| Thank you to all of our professional educators who | | | | system. Actively reinforce desired classroom |
| dedicate themselves to our children! We know how | | | | behaviors. Use self-monitoring and self-reinforcement |
| difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here | | | | on-task behavior during independent work time. Use a |
| are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by | | | | kitchen timer to indicate periods of intense independent |
| the ADHD Information Library and This is a sampling of | | | | word and reinforce the class for appropriate behavior |
| over 500 classroom interventions for your use at Here | | | | during this period. Start with brief periods (5 to 10 |
| are some tips on Dealing with Impulsive Behaviors: One | | | | minutes) and gradually increase the period as the class |
| of the hallmarks of children with attention deficits is the | | | | demonstrates success. When necessary, develop |
| tendency to act impulsively (acting before thinking | | | | contracts with an individual student and her/his parents |
| through the ramifications of behavior). Behaviorally, this | | | | to reinforce a few specific behaviors. Set hourly, daily, |
| manifests itself in a lack of understanding of cause | | | | weekly, or monthly goals depending on the |
| and effect. Research also suggests that these | | | | reinforcement needs of the specific student. Provide |
| students can often verbalize the rules in place for | | | | frequent feedback on the student's progress toward |
| behavior but have difficulty internalizing them and | | | | these goals. Provide a changing array of backup |
| translating them into thoughtful behavior. Difficulties in | | | | rewards or privileges so that students do not "burn |
| delaying gratification also add to the impulsivity. Some | | | | out" on a particular system. For example, students can |
| clinicians believe that this behavioral disinhibition (poor | | | | earn tickets for a daily or weekly raffle for the display |
| regulation and inhibition of behavior), rather than their | | | | of positive behavior. |
| ability to pay attention, is the primary manifestation of | | | | To improve out of the classroom behavior, allow the |
| attention deficits and is more likely to discriminate these | | | | class to earn a reward based on he compliments they |
| children from others. | | | | receive on their behavior from other teachers, |
| By having students think "out loud" when they are | | | | lunchroom staff, playground aides and principals. Avoid |
| problem-solving, the teacher will gain insights into their | | | | giving the whole class negative consequences based |
| reasoning style and the process will slow them down | | | | on the ADHD child's behavior. The ADHD child, as well |
| before they respond impulsively. This will provide | | | | as the whole class, can benefit from implementation of |
| information about how they "see the world" and | | | | social skills curriculum for the entire class. Modeling and |
| enable the teacher to begin to restructure inaccurate | | | | requiring the children to use a systematic method of |
| perceptions. Train your student's teachers and other | | | | talking through classroom conflicts and problems can |
| adults how to do this to provide an on-going technique | | | | be particularly valuable for the ADHD child to |
| in the classroom setting, where critical incidents often | | | | implement this, teachers are referred to the literature |
| occur. Quite often, students will continue to have | | | | on cognitive-behavioral approaches to developing the |
| difficulty with certain types of interactions on a regular | | | | child's self-talk and problem solving. Praise specific |
| basis; difficulty in taking turns, over-interpreting others' | | | | behaviors. For example, "I like how you wrote down all |
| remarks as hostile, personalizing others' actions | | | | your assignments correctly," rather than "Good boy!" |
| excessively, and misreading social cues. With the help | | | | Use visual and auditory cues as behavioral reminders. |
| of your student, his teacher, and his trusted peers, | | | | For example, have two large jars at the front of the |
| common problematic themes can be identified. Role | | | | room, with one filled with marbles or some other |
| play hypothetical interactions involving these behaviors, | | | | object. When the class is behaving appropriately, move |
| preferably with supportive peers, identifying and | | | | some marbles to the other jar and let the students |
| practicing positive alternative responses. | | | | know that when the empty jar is filled they can earn a |
| Have your student practice these responses during | | | | reward. Frequently move about the room so that you |
| the school day and have him and others give you | | | | can maximize you degree of proximity control. When |
| feedback on their success. Identifying critical incidents | | | | appropriate, give students choices about several |
| that occur during the day will provide insights for | | | | different activities that could choose to work on one at |
| program planning. The technique of | | | | a time. With students who can be quite volatile and |
| "Stop-Think-Talk-Do" is central to many | | | | may initially refuse negative consequences (such as |
| cognitive-behavioral interventions for students with | | | | refusing to go to time-out), set a kitchen timer for a |
| attentional teaches the student how to "stop" before | | | | brief period (1 to 2 minutes) after refusal has occurred. |
| acting impulsively, "think" about the cause and effect | | | | Explain to the child that the child can use the two |
| relationships of his intended behavior, "say" or verbalize | | | | minutes to decide if she/he will go to time out on her |
| to themselves or others what they will do, and "do" the | | | | his own or if more serious consequence must be |
| chosen behavior. Again, the purpose of the technique | | | | imposed. Several experienced teachers insist this |
| is to slow down response. Encourage thoughtful | | | | method has successfully reduced the extent to which |
| responding and decrease impulsivity by waiting 10 to 15 | | | | they have had to physically enforce certain negative |
| seconds to receive responses during whole group | | | | consequences with students and seems to |
| instruction. Keep the classroom behavior rules simple | | | | de-escalate the situation. Hopefully these will help the |
| and clear. Have the class agree on what the rules | | | | ADHD students in your classroom to be more |
| should be. Define and review classroom rules each | | | | successful. You can learn more about Attention Deficit |
| day. Implement a classroom behavior management | | | | Hyperactivity disorder at the ADHD Information Library. |