How to Help Struggling Students go from Sinking to SOARING!

Experts estimate that 6 to 10 percent of thefeels like in the mind of a person with ADD). When you
school-aged population in the United States is learningcommunicate with them, see the communication
disabled and approximately 3 to 10 percent of thethrough their eyes and through their model of the world
population as a whole is diagnosed with ADD. Thisrather than through yours; they will be much more
growing problem impacts many areas of society andopen to what you have to say if you do.
there is a growing need for effective solutions.Understand that young people with ADD operate in a
Parenting or teaching a child with ADD or learningworld of images, so verbal and auditory communication
difficulties can, no doubt, be an enormous challenge. Itis often the least important mode of communication to
requires patience of you that you may not havethem. Words are very slow and difficult to process.
thought you had; persistence that you may frequentlyWhenever you give a young person with ADD
have to call upon; and consistency that you may beinstructions, have him overlap the words into pictures in
learning along the way. Here are some tips to assisthis mind and have him feel his body following the
you in providing the best possible environment for yourinstructions. For instance, if you want him to do the
child to experiencesuccess both at home and atdishes and then pack his backpack for school, have
school.him SEE and FEEL doing the dishes and then packing
Young people with ADD (like all of us) are doing thehis backpack.
best they know how to do with what they have toVisual learning is the best way to learn academic
work with. When they have more options available tosubjects. Make sure they learn visually by making
them, they will make better choices. You, as the adult,pictures in their mind of doing academic tasks like
are the teacher, which means that your child will modelspelling words, vocabulary words and math facts.
you. If you are flexible and open to learning new waysWhen they are reading, make sure they overlap
of thinking and behaving, your child will be open as well.pictures with the words they are reading. Using a visual
There is positive intention behind every behavior, nolearning strategy is more interesting, more effective,
matter how hurtful or how bizarre the behavior maytakes much less time and it's just more fun.
seem. In other words, there is a need on some levelCelebrate and appreciate what makes them unique.
that is being met by doing what they're doing. If weOne of the biggest hurdles that young people with
can look for what the purpose is behind the behaviorADD or learning challenges face is the belief that they
or what need is getting met, then we can find otherare "stupid", "weird" or just "don't fit in". The truth is that
more constructive solutions to meeting that need.they are often a step away from brilliance and have
Always look for the positive intention behind behavior.the ability to see the world in ways that most of us
Step into their model of the world. Imagine, for instance,simply can't (think Albert Einstein, J.F.K., Cher and Robin
what it would feel like to drive in the rain withoutWilliams who all had learning disabilities) . Consistently
windshield wipers and how challenging it would be tolooking for and recognizing their uniqueness and value
simply keep everyone in the car safe, let alonewill go a long way in overcoming this belief and raising
maintain any sort of emotional balance (this is what ittheir self-confidence.