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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can affect the way children learn. As a result, it is generally recommended that learning-based interventions are a part of helping kids with an ADHD diagnosis succeed. Often, tutors play an important role in helping students with ADHD meet their goals. If you are new to tutoring students with ADHD, it is necessary to learn about teaching strategies that work for this population. That way, you will feel empowered and ready to work with students diagnosed with ADHD.
So, how do you tutor a child with ADHD? In this article, we'll talk about some frequent challenges students diagnosed with ADHD face and how they might affect the tutoring process. Then, we'll discuss tips you can use to tutor students with ADHD effectively.
Challenges When Tutoring a Child With ADHD
You may notice that students with ADHD experience different setbacks than other students you work with. While you and the student work together, you can empower them by keeping these potential struggles in mind and approaching tasks differently. That's why it's so imperative to learn about ADHD as a tutor. Challenges you might notice when tutoring a child with ADHD include:
Motor control issues
Research shows that children with ADHD are more likely to lack fine motor control than other kids. A lack of fine motor skills can lead to unclear handwriting, which might make note-taking and other tasks more challenging.
Hyperactivity
ADHD symptoms such as trouble sitting still and excessive talking fall under the category of hyperactivity. Keeping students seated when they have ADHD, for example, can be a challenge for teachers. As a tutor, you may notice hyperactivity, too, which is why breaks are critical.
Forgetfulness
ADHD is linked to problems with memory, and many children with the disorder struggle with forgetfulness. If students repeat mistakes or do not remember what you said, this could be why. Remember that it isn't on purpose.
Frustration
ADHD symptoms, rejection sensitivity, and other challenges can make students feel lost or frustrated. Kids with ADHD may feel "burnt out" more easily during tasks like homework if they don't understand something quickly. If you run out of patience, you can find an ADHD tutor who can help manage symptoms to be less of a hassle.
Inattention
Alongside forgetfulness, other symptoms of inattention, like making seemingly careless mistakes, difficulty with tasks that require sustained mental effort, or trouble paying attention when spoken to, can certainly interfere with learning. Individualized instruction can be essential in part because it helps students with ADHD who experience inattention symptoms stay on track.
Lack of interest
Most people find that it's harder to concentrate when they aren't interested in an activity. For children with ADHD, a lack of interest can impact productivity even more. Often, students with ADHD get bored more easily, which can pose challenges.
Thankfully, there are well-regarded ADHD teaching strategies that teachers, parents, and tutors can use to help a child learn. If you are new to tutoring a child with ADHD or simply need some fresh tools to help a child with ADHD learn, getting acquainted with these methods can support you in your goals.
Tips For Tutoring a Child With ADHD
No two children with ADHD are alike. Accordingly, customized learning programs are valuable for students with ADHD, just like any other children you work with. However, understanding common strengths and challenges seen in those with an ADHD diagnosis can help tutors create the right plan. Here are some tips you can use to tutor students with ADHD successfully and overcome the challenges we talked about.
Work in chunks
For those with ADHD, frequent breaks are key. Working in chunks that last for around 15-20 minutes with 5-minute breaks in between is ideal for most kids with ADHD, though you can adjust this to fit the unique child you work with. During breaks, allow children to get up and move. After the 5-minute break is over, resume and repeat until you have a completed homework assignment or have otherwise wrapped up.
Use hands-on activities
With ADHD, students often find hands-on activities helpful because they are more engaging. For example, you might instruct kids to physically hold and count small objects, like marbles or candy, to help students learn.
Note: Joon is an app and game designed uniquely for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their parents. How does it work? Parents download the Joon Parent App first and create a task list for their kids. Then, children finish tasks and get rewards in the Joon Pet Game app. 90% of kids who use the app finish all of the quests their parents assign.
Joon helps kids stay focused on tasks like homework assignments and chores while promoting independence and motivation. Even better, it's backed by child psychologists, occupational therapists, and teachers.
Click here to try Joon for free.
Mitigate distractions
Experts recommend that educators reduce distractions for students with ADHD. Tutors should do the same when helping kids with homework assignments and learning complex subjects. Put electronics away, make sure that the TV is off, and create a space that promotes calmness.
Allow objects that support concentration
While it's important to reduce distractions, it's also necessary to consider what kind of stimuli might help a child with ADHD focus. Specifically, keep in mind that what may distract other students can have the opposite effect on children with ADHD.
People with an ADHD diagnosis are shown to require more stimuli to support concentration. As a result, in the context of ADHD, students might find that stimuli like white noise and fidget toys help them focus.
Tailor the lessons toward the specific child
No matter who you're working with, it's important to tailor lessons to the child and their needs. Learn about a child's interests so that you can connect them to the lessons you use. For example, perhaps a child is particularly interested in dogs or fish. In addition to interests, it can be beneficial to put extra effort into learning about anything else that might affect a child's learning.
Talk with the parents or guardians
The more you know about a child's life, the more you can connect with and support them. One of the best ways to do this is to talk with a child's parents or guardians. Ideally, parents are working with a child's teacher and other staff members (such as school psychologists) to address ADHD symptoms in the context of learning.
When you talk with a child's guardians, ask them to give you an overview of their child's strengths, what challenges school presents for them, and anything else you should know, like accommodations they have during the school day. If a child has classroom accommodations, you might be able to implement some of them into the tutoring process.
Additionally, if you find yourself in a situation where you're not sure what to do to support a child or help them through a particular obstacle, it is important to speak with a child's parents or another relevant contact for guidance.
Use incentives
Reward systems are used by many professionals and parents of children with ADHD. Tutors can harness the power of incentives for kids with ADHD, too. You might use a sticker chart or another reasonable, parent-approved incentive to motivate children to complete assignments. If you aren't sure what is okay to use as a reward, ask the child's parents.
Verbal incentives matter, too. Letting kids know when they did a good job can boost self-esteem and help students feel capable. Give immediate feedback, keeping in mind that memory issues tend to occur for many students with ADHD. When you tell kids what they did correctly and reward them right away, it's easier to make a connection between good behavior and incentives.
When you work on long-term projects or lengthy assignments, consider giving small rewards and verbal praise along the way. Rather than wait for a completed homework assignment, congratulate milestones.
Have a routine
Routines are vital for helping people with ADHD manage symptoms and daily life. Just as routines can support healthy sleep patterns and self-care, they're useful for combatting learning challenges and can aid time management. Create a structured routine for the child you tutor that contains regular breaks and goals.
Give clear instructions
Make sure to give clear instructions when you work with students with ADHD. To provide instructions effectively, be specific and break them down into small steps. When you teach a lesson, summarize key points at the end and discuss them with the child to aid memory where it counts.
Repeat instructions and use mnemonics
Patience makes a world of difference for students with ADHD. If a child forgets instructions, steps required to solve a problem, or something else, go over it again. Similarly, it can be advantageous to help children remember through creative but trusted approaches like mnemonics. Using mnemonics, such as songs and acronyms, can help students who experience forgetfulness at a higher rate recall information. It also makes lessons more fun!
Takeaway
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can affect academic progress, learning, and self-esteem. Despite this, students with ADHD can succeed. As a tutor, you play a special role in helping kids fulfill their potential. Using tips catered to children with ADHD makes tutoring more effective for children with the condition. Effective ADHD tutoring strategies can involve but aren't limited to teaching children through hands-on activities, using incentives, and sticking to a routine. If you face obstacles you aren't sure how to navigate, talk with the child's parents or another appropriate party.
About
Sarah Schulze MSN, APRN, CPNP
