BITESIZE BEHAVIOUR BULLETIN NUMBER 2

The ADHD Friendly Classroom

Do you teach a child who displays a high level
of the following behaviours?
1. Easily distracted
2. Difficulty settling to activities
3. Restless
4. Fidgety
5. Noisy
6. Continually ‘on the go’
7. Frequently interrupts, talks out of turn

The child may have ADHD.

ADHD is used to describe people who exhibit
long-term difficulties that include inattention,
hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Hampshire County Council EPS, 1996
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental
condition whereby individuals find it difficult to focus their attention and to
control their behaviour. Individuals with ADHD usually cannot concentrate
for very long and may do or say things without thinking of the
consequences.
LANC.org.uk
 Adaptations to the
behaviour management

An ADHD friendly Adaptations to all aspects

classroom needs of teaching and learning

Adaptations to the
environment
 • Make changes to the behaviour policy to maximize
success
Behaviour Management
Teaching and Learning
• Have only few rules in the classroom: make sure they
are visible and child knows the rules and
consequences of compliance or non-compliance
• Rules should be phrased positively. Praise and reward
appropriate behaviour and achievements-try to
ignore minor behaviour
• Enforce rules consistently and quickly: ADHD children
cannot await rewards and forget why they are
receiving a consequence if there is a delay
• Reinforcement and meaningful rewards help and are
more effective than punishment, as is a positive
attitude, comment or smile
• Set boundaries and limits for children in a classroom
or playground. Be clear and direct
• Make it clear it is the behaviour not the child that is
unacceptable
• Reframe your language. Tell the child what to do,
rather than what not to do, eg, “Feet on the floor
please” rather than “take your feet off the table.”
Giving positive rather than negative instructions are
better for morale of teacher and child
• Work on one difficult behaviour at a time. Remember
you are teaching the child to behave just as you teach
him to read. All children benefit from a curriculum for
teaching them how to behave but an ADHD learner
needs this to be differentiated to them
• Catch them doing it right. Praise to correction of
behaviour in a 4:1 ratio
• Be ready to offer stimuli-free time out to give the
child headspace and time to reset.
• Be proactive rather than reactive. Be aware of
problem situations (change of timetable, change of
The Environment
teaching staff, new classroom layout, school outing or
visitor- RAG the day with the child if possible
• Accommodate skills difficulties to reduce the anxiety
• Acknowledge and note vulnerabilities
• Find out potential problems before the child enters
the class so you can plan ahead and avoid the
possibility of a poor start
• Assess situations with the ADHD child in mind. School
trips or a school play are likely to make the child very
excited. Establish one or two essential rules before
the event and make sure the child knows what the
expected behaviour looks like and what will happen if
she/he does or does not comply. Consider grouping
the child with less children and with those who are a
calmer influence
• Try to control the level of stimulation the ADHD child
is exposed to. A child with ADHD is easily aroused
• Give short, clear instructions. Try not to flood the
child with information as s/he will switch off
• Pedagogy must be interactive. All children take
ownership of their learning if they are doing. This is
even more important for the ADHD learner
• Don’t presume the child will behave well because of
getting a reward
• Teach the child problem-solving skills and calm down
strategies so he feels in control. Remember feelings of
helplessness are close to feelings of depression
• Have a quiet area that is available for all children.
Create a time out pass card which the child can use
independently. Have timers so the amount of time is
restricted. Limit then number of passes- say three for
the morning and 3 for the afternoon
• Make sure the classroom is well-organised, tidy and
calm. Look at communication friendly classrooms.
They are usually aesthetically pleasing, have minimal
clutter, resources clearly organised and labelled and
display neutral colours to minimise stimulation
• Teach children how to organise their desk, time. Some
ADHD children benefit from a mini-office within the
classroom with a small screen around. This can help
children to remain focused for a period of time
• It’s good for children with ADHD to walk even for 2
minutes for every 10 minutes of sitting or less
depending on the age of the child. Be proactive in
reducing the anxieties creeping in by allowing the
child to have these frequent brain breaks
• Lighting is important for ADHD children. Natural light
is better but make sure on sunny days there are blinds
to reduce the light and ensure the room is well-
ventilated. If strip lighting is used be aware of where
the child sits in relation to the lights. If possible don’t
have all the rows of lighting on at the same time
• Establish and display a daily routine- an individual
visual timetable can help and some children like to
tick off the sessions completed
Whilst ADHD can co-occur with other disorders, some disorders also have strong overlaps in symptoms
with ADHD (such as ASD or ODD).
People often confuse ADHD and ASD presentations. It is important to recognise the difference as the
access to support pathways is very different. Below are some of the key features that distinguish the two
(for individuals who do not have ADHD and ASD comorbidities).

.
What
Teachers Don't Kn
ow About ADHD
?
 Reframe the ADHD

• Remember the child is NOT doing it on purpose- ADHD is a medical

condition which requires specific support
• Understanding and accepting ADHD coupled with the desire to adapt
teaching and learning strategies can empower ADHD learners to learn
more effectively
• Children with ADHD are already harsh self-critics so they struggle to
deal appropriately with criticism and can become hostile and defiant
• Change the problem into an opportunity.
REFRAME what you see…
A problem? Or an opportunity…
Easily distracted Acutely aware with high levels of
observation
Restless Energetic and lively
Goes off at a tangent Sign of individualism and independence
Forgetful Absorbed in their own thoughts
Always interrupting Enthusiasm for contributing
Sloppy, rushed work Reward the effort despite the difficulties
Being selfish Single-mindedness in pursuit of goals

Try to reward good development and ignore the

development you don’t want.
A growth mind-set approach may maintain a
positive relationship with ADHD learners.
 The Ideal Teacher for the ADHD learner…
• Accepts ADHD and is knowledgeable about the condition;
• Enforces rules with flexibility and remains positive and calm;
• Modifies pedagogy and resources to suit learning style;
What could
• Makes the day as kinaesthetic as possible; you do
• Creates opportunities for success; differently?
• Knows when to ease off when a child’s frustration level start to peak;
• Speaks clearly in brief, understandable language;
• Runs a predictable and organised classroom;
• Demonstrates good control of the classroom but not controlling;
• Provides immediate and consistent feedback relating to behaviour;
• Has a private communication system with child to notify of any off-task/inappropriate behaviour;
• Close proximity to child without being intrusive;
• Uses tactical ignoring and knows when to intervene or ignore;
• Knows what motivates the child and uses this effectively.
 ADHD Websites
• ADDISS
www.addiss.co.ukADDISS (National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service) is the UK’s only national ADHD
charity. ADDISS provides a wide range of information and resources about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to parents,
sufferers, teachers and health professionals. They also run annual conferences, training and a telephone helpline.
• Adders.org
www.adders.org
Set up in 1998, this site aims to promote awareness of ADHD and provide information and practical advice to sufferers and their
families in the UK and around the world. Lots of information, downloadable resources and a comprehensive list of local support
groups.
• ADHD Foundation
www.adhdfoundation.org.uk
The ADHD Foundation is based in Liverpool and provides services to ADHD sufferers and their families in that area. However,
their website has a lot of information on ADHD, including a very detailed FAQ
• Living with ADHD
www.livingwithadhd.co.ukThis is a website from one of the pharmaceutical companies, Janssen, but it includes a lot of
information for teenagers with ADHD as well as parents, teachers, and medical professionals, including videos and
downloadable resources.
• YoungMinds
www.youngminds.org.uk
YoungMinds is the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and
young people. The link will take you directly to the ADHD section.
Useful Resources
• ADHD GUIDE FOR TEACHERS
• Hi It’s Me, I have ADHD by Katelyn Mabry, 2020.
• The Survival Guide for Children with ADHD by James Taylor, 2013.
• Super Emotions! By Lionel Lowry, 2013.