Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a condition that makes it unusually difficult for children to concentrate, sit still, follow directions and control impulsive behavior.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a condition that makes it unusually difficult for children to concentrate, sit still, follow directions and control impulsive behavior. This guide focuses on what educators need to know about teaching kids with ADHD: how it affects children in the classroom — girls as well as boys — and how we teachers can help kids with the disorder succeed in school.
Teaching Kids With ADHDMany children with ADHD show signs of the attention disorder before they reach school age. But it’s in school, when they are having trouble meeting expectations for kids in their grade, that most are referred for diagnosis.
That’s why it’s important that educators be well-informed about the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — able to recognize children who might be struggling with ADHD, but also aware that the symptoms and behaviors associated with ADHD may also have other possible explanations.
ADHD SymptomsThere are three kinds of behavior involved in ADHD: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Of course all young children occasionally have trouble paying attention to teachers and parents, staying in their seats and waiting their turn. Kids should only be diagnosed with ADHD if their behavior is much more extreme in these areas than other kids their age.
These symptoms of ADHD are divided into two groups — inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive. Some children exhibit mostly inattentive behaviors, and others, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive. But the majority of those with ADHD have a combination of both, which can make it very difficult for them to function well in school.
Here are behaviors signs of ADHD you might observe in school in those two categories.
It’s important to keep in mind that not every high-energy or impulsive child has ADHD. Children are diagnosed with ADHD only if they demonstrate these symptoms so often that they are causing real difficulty in at least two settings — i.e., at school and at home. And the pattern that’s causing them serious impairment must persist for at least six months.
The Difference Between ADD and ADHDADD, or attention-deficit disorder, is an older term for the disorder we now call ADHD, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. It was called ADD up until 1987, when the word “hyperactivity” was added. Some people still use the old term, ADD, out of habit, or because it’s a more familiar term than ADHD. Some use it to refer to kids with ADHD who aren’t hyperactive.
Why Age Is Crucial in ADHD DiagnosisWithin any given classroom, there is an age range of students that spans almost a year, and a year can make a big difference in a child’s ability to self-regulate. That’s why it’s important when teaching kids with ADHD and when considering a child’s behavior, to compare it to other children the same age — not to the range of kids in his class or grade.
Two studies in the last few years concluded that kids who are youngest in their class are disproportionately diagnosed with ADHD. A Michigan study found that kindergarteners who are the youngest in their grade are 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than the oldest in their grade. And it doesn’t affect just kindergarteners: a North Carolina study found that in fifth and eighth grade, the youngest children were almost twice as likely as the oldest to be prescribed medication for ADHD.
Why Are Some Kids With ADHD Prone to Disruptive Behavior?Defiance and emotional outbursts are not themselves symptoms of ADHD, but kids with ADHD are at higher risk for developing these behaviors. Some kids who have ADHD tend to become frustrated and overwhelmed by demands placed on them that they cannot consistently fulfill, because of inherent deficits in paying attention, reining in impulses and controlling their activity level.
Making transitions from one activity to another can be particularly difficult for kids with ADHD in the classroom, especially when they involve stopping some activity they find more stimulating than what comes next. Clinicians call it an inability to “attention switch,” and it can result in children disrupting the class or acting out.
Other Causes for Behaviors That Look Like ADHDA child who can’t seem to sit still, who blurts out answers in class without raising his hand, who doesn’t finish his homework, who seems to be daydreaming when the teacher gives instructions — these actions are associated with ADHD behavior, but they can also be a result of other factors, from anxiety to trauma to just being younger than most of the kids in the class, and hence a little less mature.
That’s why it’s important for teachers and parents both to be aware of other things that could be influencing a child’s behavior.
The stereotype of ADHD is boys disrupting the classroom by jumping up from their seats, getting in other kids’ business or blurting out answers without raising their hands. But girls get ADHD too, and they tend to be diagnosed much later because their symptoms are more subtle.
Executive functions are the self-regulating skills that we all use to accomplish tasks,
from getting dressed to doing homework. They include:
Most kids with ADHD have deficits in some executive functions, though not all children with executive function issues have ADHD.
How Can Teachers Help Kids With ADHD?Children with ADHD in the classroom who have trouble complying with rules and completing tasks can benefit from a daily report card system that sets positive behavioral goals and rewards to reinforce the behavior when they meet those goals.
The desired behaviors might be for the child to remain seated, to finish schoolwork, to raise his hand before speaking. The child receives points for successfully meeting goals, and his parents receive a daily behavior report card, enabling them to further to reinforce positive behavior in school with praise and prizes earned.
This system allows teachers to focus on what the child is doing well — rather than what he isn’t doing well. It can bolster his self-esteem and help him feel positive about school.
Commonly Used Medications for ADHDMany children with ADHD are prescribed stimulant medication to help reduce their symptoms. There are two main classes of stimulant ADHD medications:
There are also many different release formulas for stimulant medications, which make them effective for different periods of time:
Children taking immediate-release formulas are often given medication in the middle of the school day by a school nurse. The goal is to maintain an effective dose during the school day but have the ADHD medication out of the child’s system by bedtime, to facilitate sleep.
This guide was last reviewed or updated on February 23, 2023.ADHD and Behavior Problems