Case study on planning effectively for a student with ADHD
Case Study: Male. Year 7. Has ADHD. Siblings very settled and parents very worried. Hard to engage and motivate. Loves technology.
Write 500 words identifying school-parent communication strategies and developing a communication strategy. Identify the use of a range of communication strategies for educational contexts with an emphasis on communication with parents about student behaviour and student learning. Design a communication strategy to improve school-parent communication strategies. For your communication strategy, present a communication plan outlining the reasons for communication, content that needs to be conveyed, and strategies followed. Include a brief reflective critique of possible outcomes for learners and their families. Cite sources
Students with ADHD are very energetic, creative, and curious. At the same time, they are impulsive and inattentive. Regarding communication, inattentiveness in ADHD students can be seen in their difficulty to follow instructions and maintain focus when spoken to (The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity, 2019). Impulsive behavior in communication with ADHD students can be displayed by being talkative, cutting off others mid-conversation, and interrupting conversations (The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity, 2019). These difficulties in communication with ADHD students can be handled using various communication strategies.
Communication strategies for ADHD students aim to ensure they remain focused enough to complete their school tasks. Teachers should, therefore, be flexible in their support of ADHD students, maintain a positive learning environment, structure information and tasks, and offer various activities with firm behavioral limits. Schools should be in constant communication with parents and caregivers of ADHD students (Mautone, Lefler, & Power, 2011). Communication with parents should include discussions on the types of strategies that would work best for a particular student. Teachers should highlight to parents the types of communication strategies they employ in the classroom and indicate any progress made concerning behavior and learning (DuPaul, 2017). Given that homework may be a challenge for many parents of ADHD students, teachers should guide parents to navigate the issue.
Studies have shown that using technology can help students with ADHD to maintain their focus and be more organized (Andreou, Riga, & Papayiannis, 2016). Technology such as tablets can be a useful tool for instruction in classrooms with ADHD students. This is especially the case if they are used interactively as ADHD students have trouble staying focused on things they consider mundane. Education materials for ADHD students can be made more interesting with graphics and sound effects, for instance.
The case study in this paper features a teenage boy that loves technology. The reasons for developing a communication strategy between him and his teachers and parents include his difficulty in understanding instructions in the classroom. The boy is also frequently distracted when studying particular subjects and has poor handwriting. An effective communication strategy between the school and his parents will help develop better ways of learning and hopefully have a positive impact on his behavior. To help him stay focused on school tasks, the school should suggest that his parents buy him an iPad in which they would create fun reading materials. These learning materials could be in form of audiobooks where he can listen to someone read to him rather than reading books in class, an activity he finds difficult.
At home, parents or siblings could also take turns reading the required learning materials to him. Learning instructions can be dictated to him through audio recordings. A study found that technology-assisted instruction in mathematics increased performance in this subject among ADHD students (Botsas & Grouios, 2017). Such instruction will also help improve focus on a single task and enhance good behavior. Speech recognition software and talking calculators can be beneficial in helping this student with his class and homework. Since writing is a challenge for him, speech recognition software can enable him to verbally express his work and transfer it to paper later. His handwriting can also be improved by taking notes on his iPad.
This communication plan will enable this student to enjoy learning and would positively impact his behavior in the classroom. Technology-assisted learning will possibly improve learning outcomes for this student and help his teachers, parents, and siblings better cope with his condition.
References
Andreou, G., Riga, A., & Papayiannis, N. (2016). Information and Communication Technologies and the Impact of Gender on the Writing Performance of Students with ADHD. Themes in Science & Technology Education, 25-41.
Botsas, G., & Grouios, G. (2017). Computer assisted instruction of students with ADHD and academic performance: a brief review of studies conducted between 1993 and 2016, and comments. European Journal of Special Education Research.
DuPaul, G. J. (2017, April 3). 10 Ways Schools and Parents Can Help Students with ADHD. Retrieved from American Psychological Association’s Psych Learning Curve: http://psychlearningcurve.org/helping-students-with-adhd/
Mautone, J. A., Lefler, E. K., & Power, T. J. (2011). Promoting Family and School Success for Children With ADHD: Strengthening Relationships While Building Skills. Theory Into Practice.
The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity. (2019). Teaching and managing students with ADHD. Retrieved from The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity: https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Teaching-and-Managing-Students_FINAL.pdf