ADHD Awareness Training Course

The best way to help, support and handle a child with ADHD, including those with inattentive ADHD is to:

• Decide which behaviours are acceptable and which aren’t
• Praise and encourage them. For example, if they start to lose interest in those repetitive jobs, let them daydream for a few minutes and then encourage them by saying “good job! Just a little bit more and you’ll be done”.
• Manage aggression. You could do this by giving them ‘time-out’ in order for them to calm down
• Catch their attention from time to time to ensure they’re focusing on the work
• Break tasks into manageable pieces
• Try to limit distractions

Teachers and support staff can help a child with ADHD or inattentive ADHD concentrate in the classroom by:

• Select seating wisely. Minimise potential distractions by keeping them away from the windows or doors in case they focus on something outside of the classroom
• Keep things interesting. Alternate between high and low interest activities and vary the pacing of the lesson
• Redirect instead of scolding. If the student becomes distracted, redirect them in a way that doesn’t cause embarrassment
• Use reflective learning by teaching the child to say “you want me to...” or “you’re saying that...” so they can confirm what they’ve just learnt.

Here are some useful ways to help a child with ADHD get organised at school:

• Set up a designated study area that is free of distractions
• If the student has difficulty with handwriting, give them a printed handout of daily assignments
• Allow them to colour code their notebooks, folders etc and then follow their colour coding scheme when you hand them work
• Have designated, labelled drawers for supplies

ADHD can impact a child by affecting their attention and self-control. This means they can have a harder time staying focused, can be more fidgety and find it harder to control behaviour.

If their ADHD isn’t treated, it can be hard for kids to succeed and could lead to low self-esteem, depression, school failure, risk-taking behaviour or family conflicts.