TEFL Aventura Florida

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder also known as ADHD is a disorder that appears in early childhood. The symptoms are usually grouped into 3 different categories. One group is inattention. They have trouble paying attention and get easily distracted. The second group hyperactive, impulsivity. They have a lot of energy and find it very difficult to sit still. They talk extremely much, interrupt others and don't have patience. The third group is a combination of the previous groups. The children diagnosed with ADHD are doing things without really thinking about them. They tend to be hyperactive, disengaged and disruptive at school and restless. Many times they hand in low quality school work. Can you as a teacher help the children with ADHD succeed at school? Yes, you can! But it requires a lot of a teacher. You need to have the right attitude and be able to create the right strategy. Which strategy will be successful in educating children with ADHD? According to U.S. Department of Education that has to be a three-pronged strategy. In summary, this strategy is as follows: • Evaluate the child's individual needs and strengths. • Select appropriate instructional practices. • Integrate appropriate practices within an individual education program (IEP) for children receiving special education services. But only thinking of a strategy won't be enough. You need to implement it in your lessons. Important components are: Classroom arrangements You need to modify the classroom so it is suitable for the child. That means that there are less distractions for the child. The surrounding must not be chaotic but clear. You can use color and posters, as long as they are functional but do not distract the child too much. Timetables, schedules and class rules hanging on the wall can give some help to the child. The child's seat needs to be close the teacher to monitor it. Also for the child it is easy to ask help this way. A modal child can sit next to the ADHD child, so there is a good working attitude what will influence it. Do not seat the child close to a door, window or cabinet, since this will create a lot of distraction. Educational measures Be aware that structure and routine is very important. It provides clarity and predictability. Teach the child to “think, do and check” and prepare them for what lies ahead. Especially when something new or different is going to happen. Good thing is to keep your instructions very clear. So don't use too much examples, it will confuse the child. You can explain what the child needs to do, instead of telling what it should not do. If you make complicated tasks smaller, divide them into sections and give separate instructions the child will have a better overview. Repeat the instructions and let the child repeat it as well. Also use visual material to make it more clear. From time to time you need to give the child some space to move or escape for a short moment. Behavioral Interventions You need to define the appropriate behavior and give praise immediately. By being consistent and sincere the child will gain more self esteem. And when it shows inappropriate behavior selectively ignore it. Explain why a social interaction went wrong, so the child can learn from its own mistakes. Try using a reward system to visualize good behavior and make frequent eye contact. teacher's attitude To be able to handle these difficult behaviors you need to have a positive, flexible and creative attitude. Realize that being the child's teacher, you can make all the difference in the world on how a child feels about itself. And last but not at least: when a teacher understand the struggle of a student with ADHD, he or she can better help that student succeeding at school…and in life. Sources: http://pediatrics.about.com/od/adhd/a/adhd_hub.htm http://www.ldonline.org/article/8797 http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_teaching_strategies.htm http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/issues148c.shtml http://www.teachervision.fen.com/add-and-adhd/teaching-methods/57949.html