5 Ways to Help Kids with ADHD Succeed in School - Page 2
3. Inspire organization.
Why? Many kids with ADHD struggle with organization which can lead to performance problems in school.
Suggested strategies: Make your household motto, "There's a place for everything, and everything in its place." Teach your child good organization skills by showing him the right places to keep his toys, clothes, and school materials. Use notebooks and organizers to help keep schoolwork organized and an assignment book to keep track of all his homework. Take time each day to check in with your child on the organization of his things, and talk about where they should be if they're out of place. Then, work together to put things away.
4. Be a homework helper.
Why? It's likely that your child will need your help getting started and breaking down large assignments into smaller, more manageable ones that are easier to tackle.
Suggested strategies: Establish a routine for doing homework that includes a designated time and place that's as distraction-free as possible. Be there to help your child as needed, but don't do the work for him.
Check out more advice from the RealAge pediatrician.
5. Take advantage of special services.
Why? Specific legislation has been enacted over the past several decades to provide specialized academic support and services for children with ADHD and other learning disabilities. Two of those laws, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), entitle your child to a free academic evaluation that determines whether he qualifies for special support or even an individualized education program (IEP) tailored especially for learning-disabled students.
Suggested strategy: As a parent, you are in the best position to advocate for your child to ensure he receives the academic services and accommodations he needs. Ask your child's teacher or school counselor about these services.
- Keep kids involved and interested. Research suggests that the more stimulating the learning environment and teaching style, the greater the likelihood that kids with ADHD will pay attention in class. Make every effort to get your child assigned to classrooms with teachers who encourage student interaction.
- Break for exercise. Hyperactivity symptoms often lead to restlessness, so it may help to work with your child's teacher to arrange periodic breaks in the school day so your child can get up and move around.
- Chop up directions. Some kids with ADHD have trouble following written instructions, while others struggle with verbal directions. Whenever possible, try to break down tasks into smaller steps that are easier to process.
- Reinforce rules. Rules don't always immediately sink in for kids with ADHD, and they may have trouble remembering to follow them. Asking your child's teacher to post class rules where your child can see them and to repeat them often could make a big difference.
- Work on organization. Personal organization can be a big struggle with ADHD, which makes keeping track of belongings, school work, and important papers difficult for kids. See above for tips on helping your child stay organized.
- Look for learning difficulties. Reading problems, such as dyslexia, are common among kids with ADHD. But try to hold off on testing your child for any reading problems until at least second grade; it sometimes takes until then for children to get up to speed. In the meantime, watch for signs of other potential learning difficulties so you can let the teacher know if you think your child may need extra help.
- Offer handwriting help. Some kids with ADHD may have trouble grasping handwriting skills and may find cursive writing particularly challenging.
- Focus on social skills. Sometimes, kids with ADHD seem to have less of a sense of personal boundaries and may have a tendency -- although not necessarily intentionally -- to invade other people's personal space or take things from other kids. It's important to try to help your child realize how this kind of behavior affects other people.
- Explain starts and stops. Getting focused and started on projects or activities can be challenging, as can switching gears to work on something else. Helping your child understand why something needs to be done can help spark the motivation to get started.
- Ease transitions. Adjusting to new teachers and classrooms each year is often harder for kids with ADHD. Go over any upcoming changes well ahead of time. If your child is highly visual, try to provide pictures, including photos of the new teachers, if possible.
