Back-to-School Strategies for Students with ADHD

As long summer days come to an end and school-year preparation gets underway, it is important to consider best practices to support the learning of all students, but particularly those with neurodiversity. The transition back to school can be tough for many students, but tends to be a particularly tricky time for children with ADHD.  Their summer time was likely filled with relaxed routines, later bedtimes, lessened responsibilities and fun activities. Some students will have taken a medication break during the summer, and will need time to adapt to their new regimen. Be patient, and know that symptoms may look differently in the initial back-to-school period as students learn new routines and expectations.

With ADHD prevalence rates approaching 10% in children ages 3-17 years in the United States, it is appropriate to plan for these students in every classroom. Students with ADHD benefit from a combination of strategies: behavior classroom management, organizational training and specific accommodations to their learning environment. The successful implementation of these back to school strategies for students with ADHD involves collaboration between caregivers, educators, district staff, and administrators. In this blog, we’ll cover effective strategies for educators aimed at helping students with ADHD succeed academically after summer break.

Seven Strategies for Educators Supporting Students with ADHD in the Classroom

The following strategies are offered to promote classroom success for inattentive and distracted learners:

1. Set Clear Expectations

• It is highly recommended that educators take the time to observe and speak with students directly about what they find helpful and what distracts them.
• Setting clear expectations for classroom behavior, and providing immediate positive feedback can go a long way in helping children with ADHD develop their own self-monitoring strategies.
• Recall that in addition to the expected symptoms of ADHD, (e.g., inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, etc.) difficulties with emotion regulation, social-skills and self-esteem are also common.

2. Closely Communicate with Caregivers:

• Know the importance of your role in medication management. Parents and prescribing providers rely heavily on teacher feedback to adjust medication dosing.
• Develop close communication with caregivers early in the year. Share your behavior observations and speak up when you have concerns.

3. Instruction and assignments tailored to the child:

• Utilize a multi-sensory approach to teaching that includes tactile, visual, and auditory modalities.
• Review key concepts immediately after a lesson. Summarize the activities of the whole lesson visually and verbally.
• Provide students with access to classroom notes in advance, when possible.
• Limit repetitive assignments that have already been mastered. Decrease the length of assignments, and divide assignments into parts.
• Work with the caregivers to identify an appropriate amount of time to spend on homework each day. Working beyond this time limit may lead to frustration, fatigue and lower self-esteem.
• Allow students to have extended time when taking tests. Testing in an alternate, quiet location may be preferable for some children.

4. Positive reinforcement and feedback:

• Provide frequent verbal and visual reminders about the schedule, classroom expectations and rules. For younger students, the “traffic light” method may prove effective. Place a visual traffic light on the student’s desk and change the color of the light based on whether they are free to get up (green), should only move if they need to or move quietly (yellow), or if they should sit still quietly (red).
• Daily behavior report cards are an evidence-based strategy in the management of ADHD. Ensure that you have close communication with caregivers about daily behaviors and reinforcement efforts.
• Provide continued encouragement and immediate feedback whenever possible.
• Build in transition warnings and plan for extra time transitioning between tasks.  Some children with ADHD become deeply absorbed in preferred activities and benefit from extra assistance shifting their attention.

5. Leverage technology to assist with tasks:

• Allow students to practice work on a computer or tablet to break up the task of writing.
• Separate tasks into components and use assistive technology. For example, students can dictate brainstorming notes before writing an essay.
• Allow flexibility with the format for assignment. Consider allowing videos and tape recordings as alternatives to writing tasks.
• Permit headphones for students to limit distractions.

6. Allow movement:

• Provide activity breaks: stretching, handing out assignments, taking a note to the front office, or walking to the board to complete a task.
• Allow students to move or fidget in ways that do not distract others. Provide fidget tools for students to select from.

7. Teach and support organizational skills:

• Tell students the materials they will need during a lesson rather than leaving it to them to figure it out on their own.
• Provide direct instruction and practice effective study strategies.
• Let students know how long they have to work on an activity, and consider setting a timer to help them externally see the time.
• At the end of the day, list the items that need to go home in students’ bags in order to complete required tasks. Allow time for students to gather and check their materials.
• Utilize a homework folder to limit the number of things a student has to track.

By implementing these back-to-school strategies, districts can create an inclusive learning environment, helping students with ADHD succeed academically after summer break. Together, we can empower educators supporting students with ADHD in the classroom and create a positive and enriching educational experience for every student.