Too Much of a Good Thing

Adapting Education for the ADHD Student

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Special Education > ADD and ADHD |

By: Linda Warren (03/05/12)


This article is education learning article
Students with ADHD often find it difficult to function in a traditional classroom.  Many people believe that medicating these students is the right answer, but the reality is that medication is a decision for each family, and their physician.  This is not an issue that can be controlled within the classroom. Beyond medication there are a number of things that will help students with ADHD succeed in school.

ADHD students, maybe more than “normal” students, need to have a stimulating curriculum.  Having an ADHD diagnosis does not really mean that the child cannot concentrate.  Parents often tell stories of how the child finds an interest and will spend untold hours researching or enjoying that interest.  The problem is not that they can’t concentrate; it is that they need to be enticed to concentrate.  If the schoolwork is boring, there is no chance of engaging the student.  Many children who suffer with attention deficit need curriculum that is made for them, something that moves fast, is colorful, and engaging. A computer based or online curriculum can be a good alternative to more common book based curricula because it allows the student to move at their own pace. Additionally, online course work can be done with headphones on which can limit the amount of outside audio distraction the student has to filter out.