7 Ways to Help Students with ADHD Concentrate
Here are some tips for how to help your students with ADHD focus in the classroom, so they can get the most out of their education!
Give your instructions one at a time. Don’t rush through the steps, move slowly and explain each point, and remember that you may have to repeat yourself.
Arrange your seats in rows, facing the front. This limits distractions that can more easily come up when the desks are in a circle, U-shape, or in groups.
If possible, work the most difficult material early in the day. Students may be more focused in the morning, as soon as they arrive to school, and it’s a great time to get the hardest stuff out of the way!
Use visuals! If you can use charts, pictures, color coding, even visual schedules, it will draw their eye and their focus. This is great for all of your students!
Create outlines for your note-taking. Instead of expecting students to pick up every bit and piece, create a small outline before hand. That way, they can follow along point by point, and be sure to miss nothing.
Test your students with ADHD the way they do best. This may be orally, or filling in the blanks, or any number of testing methods.
Divide long-term projects into segments. For each segment, assign a completion goal. This is another tip that’s really wonderful for all students, not just those with ADHD! It makes the goals more manageable and the big projects don’t seem as daunting.
The most important thing to do for your student with ADD or ADHD is to get to know them as an individual. That way, you’ll figure out what makes them tick, what works best for them, and how the two of you can work as a team so that they get the most out of their time in your classroom.