment.

Reinforcement Strategies
 Praise, Praise, Praise: Attentiveness and appropriate classroom behavior are
prerequisites for learning; therefore, interventions that promote these behaviors should
be an integral part of the teaching process for all students. When teachers are attentive
to positive behavior and specifically praise students for these behaviors, they can
engage students before their attention drifts while highlighting desired behavior. Effective
praise statements (a) are contingent on the demonstration of desired behavior, (b)
specifically describe the positive behavior, and (c) are provided immediately and
enthusiastically following the desired behavior.

Verbal Feedback
Verbal feedback is comprised of both praise and corrective statements.
 Verbal Praise: Use simple, but specific, praise phrases that clearly identify the desired
behaviors. For example, “Larry, thank you for raising your hand before answering the
question” lets the student know the specific behavior and condition for which he was
praised. General praise (e.g., “good job”) is less meaningful for students.
 Verbal Redirection: Many students with ADHD require frequent redirection. Redirect
students using clear, concise, and inconspicuously delivered verbal cues to remind
students of desired behaviors, rather than long explanations.
 Corrective Feedback: Some students with ADHD require brief, simple correction for
disruptive behaviors. Correction should be directed at the student’s behavior, not the
student (e.g., “No shout-outs. Please raise your hand before answering the question” vs.
“stop being disruptive!”). Provide the feedback immediately following the behavior.
Provide correction in a calm manner and in close proximity to the student. Avoid
humiliating the student when correcting his behavior.
 Options for Students: When providing corrective feedback or redirecting the student, it
is often helpful to provide the student with options. For example, “Sue, you can do the
assignment now, during lunch, or after school.”
 Daily Notes: Make use of checklists and charts to keep parents informed of the
student’s progress on a daily basis. Note the effective reinforcement techniques used in
the classroom.