Boosting study skills with your ADHD child
It’s common for children to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) around the time they start school – problems paying attention and sitting still become much more apparent in the classroom setting. It can make mastering study skills and completing homework assignments much more difficult for your child but there are things you can do to make studying easier for him.
What type of ADHD does your child have?
There are three different types of ADHD and both boys and girls can have it, though boys are approximately three times more likely to be diagnosed with it than girls. Some experts believe this is because girls tend to have more of the inattentive symptoms as opposed to the hyperactive and impulsive symptoms that are more disruptive and noticeable.
ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Type
Your child will display symptoms that are primarily related to attention issues but won’t exhibit significant hyperactive/impulsive behaviors. He may have trouble paying attention, become easily distracted, and appear to daydream. He’ll tend to have difficulty in finishing tasks, may appear forgetful and careless, have problems following directions, may frequently lose things and will often appear disorganized.
ADHD Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type
Your child will display symptoms that are primarily related to high activity and reactive or impulsive behaviors, appearing restless, fidgety, and impulsive. They may act before thinking and often speak before thinking, blurting out and interrupting others. They tend to play and interact loudly and invade personal boundaries. They have difficulty staying in their seat when expected to, tend to talk excessively, and frequently have trouble waiting their turn. They may appear to be perpetually ‘on the go’.
ADHD Combined Type
Your child will display both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.
School strategies
It’s vital to build good communication with your child’s teacher if he is diagnosed with ADHD – there are simple strategies the teacher can put in place to help improve your child’s learning experience. All students benefit from getting a preview of the school day with a morning class meeting, as well as working on the most difficult subjects during the early part of the day when they’re more alert. Positive reinforcement, nurturing strengths, and praise for effort – these techniques work wonders and are so much more effective than focusing only on the negatives.
- Limit distractions Ask your child’s teacher to seat him close to her so he isn’t distracted by classmates in his line of vision. Clearing clutter from his desk (and the teacher’s!) can also help.
- Simple one-step directions are easier for an ADHD child to remember. Ask the teacher to get your child to repeat them back to her so she knows he was paying attention.
- Breaking down assignments into smaller chunks helps your child to concentrate on the matter at hand better than presenting him with an overwhelming to-do list.
- More time for assignments will take into account the fact that your child may not be able to concentrate for a long, uninterrupted study session.
- Extra breaks during the day will give him a chance to work the kinks out of his system if he’s hyperactive-impulsive – these are all easy adjustments that can be made.
Homework strategies
For a child with ADHD homework can be a challenge. Just getting the assignment written down and the correct books in the backpack to go home can be a monumental task. If papers do make it home, assignments may still not get done. For many kids the energy that must be used to recall the instructions, understand the assignment, and focus on the tedious task of getting it completed with all the other distractions around may prove too much. Homework involves numerous steps – and one missed step can create lots of problems. For your child, it can become so overwhelming that it is easier to just not do it. Homework can be frustrating for parents, children, and teachers – but providing tools and support will make it easier for your child and you to stay in control…
- Start a homework folder Go shopping with your child to pick out a folder with inside pockets to put completed homework papers in – ‘the homework folder’ – and a notebook where homework assignments can be written down.
- Arrange teacher reminders Ask your child’s teachers if they’ll help with verbal reminders to the entire class: ‘Your assignment tonight is… I will give you all a few minutes. Please write your assignment down now.’ Ask her if she could write the assignment on the board in addition to giving verbal instructions (this approach can be beneficial to the whole class, not just your child).
- Ask them to double check Your child’s teacher can be on the look out to make sure your child is focused and writing the assignment down as instructed. If he isn’t, a simple tap on the desk or pat on the back may be enough to refocus him without drawing attention. The teacher can even check his assignment notebook at the end of class to make sure it’s accurate. If possible try to get a schedule of the week’s assignments so you can have them at home as a backup.
- Organize your child’s backpack Help your child organize his backpack. Use part of homework time to show him how to clean out old, unnecessary items in the book bag so they don’t distract him from current assignments.
- Schedule homework time Get into the habit of tackling homework soon after your child is home from school or after-school activities. A healthy snack to re-energize and a drink to refresh is nice. After that, it’s homework time.
- Have a designated area for homework The kitchen table, a desk in a nearby quiet room but preferably not his bedroom, as the distractions may be too great there and he’ll be isolated. For children at this young age, your extra support and parental guidance is essential, so sit with your child as he completes his homework and be available to answer questions, encourage his efforts, and provide prompts when needed.
- Create a productive environment Some children do best in quiet; some do better with a little background noise or music. Some kids work best with periodic short breaks. You and your child can work out which environment is most productive for him.
- Make the routine predictable and stress-free After homework is done, check it over; then help your child put the completed assignment in his homework folder and return all appropriate items to his backpack.
- Praise your child for a job well done Make a point of providing positive feedback to your child for his hard work. Believe it or not, homework can be fun if you remain relaxed and upbeat – and this approach will help to set a good tone for homework for years to come as your child grows older and more independent. Sometimes it’s so easy to focus on the negative when you should be remembering to point out the things your child is doing well. A positive approach is so much more effective.