hat is ADD? iagnosing ADD reating ADD hat Teachers can do to Assist a Child with ADD/ADHD he Hidden Gifts of ADD ctivities to improve reading skills at home

 

hat is ADD? Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder affects about 5% of the school age population.  A child diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is not hyperactive and does not demonstrate disruptive behavior in the classroom that could possibly be annoying or noticeable to the teacher.  Children suffering from ADD may exhibit several of the symptoms listed below: Behavior Characteristics of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)    Easily distracted by external stimuli  Difficulty listening and following directions  Difficulty focusing and sustaining attention  Difficulty concentrating and attending to task Inconsistent performance in school work:  One day the student may be able to do the task, the next day cannot; the student is consistently inconsistent Tunes out- appears to be a million miles away Disorganized: loses and/or can’t find belongings, desk and room may be a total disaster area  Poor study skills Difficulty working independently Kids that are diagnosed as having ADD may have normal a temperament but appear lethargic. Girls are more commonly diagnosed as having ADD than ADHD.

 

 

iagnosing ADD Students who have exhibited several of the characteristics of ADD (What is ADD) for longer than six months may be at risk for having an Attention Deficit Disorder.  A proper diagnosis can only be made after ruling out other factors that are related to medical, emotional, or environmental variables that could cause similar symptoms. A diagnosis should contain input from a variety of individuals.  A child should only be labeled ADD after a medical exam, psychological and educational testing, speech and language assessment, neurological evaluation, and behavioral rating scales completed by the child’s parents and teacher are performed.  Above all else a diagnosis of ADD must not be affixed to a child based on a teacher or pediatricians say so. Parents must also keep in mind that all children will be inattentive, inconsistent, distracted and disorganized.  This does not mean your child is ADD.  Children who are ADD will exhibit these characteristics most of the time and in other situations besides the classroom.  If your child is only showing these characteristics in the classroom, ask for an independent observer to come to the classroom and evaluate the situation.  A problem totally unrelated to ADD may be the cause of your child’s difficulty.


 

 

reating ADD   The moment we hear the words ADD we think medication.  This is not always the treatment of choice.  Not all children having ADD are prescribed medication, however in certain cases the proper use of medication can be an important and perhaps necessary part of a child’s overall treatment.  A proper treatment must be devised for individual children based on their particular needs and symptoms. Some treatment plans may seem unconventional, but should be given a chance by the parents and child.  Components of a treatment plan may include:    Private tutoring and/or peer tutoring at school A class with a low student-teacher ratio Social skills training and organizational skills training Training in cognitive (thinking) restructuring such as positive self-talk (I did that well) Use of a word processor or computer in school Individualized activities that are mildly competitive such as bowling or karate Involvement in social activities such as scouting, church groups, or youth organizations that help develop social skills and self-esteem Behavior modification through positive reinforcement and rewards If your child is not participating in one of the above components, but you think they might benefit from one, talk to their counselor or doctor about how best to choose and implement one of the activities.  Don’t forget to discuss any changes with your child. Be sure to work closely with teachers, daycare workers, and other individuals who spend a long period of time with your child in order to provide consistency on the child’s treatment.


 
 
 

hat Teachers can do to Assist a Child with ADD/ADHD   Children who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD often have serious difficulties in school.  Their tendency towards inattention, impulsiveness, hyperactivity and disorganization may lead to unfinished assignments, careless errors and disruptive behavior. To help counter these difficulties, teachers can use a plethora of accommodations to the classroom environment.  A child can make giant leaps in their academic endeavors if their teacher will make small changes in their expectations of a child with ADD/ADHD.


 
 

Adaptations


  
 

Student Placement Place the student in the least distracting location in the classroom.  Placement may need to be in the front row near the teacher. Place the student near a good role model or study buddy. Increase the distance between desks. The student should never be placed near the door, window, or outside aisle. Assignments Allow extra time for the student to complete the assignment.  If the assignment is not completed in class, do not send it home for the student to finish.  If he/she could not complete it during a class, they probably will not be able to complete the assignment at home. Shorten the length of the assignment so that the student will be able to complete the assignment in about the same amount of time as the rest of the class.  For example, when assigning the class to write their weekly spelling words three times each, allow the ADD student to only write them two times each. Break the assignment up into small, manageable chunks.  Review the instructions one-on-one before the student begins work. Adapt worksheets so that less material is on each page to reduce distractions. Remind student to check work, especially if they have finished really quickly. Compliment the student on their work whenever possible. Giving Instructions Pair written instructions with oral instructions Give clear, concise instructions Check back to make sure the student is still following the original instructions.  Praise or gently redirect student. Have the student repeat the instructions back to you.  Make sure you have eye contact during the entire recital. Behavior Cue the student to stay on task.  Having a private cue set up in advance between you and the student best. Whenever possible ignore minor, inappropriate behavior. Always use appropriate reprimands.  Never criticize or lecture the student.  Try to gently redirect the student with a gently touch or visual cue.  Acknowledge appropriate behavior as often as possible. Call on student only when hand is raised.  Do not acknowledge any answer blurted out.  Praise the student when hand is raised. Reinforce more frequently when signs of frustration are noticed.  Let the student know that you realize their frustration and understand how they feel.  Consider a break if appropriate. Always praise appropriate behavior. Give immediate feedback. Use teacher attention to reinforce positive behavior. Acknowledge the positive behavior of a nearby student or study buddy.  Never point out to the student that they should behave like another peer. Assign special responsibilities to the student in the presence of peers so others will be able to observe the student in a positive mode. Make frequent contact with the student by touching or speaking their name. Organization Provide rules pertaining to organization.  Desk must be free of litter.  Pencils must be put into box before leaving desk. Make sure student has a notebook with colored dividers and folders for work. Made sure student writes down all homework assignments in a notebook. Regularly check desk and notebook for neatness. Encourage neatness instead of penalizing sloppiness.  Teach sloppy copy for writing assignments if necessary.  The first time is to make mistakes and erasures, so can be sloppy.  Rewrite the first copy onto a fresh sheet of paper and pay particular attention to neatness. Encourage the use of a word processor or computer. Allow student to use a tape recorder for assignments and homework. Parent Involvement Have frequent conferences with parents to let them know how their child is performing and to also discover how the student is performing outside of the school environment. Send positive notes home whenever possible. Keep a communication notebook.  Write a short daily note home to parents letting them know how their child is performing and ask them to write a short daily note on how the student did that evening or morning while preparing for school. Send weekly progress reports home. Inform parents immediately of any problems. Keep parents informed about any behavior contracts, behavior modifications, or any other techniques you are trying and the results. Behavior Modification Praise, Praise, Praise Instead of saying “I want you to…” say “I need you to…” Instruct student in self-monitoring cues. Increase immediacy of rewards and consequences. Set up a behavior contract.  Make sure the student understands and agrees with the terms.  Don’t forget to inform the parents. Provide reassurance and encouragement. Speak softly to student. Look for opportunities for the student to take a leadership role in the classroom. Assist the student in setting short-term goals.  In the beginning, the goals may need to be accomplished in an hour to give the student practice in setting goals and working towards their completion. As you can see teachers sometimes have to change their behavior before they can change the students. Socialization Monitor social interactions, especially on the playground. Set up social behavior goals with the student. Prompt appropriate social behavior using verbal and/or private signals. Closely supervise transition times.  Never let the student bring up the rear of the line.  Try to make sure the student makes choices which will allow him/her to be successful. Encourage social interactions with peers. Movement Allow the student to stand at times while working on an assignment. Allow short breaks between assignments or during especially long assignments. Be aware of times when the student is feeling extra frustrated and allow the student to take a walk.  If possible, have an area set aside for quite movements or exercise. All the students would benefit from a quick exercise break. Miscellaneous Require fewer correct responses for a grade or test. Reduce the amount of homework for the student. If note taking is required, provide a peer to assist the student. Check to see if a counselor, aide, or another teacher can provide small group social skills training. Check to see if someone in the school can provide anger management techniques if appropriate for the student. Use multiple choice tests or one-on-one oral tests to determine mastery of content

 

 

he Hidden Gifts of ADD The following is a summary of a talk given by Ned Hallowell, M.D. of Harvard Medical School to a local chapter of CH.A.D.D. (Children and Adults with ADD) in February of 1993. Many thanks to Carson Graves for preparing ‘his transcription and permitting its distribution. This summary is taken from the newsletter of the Concord Special Education Parent Advisory Council which encourages readers to share its contents with others. Address: P.0. Box 274 Cocord, MA 01742 People wanting further information might be interested in a forthcoming book by Hallowell and John Ratey “Driven to Distraction, "Pantheon, due out in 1994. As the newsletter states, Ned Hallowell is a child psychiatrist who “knows all too well about the difficulties of living with ADD [as he] has ADD.” "What’s it like to have ADD? Some people say the so-called syndrome doesn't even exist, but believe me it does. Many metaphors come to mind to describe it. It’s like driving in the rain with bad windshield wipers. Everything is smudged and blurred and you’re speeding along, and it’s frustrating and frightening not to be able to see what you're zooming put at sixty m.p.h. In other ways, it’s Like being super charged all the time. You get one idea and you have to act on it1 and then, what do you know, but you've got another idea before you've finished up with the first one, and so you go for that one, but of course a third idea intercepts the second, and you just have to follow that one1 and pretty soon people are calling you disorganized arid impulsive and all sorts of impolite words that miss the point completely. Because you’re trying really hard It’s just that children with [ADD have] all these invisible vectors pulling this way and that, which makes it really hard to “What is it like to have ADD? In ADD, time collapses. Someone once said, Time is the thinking that keeps everything from happening all at once.' Time parcels moments out into separate bits so that we can do one thing at a time In ADD, this does not happen. Time becomes a black hole. To the person with ADD it feels as if everything is happening all at once. This creates a sense of inner turmoil or even panic. The child loses perspective and the ability to prioritize. He or she is always on the go, trying to keep the world from caving in on top.’ " There is a very positive side to all this. Usually the positive doesn't get mentioned when people speak about ADD because there is a natural tendency to focus on what goes wrong or at least what has to somehow be controlled. But often once ADD has been diagnosed, and the child, with the help of teachers, parents, coaches, and even Mends, has learned to cope with it, an untapped realm of the brain swims into view. Suddenly the windshield is clear. And the child, who has been such a problem, such a general pain in the neck to himself and everybody else, that person starts doing things he’d never been able to do before. He surprises everyone around him, and he surprises himself “ Dr. Hallowell uses the male pronoun, but it could just as easily be she. Dr. Hallowell says, “ADD people are highly imaginative and intuitive. They have a ‘ feel’ for things, a way of seeing right to the heart of matters while others have to reason their way along methodically. This is the child who can’t explain how he thought of the solution, or where the idea for the story came from, or why suddenly he produced a painting, or how he knew the short cut to the answer, but all he can say is, he just knew it, he could feel it. This is the man or woman who makes million dollar deals in catnip and pulls them off the next day. This is the child, who, having been reprimanded for blurting something out, is then praised for having blurted out something brilliant. These are the children who Learn and know and do and go by touch and feel.” “These people can feel a lot. In places where most of us are blind, they can, if not see the light, at least feel the light, and they can produce answers apparently out of the dark. It is important for others to be sensitive to this ‘ sixth sense’ many ADD people have, and to nurture it. If the environment insists on rational, linear thinking and ‘good’ behavior from these kids all the time, then they may never develop their intuitive style to the point where they can use it profitably. It can be exasperating to listen to these children talk. They can sound so vague and rambling. But if you take them seriously and grope along with them, often you will find they are on the brink of startling conclusions or surprising solutions.” “Their cognitive style is qualitatively different from most people’s and what at first may seem impaired, with patience and encouragement may become gifted.” “The thing to remember is that if the diagnosis can be made, then most of the bad stuff associated with ADD can be avoided or contained. The diagnosis can be liberating, particularly for people (children) who have been stuck with labels like: ‘ lazy,’ ‘stubborn,’ ‘ Willful,’ ‘ disruptive,’ ‘ impossible,’ ‘ tyrannical,’ ‘ a spaceshot,’ ‘ stupid,’ or just plain ‘bad.’ Making the diagnosis of ADD can take the case from the court of moral judgement to the clinic of neuropsychiatric treatment.” “What is the treatment all about? Anything that turns down the noise. Just making the diagnosis helps turn down the noise of guilt and self-recrimination. Building certain kinds of structure into one’s life can help a lot. Working in small spurts rather than long hauls. Breaking down tasks into smaller tasks. Getting extra help. Medication can help too, but it is far from the whole solution.” Hallowell spoke about ADD children having the ability to “hyper-focus” and actually be able to excel at tasks much of the time with the help of a patient person on their side. He spoke about growing up in Chatham on the Cape (Cod) with a special elementary school teacher, in the early 60’s. “She took me by her side and kept my attention by being a ‘good coach.’ She gave me encouragement at every wrong turn.” Hallowell has gone on to be on the staff at Harvard Medical School and he has a successful medical practice in Cambridge. Dr. Hallowell [concluded] with this thought. “We need your help and understanding. We make mess-piles wherever we go, but with your help, those mess-piles can be turned into realms of reason and art So, if you know someone like me who’s acting up and daydreaming and forgetting this or that and just not getting with the program, consider ADD before he starts believing all the bad things people are saying about him and it’s too late.”


 
 
 
 
 
 

ctivities to do at home to increase reading skills     I have received many requests from individuals for activities they could do at home with their child who has been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. Some of the requests received have gone unanswered because of mistakes in the e-mail addresses.  To remedy this problem and to ensure that everyone gets the information they are seeking, I am now including these activities.  I will try to add to them as often as I can, so that there will be many choices of activities and hopefully a few your child will enjoy playing.   All the activities included in this section are action games.  They require running, throwing, or searching.  The last thing your child wants to do is to come home from school and be told to sit and study or do seat work.  He has worked all day long trying to concentrate and pay attention for hours.  These activities will get him up and moving, having fun, and learning.  If possible, have a sibling, friend, or yourself play along with him. I have also included some "busy" sit down games just in case you or your child are wanting to quietly study or run out of energy playing the action games.


   
 

Letter Bowling Materials: liter size coke bottles, water. tennis ball, index cards, black marker, tape Procedure:   Fill the bottles about 1/4 full of the way with water.  You want just enough water to steady the bottles, so they won't fall over.  Too much water and your child will not be able to knock the bottles over.  Write a letter of the alphabet onto an index card.  Be sure to write both the upper and lower case letter.  Tape the card to the bottle.  Try to make five bottles. Play:  You and your child can take turns tossing the ball to knock over one of the bottles.  Once a bottle is knocked over, say the name of the letter sound, and a word beginning with the letter.  If your child has siblings or visiting friends get them to play along. Variation I:   If your child had good eye and hand coordination have them draw a letter card to telll them which bottle to knock over.  Don't forget to say the letter, word, and sound. Variation II:   If your child has a firm grasp of the alphabet use words instead.  Write a word on the card and tape to the bottle.  Roll or toss the ball to knock over the bottle.  Read the word and use it in a sentence.


 

Relay Materials:   index cards, marker, objects Procedure:   On each index card write one word (noun) that your child is trying to learn to read.  These words can be chosen through hobbies, interests, teacher list, or spelling words.  Turn the cards over so they can not be read before drawn.  Place the cards at "station 1" and objects representing the written words at "station 2".  You can also use pictures instead of objects. Play:   Each person takes turns drawing the top card, reading it, and racing to the next station to select the object depicted by the card. Variation 1:   Use letters.  At station 1 place cards with the upper case letters written on them.  At station 2 write the lower case letter.  Race to see who can collect the most upper and lower case matches. Variation II:   Use a mix of letters and words.  Player draws a letter card at station 1.  Look at the card and run to station 2 to select the card that has the word that begins with that letter.  You may also want to have your child choose the word that ends with that letter. Variation III:   Sort word families.  On station 1 place one the word families letters.  You may want to use at, ag, id, un, ed, ot, in, ain, ock, ing.  At station 2 place consonants and blends that will form words when placed with the word family letters at station 2.  For example: Station 1 has three different word families: card number 1-ag, card number 2- ock, and card number 3- un.  At station 2 are cards with letters that will form words when placed in front of the word families at station 1.  The letters for ag would be: B, G, H, L, N, R, S, T, and W.  The letters for ock would be: D, H, J, L, M, R, S, T, BL, CL, FL, CR, SM, ST, SH.  The letters for un would be: B, D, F, G, H, N, P, R, S.  Each person would select a letter card from station 2 and run to station 1 and place the letter card by the correct word family card to form a word.


   

Scramble This is a great game for learning the weekly spelling words. Materials:  spelling list, construction paper, letter tracers, scissors, index cards, pencil Procedure:   Using the letter tracers, trace and cut out the individual letters.  On one side of the index card, lightly write one of the words on the index card.  You do not want to be able to see it from the other side.  Turn the card over and draw a space for each letter in the word. Place the cut out letters that form the letters on the card, scrambled. Repeat with each card.  Have your child unscramble the letters to form the word from their spelling list.  This is a game they can play alone at the kitchen table while you prepare dinner or as a quiet game before bedtime.


   

Name that Object Relay Materials:   Post-it notes, black marker Procedure:   Write the name of household objects on Post-it notes.  Have your child run as fast as he can to place the Post-it notes on the correct object.


   

Picture Hunt Materials:   pictures, index cards, marker Procedure:   Look in magazines or other books for pictures that represent words your child is learning to read or is wanting to learn to read.  On the index cards, write the words that correspond with the pictures.  Hide the pictures around the house or other locale.  You may want to put parameters on the search by telling him that they will not be on high shelves or mixed in with someone's personal belongings.  Your child is to find the picture and place the correct word card with that picture.


 
 

KayDee@KayDeesplace.com

Home	Welcome	Reading	ADD	Math	Activities	Preschool
Kindergarten	Seasons	Updates	Special Concerns	Months	Links	Themes

 

© 1999-2006 KayDee's Pages, All Rights Reserved.

Great Tea