Rheannon Thomas

EDUC-4709
June 10, 2021

Understanding ADHD in the Classroom and How We can Help

Life at school can be hard for any student. There are so many pressures to deal with
while at school; getting good grades, making friends, participating in extracurricular activities,
etc., and these are just the typical worries. Students with ADHD have a lot to deal with inside
their own head, never mind while they are at school, it is no wonder that often these pressures
can weigh down on them and sometimes cause behavioural issues. ADHD is becoming one of
the most common diagnoses among children and we are seeing a rise in students needing extra
supports at school to successfully manage their behaviour and get the most out of their
learning.

ADHD presents itself differently in different people. Students with ADHD have difficulty
using their metacognitive skills which has been directly linked to failure to develop academic
skills (Brown, 2009). This can mean that students with ADHD can difficult sorting through all of
the stimuli they face in an everyday classroom, and thus can not focus on information outside
of these distractions. Other common traits of students with ADHD are difficulties sustaining
attention to activities, difficulties with listening and focus, disorganization, avoidance, and
forgetfulness (Brown, 2009). This can make it difficult for students to know what exactly they
need, and even more difficult for teachers and school staff to give them the tools they need to
succeed. However, this is not an impossible goal for students with ADHD and their teachers to
have. Working collaboratively with one another to create a targeted approach to redirect these
behaviours is an effective way to help manage them.

Educators and researchers have published many articles on managing behavioural issues
related to ADHD in the classroom. One strategy that some teachers have had success with is
called the FOCUS Strategy: which stands for focus on speaker, open your mind, connect, use
your eyes, select. This strategy aims to support students with ADHD in listening to instruction
and paying attention to whoever is speaking (especially in larger groups) and, not surprisingly,
focusing. Students are provided with the mnemonic FOCUS and shown ways it can be put into
 Rheannon Thomas
EDUC-4709
June 10, 2021

practice in the classroom (see appendix A). Teachers then take on the role of observing the
student and how well this strategy is working for them by recording their behaviours
throughout the day (see appendix B).

An article by A.K. Yehle and Clark Wambold followed a 10th grade student, Brian, who
was navigating through challenges involved with having ADHD in a ‘general stream’ classroom
(1998). Brian and the staff at his school worked together to find and implement strategies that
worked for him and allowed him to have a positive experience at school. One of these
strategies was to create an ‘ADHD friendly’ environment (Yehle & Wambold, 1998). This means
limiting distractions such as noise, bright light, clutter etc. Brian shared a story of a final exam
where he studied very hard and was confident he would get a good mark. However, when it
came to writing the exam, there were so many distractions – a squirrel on a tree outside, and
worse, a classmate popping her gum -- that he had to leave the classroom because it was so
overwhelming for him (Yehle and Wambold, 1998). As teachers, we want to do our best to
create calming classroom environments that have limited distractions. This can be beneficial for
all students, not just those with ADHD, and is easy enough to implement in a short period of
time. Beyond reduced clutter and noise, the article suggests allowing students with ADHD to
move around the classroom in a non-distracting way for their classmates and defining a
workspace for the student in large groups and individual settings.

Another way we can support students with ADHD is by providing them with self-
regulation intervention strategies. While classroom supports are extremely helpful, students
also need to possess the skills to regulate themselves in uncontrolled environments. Although
we as teachers don’t have the time with these students to teach them all of these skills, we can
help them to use the skills they learn at school in other aspects of their life as well. This
particular article suggests having students monitor their own behaviour throughout the day,
then compare it with their teachers’ observations to see their own awareness of their
behaviour. Students then receive positive reinforcement based on how their ratings match their
teacher’s. This can also tell the student and teacher how frequently behaviours like distraction,
 Rheannon Thomas
EDUC-4709
June 10, 2021

getting up from their desk, or getting off task are occurring. This collaborative approach allows
the student to feel more in control of their behaviours and the supports they are receiving.

There are many other strategies available to help students with ADHD navigate through
their life at school and become successful learners. The strategies mentioned above are just a
few that can be a starting point for students and teachers. Additionally, there is more and more
research being published on how teachers can help students with ADHD be successful in school.
It is important for teachers to continue to grow their understanding of these strategies in order
to support all of the different students that may enter their classroom. Furthermore, it is
important for students to feel involved in these strategies and to be given the tools to use the
skills they learn at school in all aspects of their life. When students and teachers work
collaboratively together it creates a more positive and inclusive classroom environment for
everyone involved.
 Rheannon Thomas
EDUC-4709
June 10, 2021

Works Cited
Teaching Students with ADHD to F.O.C.U.S.: A Learning Strategy. Retrieved from
https://www.foundationforocps.org/uploads/files/Read2Succeed/F_O_C_U_S_
%20Learning%20Strategy(1).pdf
Brown, V. (2009). Individuals with ADHD lost in hyperspace. Childhood Education, 86(1), 45-48.
Retrieved from
https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.uleth.ca/scholarly-journals/individuals-with-adhd-
lost-hyperspace/docview/210394001/se-2?accountid=12063
DuPaul, G., Weyandt, L., & Janusis, G. (2011). ADHD in the Classroom: Effective Intervention
Strategies. Theory into Practice, 50(1), 35-42. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/23020735
Yehle, A. K., & Wambold, C. (1998). An ADHD success story: Strategies for teachers and
students. Teaching Exceptional Children, 30(6), 8. Retrieved from https://www-
proquest-com.ezproxy.uleth.ca/scholarly-journals/adhd-success-story-strategies-
teachers-students/docview/201140896/se-2?accountid=12063
 Rheannon Thomas
EDUC-4709
June 10, 2021

Appendix A: FOCUS Strategy Cards

 Rheannon Thomas
EDUC-4709
June 10, 2021

Appendix B: Observation Chart