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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can impact the way kids learn. While people can get diagnosed with ADHD at any age, creating a game plan for students with ADHD and equipping them with the skills they need early on can make a big difference.
Many view the 1st grade as the true beginning of a child's academic life, and if you're reading this, it's most likely something you want to prepare for. So, what should you know?
In this article, we will discuss strategies parents and teachers can use to support kids with ADHD in 1st grade, such as creating a structured routine and giving positive reinforcement. Then, we'll go over common accommodations that help kids with ADHD succeed in school.
Set Your Child Up For Success With Joon
Joon is designed for kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and related disorders ages 6-12. Using Joon is an excellent way to help your child learn to manage time, build independence and self-esteem, and follow through with tasks. Here's how it works:
Parents download Joon Parent App and customize a to-do list for their child. To-do lists are fully customizable, and you can add as many tasks or routines as you want, such as homework, household chores, or getting ready for school in the morning. Your child will connect with a separate app called Joon Pet Game, which you can download on a shared device or your child's own device. When kids finish items on their to-do list, they receive rewards in Joon Pet Game that allow them to take care of a cute virtual pet of their choice.
90% of children who use Joon finish every task their parents assign. Even better, the app is backed by teachers, child psychologists, and occupational therapists.
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What Do ADHD Symptoms Look Like In A 1st Grader?
First, let's talk about what ADHD might look like in a 1st-grade child. Regardless of age, ADHD will present differently from person to person. Generally, this is at least partially due to the subtype of ADHD that best fits an individual. One child may have primarily inattentive symptoms, whereas another may experience primarily hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms or a combination. Knowing what symptoms might look like in young kids with ADHD can help you understand - or even detect - ADHD kids in 1st grade.
Signs of hyperactivity or impulsivity in young kids include but aren't limited to:
- Running or climbing in situations where it's inappropriate to do so
- Excessive talking or trouble partaking in activities quietly
- Seeming as though they're "driven by a motor" or "always on the go"
- Fidgeting, tapping (hands or objects), or squirming in their seat
Signs of inattention in young kids include but aren't limited to:
- Seeming as though they aren't listening even if someone speaks to them directly
- Making mistakes that appear careless or failing to pay attention to detail
- Finding it tough to stay focused during tasks or play
- Forgetfulness
Some kids with ADHD may daydream or stare into space often (which is a sign of inattention). Others may seem to have endless energy. No matter how ADHD symptoms present, parents and teachers can help ADHD kids in 1st grade thrive with the right approach.
Strategies For Parents
Parents can support their child's education through approaches they use at home and by working with school staff. If you are the parent of a 1st-grade student with ADHD, try these tips and strategies to support your child.
Create a structured routine
Don't discount how much of an influence routine can have as a part of your child's school success kit. Before school starts, build a structured daily schedule for your child that you can all count on. To create your child's school day routine, you may:
- Create a morning routine that helps your child prepare for the day. Morning routines may include waking up, eating breakfast, brushing their teeth, and engaging in other important activities at predetermined times.
- Plan homework or study time into a child's day. Kids with ADHD often study best in short bursts with frequent breaks. It can also help to make a study space or environment with minimal distractions.
- Make a bedtime routine for ADHD kids to ensure they get enough sleep. Adequate sleep can help with the management of ADHD symptoms (including impulse control, paying attention, etc) and is crucial for childhood development as well as overall health.
- Prepare school supplies the night before. Getting school supplies for the next day ready at a certain time every school night (for example, once a child's finished homework for the day) means less stress for children and their parents in the morning.
Help kids develop good study habits
Teach your child good study habits from the start of the school year. A 1st grader's assignments should be easier and less time-consuming than an older child's, but you want to lock helpful patterns in place from the beginning of their education. In addition to creating a homework or study routine that works for your family, help your child organize school projects and supplies. For example, putting completed homework into a certain spot in their homework folder or breaking big projects down into smaller pieces to reduce overwhelm.
Encourage physical activity
Physical activity has many benefits for kids with ADHD. When you create a schedule for your child, ensure that they have plenty of time for movement. Kids with ADHD may benefit from taking part in sports, dance classes, active play, regular outdoor activities, or something else. Since exercise is known to promote focus, it can be ideal for children with ADHD to get active before sitting down for homework time.
Communicating with your child's teacher
Many parents of ADHD kids find that staying in touch with their child's teacher is key. When parents and teachers communicate regularly, you can work as a team and talk about wins, challenges, or anything else that shows up throughout a child's schooling experience. You may share your own thoughts about what could be helpful for your child in class and ask a teacher what they notice about your child in class.
Seek support from other school staff if needed
In some cases, parents may find it beneficial to involve a school counselor or psychologist and communicate with them as well, especially if a child's symptoms affect classroom behavior, social skills, or emotion regulation. Most elementary schools have school psychologists or counselors, though not all.
Strategies For Teachers
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that 9.8% of kids ages 3-17 receive an ADHD diagnosis at some point in their lives. This means that, if you're a teacher, you will almost certainly encounter students with ADHD throughout your career. Accordingly, it's vital that you know how to support them. Here are some tips teachers can use when working with a child with ADHD.
Creating a supportive classroom environment
A supportive classroom environment is a critical part of helping ADHD students succeed and feel welcomed and confident in the classroom. To create a supportive classroom environment, a child's teachers can:
- Speak with children about behavioral challenges away from other students. If you need to talk with kids about their behavior, do it gently and privately.
- Help kids transition from task to task. Some kids with ADHD may hyperfocus or have a harder time moving from one task to another than other students.
- Learn about and stick to special services and accommodations a child with ADHD may have for school.
- Remind and redirect children who are off-task rather than punish or reprimand students.
- Keep an eye on and adequately address concerns related to bullying.
- Work movement and activity breaks into the school day.
- Show patience and positive regard.
The Child Mind Institute website has a teacher's guide to ADHD in the classroom that may be beneficial for educators seeking additional information.
Using visual aids
Visual aids can help students learn, understand, and retain information. Examples of visual aids teachers may use in the classroom include but aren't limited to flashcards, posters, pictures, videos, and movies. In general, it can be valuable to cater information to different learning styles in the classroom so that kids can most effectively grasp and engage in educational content.
Breaking tasks into smaller steps
Working memory allows people to store small pieces of information, like instructions, long enough to carry out a task. People with ADHD experience working memory deficits, making retaining large chunks of information tough. These deficits in working memory may be the reason for forgetfulness or trouble following through with instructions in kids with ADHD.
When giving instructions, teachers can help by presenting each step one at a time. For example, a lengthy math problem may turn into several smaller problems the student pieces together later. Or, long-term projects like an essay may be split into different steps you present one at a time (e.g., outline, one paragraph at a time, and revision).
Provide positive feedback
Verbal praise for positive behavior is a major motivator for many children with ADHD. Giving frequent feedback for good behavior, like following classroom rules, can motivate children with ADHD to continue exhibiting the behaviors you want to see.
ADHD-Friendly Classroom Accommodations
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 require that schools provide certain services and tools that help kids access fair education. Kids with ADHD and other disorders may have an individualized education program (IEP) or 504 plan that features specific accommodations. While it's not an extensive list, here are some frequently used classroom accommodations for kids with ADHD.
Noise-canceling headphones and other tools
Noise-canceling headphones block out external stimuli, which may be distracting during tests and similar activities. Other tools a child may benefit from include but aren't limited to supportive technology, such as audio recorders used for note-taking, and items used for fidgeting or stimulation, like fidget toys and chewing gum.
Alternative seating options
A child's teacher may seat children with ADHD in less distracting parts of the classroom. Often, this means that a child's seated by children who are less talkative or away from extra stimuli, such as pencil sharpeners, windows, or cubbies.
Frequent breaks
It is taxing and difficult for kids with ADHD to focus for extended periods of time. Allowing a child breaks frequently throughout the day can aid focus and reduce frustration. If children have an IEP or 504 plan for school, this may be a part of it.
Reduced distractions
Seating arrangements often help reduce distractions for students with ADHD. However, auditory stimuli, which may include any unnecessary noise or visual stimuli (e.g., clutter in the classroom) can distract a child, too.
Conclusion
Students with ADHD have a greater likelihood of experiencing various educational challenges. However, parents and teachers can work together to help a child succeed, and starting early can make a difference for kids with ADHD in the 1st grade. Effective ADHD strategies include but aren't restricted to teaching kids to stay organized through routines and regular study practices, creating a positive classroom environment, and using apps like Joon to aid time management and task completion. Children with ADHD may be eligible for accommodations that will support their academic progress.
About
Sarah Schulze MSN, APRN, CPNP
