8 Strategies to Make Classrooms More ADHD Friendly

At one time or another, we've all faced challenges with maintaining focus, remaining seated, or keeping things organized. However, when these challenges significantly disrupt daily activities, it may be indicative of a broader issue. Such symptoms are often associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Brief Overview of ADHD

ADHD is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs in childhood. The disorder can start in childhood and if left untreated get progressively worse. 

Children diagnosed with ADHD can struggle with the following:

• Paying attention

• Recalling information

• Controlling impulsive behaviors

• Being overly active and hyper

The typical behaviors and symptoms that showcase possible ADHD in children include the following:

• Excessive daydreaming

• Fidgeting

• Overtalking

• Forgetful and memory issues

• Difficulty thinking through the consequences of their actions

• Risky behavior

• Difficulty making and keeping friendships

This understanding of how ADHD presents bolsters the necessity for diagnosis and early intervention to support those navigating the complexities of this disorder. 

Those who have ADHD can succeed and manage their symptoms with the proper learning support. 

Here are the top 8 classroom strategies to help students with ADHD:

1. Create Consistent Expectations

As children with ADHD have difficulty remembering and paying attention to information, keep it consistent. When expectations are set, maintain consistency and how you share the information and what the expectations are.

Clear and concise rules should be regularly enforced into a routine to allow students to understand what is expected of them. Be sure to clarify the rules to assure each student comprehends the message, not just hears it.

2. Limit All Distractions

Children can fall easily to distractions in the classroom. Children who have ADHD can struggle more with managing distractions. In order to help your students, limit distractions.

This can include limiting disruptions in the classroom itself. Keep students with ADHD away from high-traffic areas such as doors, cubbies, pencil-sharpening areas, and more. The stimuli make it more difficult for them to concentrate. Place those students as close to the front of the classroom as possible.

3. Reward System

Rewarding good behavior is a beneficial way to help children with ADHD in your classroom. Although consistency is key, shake up your rewards system and keep them changing to avoid boredom or expectation.

Physical activity is of great importance to ADHD students as it helps them with their energy levels. Throw in outdoor activities as a reward which then creates a positive and healthy learning environment for everyone.

4. Incorporate Movement/Kinesthetic Strategies 

For kids with ADHD, have Silly Putty or a squishy ball on hand to allow them to control their overstimulation without disturbing other classroom members. Allowing them to manipulate something with their hands helps them focus on the lesson being taught at the front of the classroom.

Allow the children to stand up and stretch, shaking out the cobwebs between lessons. You can also engage them a movement task, such as helping to distribute classroom materials. 

5. Stay Compassionate

ADHD can be a difficult learning disability for both children and adults. Staying compassionate toward their struggles is a great method to assist them throughout their classroom tasks.

Offer assistance, be patient, and practice empathy as the students learn to navigate the world around them. Kindness and compassion allow children to know it is okay to make mistakes, be different, and grow their self-esteem.

7. Keep it Simple

Overloading children with stimuli issues can spell disaster. Keep your lesson plans and homework as simple and clear as possible.

Break down the workload into smaller, more digestible sections that are easier to comprehend. Use graphic organizers to help boost their confidence in understanding the material. Overloading students with learning disabilities can lead to frustration, giving up, and loss of self-esteem. Kids diagnosed with ADHD are sensitive to personal failures, so you want to keep it simple so they may succeed in their tasks.

8. Break Down Lesson Plans

In order to ensure that your students with ADHD are following your lesson plans and teachings, the following techniques are extremely useful:

• Beginning a new lesson

To begin, use an aural cue to capture the attention of your students i.e. an egg timer or cowbell. Be sure to establish eye contact with students with ADHD and begin listing your activities. The stimulus helps everyone immediately pay attention and great ready for the lesson plan.

Next, tell the students exactly what is expected of them and what they will be learning. Reiterating what is expected of everyone assists children with ADHD to centrally focus on the task that is coming up. 

• Teaching the lesson with Visual Aids and Proximity Control

Be sure to stay clear and concise in your teachings and messages. Students with ADHD struggle to remember and pay attention for long periods of time. Utilize charts, visual aids, and color-coded systems to organize information, visually capture and maintain attention.

If you see a student struggling, simply walk by and touch their shoulder to alert them to stay focused. Extra assistance can include allowing those students to stand up and stretch or hand them a squeezy ball.

• Wrapping up the lesson

Restate the key points in the lesson that you just taught your students. Clarifying the teachings will help kids with ADHD remember what they just learned. If there is any homework, have three different students state aloud what the homework is so everyone can remember there is an assignment.

Be sure to take the time to explain the homework and what is expected of them. Make the assignment exciting so everyone looks forward to doing the homework. If you still notice that a specific student did not seem to retain the fact that there is homework, you can write it down and hand it to them as they exit the classroom.

Bottom Line

Children with ADHD need extra assistance in classrooms. Consistency, compassion, and clarity are the keys to creating a successful learning environment for these students.

Limiting distractions and implementing a reward system is beneficial for keeping students with ADHD motivated and on course. The extra efforts you put into your classroom will greatly improve the learning capability and retention of information for these students.

The Mind Center, LLC is a thought leadership mental health brand dedicated to helping parents, their kids, and the schools they attend.   At the heart of what we do, we have your little one's best interest in mind. We help kids thrive, by providing school-based testing services that put your mind at ease, and make their educational wins something you and your child can be proud of. To learn more about the services, visit the services tab on our website!