Students with ADHD often have a more challenging road to academic success than others. They find it hard to concentrate on a topic, attend a lesson or finish the homework due to their fluttering attention. Thus, their ability to learn effectively deteriorates. It’s important to ensure tailored education for these students that should match their additional needs. A great tutor can modify and align their teaching strategies to the students’ learning style. For this purpose, a keen understanding of the mental disorders, symptoms and needs of students with ADHD is required.

ADHD and its Symptoms

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a chronic dysfunction and a learning disability. It usually offsets in childhood and affects approximately 9.4% of children worldwide. Its symptoms majorly fall into two categories: inattention and hyperactivity. The intensity of symptoms varies with age, gender and other factors. Girls often showcase attention deficit disorder, while boys tend to be more hyperactive. While the signs may continue into adulthood, they can be controlled with early diagnosis, medication, behavioural strategies and a treatment plan. There are 3 major types of ADHD:

  • Predominantly Inattentive
  • Predominantly Hyperactive
  • Combined Inattentive and Hyperactive

The persistent symptoms show up before the age of 12 or middle school and include the following key behaviours:   Inattention

  • Lack of attention to details
  • Lack of focus on tasks at hand
  • Easily distracted and keep losing track of time
  • Repeatedly forgets routine activities
  • Avoid tasks that require mental efforts
  • Finds it hard to understand instructions
  • Often lose their belongings, toys or items

Hyperactivity

  • Constantly keeps moving around
  • Keeps fidgeting, squirming or tapping their fingers or feet
  • Interrupts others in the middle of activities or conversation
  • Talks excessively without pause
  • Often impatient, impulsive and loud
  • Finds it hard to sit in a place for a long time, for example in a classroom.
  • Fails to adapt their behaviour according to the situation

Besides the struggle with attending stimuli and overactive behaviour, students deal with a multitude of other issues with ADHD. Their impulsive behaviour makes them reckless and at risk of accidents or trouble at school. Moreover, the inability to interact easily, careless mistakes and inefficient study patterns negatively affect their self-esteem.  

Teaching Strategies for ADHD Students

  • Time-bound Chunks of Work Students with ADHD need a sense of urgency to actively work at a task. Clear and quick deadlines keep up the child’s interest and urge to finish the assigned task. Tutors need to provide a concise description to communicate the goal and importance of the project. Add in a strict due date for maximum efficiency in task behaviour. Tutors can break down a chapter or assignment into multiple manageable portions to ensure students’ interest in it.
  • Let Them Choose It’s common knowledge that we are most attentive in activities we enjoy. For students with Attention Deficits, the statement remains relevant. Urging students to pick the tasks they enjoy increases their focus and interest in it. Having a variety of options will also help the tutor recognize and utilise students’ learning preferences. For instance, if a child picks physical activities over others, they might be kinaesthetic learners. A tutor can make use of tactile tools to enhance their learning experience.
  • Organised Structure and Routine ADHD students lack order and structure in their routines. Establishing rules and a set pattern for the day-to-day activities should be the primary goal of the tutor. A tutor can start with short and simple rules to be followed in the classroom setting or a school day, and slowly extend them into a proper daily routine. This will make the student reflect on their actions and boost their time management skills. Once they get used to a structure, they become more self-regulated and self-reliant. This will further prepare them to adjust to the school environment.
  • Interactive and Engaging Lessons Children with Attention Deficit prefers engaging stimuli around them. Thus, an interactive study session will hold their attention for longer periods of time. Tutors should encourage students to actively participate in the lesson. For instance, they can ask the student to recite a chapter or discuss their views after each paragraph. Incorporating hands-on activities with the use of tools and toys can also arouse students’ motivation to study. For example, the use of the abacus in maths class.
  • Supervision and Feedbacks Since the disorder makes students distracted and forgetful, they need constant direct supervision to finish most of their tasks. Tutors need to provide explicit instructions to students with ADHD. It will raise the likelihood of completing homework assignments with fewer mistakes. Positive and repeated feedback will keep them on their toes while reinforcing good habits. For example, following deadlines, preparing for tests etc.
  • Mini-Lessons & Bigger Breaks Since the attention span of students with ADHD is extremely short, it’s beneficial to divide their classes into mini-sessions. For instance, the tutor can follow the Pomodoro technique and include a break after each 30-minute study session. While it might not be possible at school, brief and structured breaks in tutoring sessions with physical activity work wonders. Allowing the individual students to move around during a designated time enhances their attention when they resume studying. It keeps them active and motivated, all set to learn again.
  • Motivation and Memory Issues Keeping the ADHD student’s motivation up is one of the biggest obstacles in learning. Positive reinforcement helps them follow efficient study strategies. For example, sticking to a single project at a time. With a reward in sight, they can slowly adapt themselves to focus and finish the task at hand. It’s also important to keep a check on their retention ability. Multiple practice sessions with the same study material and memory exercises can help them improve.

Effective Tips and Ways Tutors Can Help Students with ADHD

  • Tutors for ADHD students need to stay in constant contact with their parents. They should provide them with regular progress updates to keep a track of their behaviour modification.
  • Tutors should encourage each small achievement and positive behaviour to enhance students’ sense of self-esteem.
  • Provide the students plenty of time before bringing a change in their schedule or curriculum.
  • Tutors need to build friendly and positive relationships with ADHD students to improve their social deficits.
  • Tutors need to constantly update their methods of teaching to keep the child ahead of the learning curve.
  • Negative reinforcement should be opted instead of reprimanding or punishing negative behaviours.
  • The classroom environment needs to be distraction-free with limited tools for learning.
  • Encourage the students to become more goal-oriented by charting their scores and results regularly.
  • Tutors need to teach study skills to students with ADHD. For instance, how to make good notes, how to read effectively etc.

While students with ADHD require some extra time and effort, they have the potential to become proficient learners. Tutors have the opportunity to flex their teaching skills and have a lasting impact on the students. All they need is some structure, a customised study plan and an approach. The right tutor with apt tools and strategies for students can transform their studying pattern and academic performance for the better. Â