The National Institute of Mental Health places the number of children with ADHD at between 3% and 5% of the population. That would mean, in every classroom of 25 to 30 children, at least one child will have ADHD. Teachers, therefore, are on the front line in working with and helping children with ADHD. During the school day children are expected to sit still, stay in their seats, focus on their lessons and remember what they have been taught and what they are to do next. These are the same areas in which children with ADHD have the most difficult time. Many children with ADHD are intelligent and creative. They do not have a problem understanding the concepts being taught, but may not be able to complete their work because of the difficulty they have staying on task. Children with ADHD are also often emotionally immature and have low self-esteem.
Teachers, especially those with large classrooms are often pressed for time. They do not have the ability to individually help each child but must instead teach the group. With both limited time and resources, teachers can be at a loss as to what they can do to help the child with ADHD in their classroom.
If your student has either an Individualized Educational Plan or Section 504 accommodations, special services will be spelled out for teachers to follow. However, there are a number of ways in which teachers can provide extra assistance or help foster success in children with ADHD and minimize the distractions each day:
- Seat the child where distractions are minimized. This might mean having the child sit directly in front of the teacher or in the front row. This might mean placing the child in a seat close to students that easily focus and concentrate, minimizing the amount of time a child fools around with neighbors. Sitting a child with ADHD by the doors or windows is probably not a good idea as the activity outside can cause constant distractions. When creating a seating plan or rearranging seating, do not call attention to the child’s special needs. Simply place the child in the place you feel would be best.
