Adjustments to Teaching & Learning

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Jean Anthony
5 years ago
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1 Adjustments to Teaching & Learning Inattention Symptom as per DSM V Potential Barrier to Learning Possible Adjustment to Increase Access on the same basis as Peers Has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or activities. Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork or workplace duties. In spite of potential to learn and understand, misses information or instructions needed for task or mastery. Fails to meet potential Loses interest and engagement. Incomplete tasks. Misinterpreted as oppositional behaviour & receives negative reinforcement. Misses opportunity to practise skills. Allow short breaks. Use high interest materials or multimodal instruction. Provisions for choice. Use name before important instruction. Reduced expectation around output. Allow short breaks, or extra time during exam/assessment. Use light touch to gain attention - if acceptable to individual student (younger students) and setting. Break instructions into clear steps. Use visual prompts or reminders. Ask student to repeat back instruction to confirm it was heard.

2 Has difficulty organising tasks and activities. Loses things necessary for tasks or activities. Misses opportunity to demonstrate understanding. Becomes frustrated or upset. Becomes confused, frustrated or upset. Cannot work out how to begin. Wastes learning time. Avoids starting task. Feels frustrated or embarrassed. Receives negative feedback from teacher, parent or peer. Checklist to tick off parts of task Check back in strategy, Do this first part and then come back to me. Visual timer or countdown clock to help student manage and predict increments of time. Prompt: What do you need to start? (Help student get started.) Teacher checks to see student has started task. Visual prompt for task order. Allow a young student to draw before writing to help organise ideas. Encourage an older student to use a graphic organiser or concept web etc..to plan and organise thoughts before writing. Allow student to tell you what they are planning to do first. Arrange set places for certain belongings such as hook for hat or special holder for writing pencil, sticker on desk for glasses case etc. Hooks, stickers, holder act as auto suggestion for where to put item. Universal approach to reminders to save embarrassment. For example, remind whole class to take homework folder to bag, but stand in front of this student s desk when reminding class. #Although not an adjustment, it is helpful if you avoid judgement over lost items such as, Have you lost another pencil? and encourage organisation with non judgemental language: You are going to need this (item) again later, where will you put it so that you know where it is?

3 Is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli. Cannot attend to task. Is unable to access IQ. Becomes frustrated or disengaged Misses important information. Consider alternative seating. Consult with student about their best position in class for learning. With a certain person? At a desk on their own? Avoiding middle of room? Near teacher? Next to wall? Reduce noise and or allow ear plugs/headphones. Booth or barrier if desired. Non-verbal cues (such as gently tapping page as a reminder of where attention should be without reprimand). Small group instruction. Is often forgetful in daily activities. Receives negative feedback from others. Visual reminders on desk or on bag, for example, photo of reading folder on key ring on side of bag as a prompt each time student goes to bag. Train student, When you see this it will remind you to put your folder in or take it out. Silicone band on wrist as a reminder for certain item or task. Once complete, remove band. Visual timetables: class or personal.

4 Often avoids, dislikes or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort. Flight or fight style response: Disengages from learning or becomes restless or oppositional. At extreme end, may demonstrate overtly aggressive or disruptive behaviour, or flee learning environment. Use high interest materials or multimodal instruction. Provisions for choice. Reduced expectation around output. Negotiate which part of task must be done, which can be left. Inquiry based/child-centred units of learning. Flexible options for demonstrating knowledge and skills. Could this student demonstrate the same skill a different way? Scaffolded proforma for writing. Word banks for various Key Learning Areas, as cues/prompts. Hands on materials for Maths. Word banks and retrieval charts. Regular positive feedback for persistence at task. Work within Zone of Proximal Development to reduce frustration. *By no means is this an exhaustive list, but it is somewhere to start if adding adjustments to program, or working towards a Universal Design for Learning. Consider additional adjustments if student with ADHD also has a Specific Learning Disability, or has been identified as Gifted or Talented. Further adjustments may increase engagement and lessen undesirable behaviour.

5 Adjustments to Teaching & Learning Hyperactivity Symptom as per DSM V Potential Barrier to Learning Possible Adjustment to Increase Access on the same basis as Peers. Fidgets with or taps hands and feet, or squirms in seat. Talks excessively. Negative feedback from teachers or peers. Injury if swinging on chair. May be uncomfortable and unsettled creating anxiety. Frequent reprimands by adults. Hears name in negative context at far more frequently than peers. Rejection by peers. Negative self-esteem due to feelings of rejection. Wobble cushion, chair or exercise ball as alternative seating. Banding (stretchy or elasticised material) around bottom of table legs to allow feet to push against. Fidgets for sitting on floor or at desk. (If students are instructed in using fidgets appropriately to enhance learning and given time to practise this, they are not distracting to others.) Choose fidgets that don t make noise. Use a variety, different students like different fidgets and may get bored with the same ones. Visual reminder for time for speaking and time for listening. As talking can be a sign of hyperactivity, provide fidget for times when sitting and listening are required. Consider seating and appropriate peer model. Give student appropriate times to tell you things, or suggest they write it down at times when talking is not appropriate.

6 Has difficulty waiting their turn. Interrupts or intrudes on others. Sent away from learning due to failure to conform. Difficulty working in groups. Feels anxious or unsettled waiting and can t engage in learning. Peer rejection. Conflict with peers. Annoys others without realising and receives negative feedback. Difficulty working in groups. Sent away from learning due to failure to conform. Peer rejection. Visual reminders about turn taking and remind whole class (PBL/UDL approach) to avoid embarrassment. Allow student to experience success waiting for very short periods at first, before expecting longer periods. Positive reinforcement for successful waiting. Develop a strategy with student for doing something else while waiting. Avoid making them wait when it isn t necessary. (This is reasonable recognition for the fact it genuinely is difficult and they have made an effort at other times.) Develop a discrete signal (non verbal) with the student as a reminder that they are interrupting or intruding. It can be a secret gesture just between the two of you. This reminds the student of the expectation, while also allowing them to maintain dignity and not feel humiliated for social error. Clear roles for group work. Visual reminders for group work. Less students in group with this student. Carefully selected peers. Frequent check-in by teacher. Allowed to work alone sometimes if preferred.

7 On the go, acting as if driven by a motor Often fails to give close attention to detail or makes mistakes. Misses important information or activity requiring passive behaviour. Can become very anxious when trying to remain passive and struggles to engage. May be a risk to self or others if running or climbing indoors. May be frequently reprimanded by teacher or sent away from learning. Misses important information. May be accused of being careless or lazy despite trying, therefore damaging relationships and trust. May fall short of potential. May become frustrated or upset. Loses marks unnecessarily. Reduced expectation for sitting and listening. Break out space or activity such as mini trampoline or punching bag. Start day with short fitness lesson if/when possible. Breaks for brain gym or similar idea. Vary activities from sitting and writing. Involve activities requiring movement wherever possible such as role play, construction, active investigation etc.. Make fidgets available when student needs to be passive. Prompts to show where attention is needed in written tasks such as colour coding or highlighting key words. Card to cover parts of task that do not need immediate attention. Explicit teaching of checking and editing. Teacher mentions where close attention is required when outlining task (may not be obvious to this student). Avoid or modify very busy visual information. This may make it easier to attend to the correct part of task. *By no means is this an exhaustive list, but it is somewhere to start if adding adjustments to program, or working towards a Universal Design for Learning. Consider additional adjustments if student with ADHD also has a Specific Learning Disability, or has been identified as Gifted or Talented. Further adjustments may increase engagement and lessen undesirable behaviour.

8 Adjustments to Teaching & Learning Emotional Regulation Difficulties Dr Russell Barkley Ph.D Learners with ADHD have difficulty both inhibiting strong emotion and regulating it once experienced. Barkley suggests that emotional regulation issues in learners with ADHD, are as much a part of ADHD as inattention, distractibility or hyperactivity. Learners with ADHD are likely to be less able to inhibit a strong emotional response in the first place and struggle to regulate it once experienced. (Barkley full reference: PESI Inc. (Producer). (2011). A New Look at ADHD: Treatment for Multiple Mental Health Disorders & Emotional Regulation [Video file]. Retrieved from The Video Journal of Counseling and Therapy database.) Potential Barrier to Learning Student does not feel understood and develops mistrust. Student feels embarrassed or guilty for meltdown and unsafe in learning environment. Emotion turns to anger and leads to undesirable or unsafe behaviour. Self-conscious due to hypersensitivity and avoids risks. May struggle to work with others. Concerns for well-being. Possible Adjustment to Increase Access on the same basis as Peers. Younger children may benefit from visuals to describe emotion. Tools or spaces for emotional regulation. Allow distressed student to de-escalate and maintain dignity by being able to move away from situation to calm down. Identify times or transitions most likely to cause emotional overload and modify expectation or increase support. Involve the student in planning for ways to manage these moments when calm and settled. What can he or she do when feeling overwhelmed to avoid making situation worse? Organise an adult as trusted mentor for student. This adult can be someone not involved in discipline who can offer support without directly addressing behaviour. Explicit teaching of strategies for emotional regulation. School counsellor or other option for well-being.

Scoring Instructions for the VADPRS:

VANDERBILT ADHD DIAGNOSTIC PARENT RATING SCALE (VADPRS) Scoring Instructions for the VADPRS: Behaviors are counted if they are scored 2 (often) or 3 (very often). Predominantly inattentive subtype Predominantly