Teaching Strategies for Students with ADHD

Students with ADHD can have a hard time focusing in class. They might also have trouble remembering directions or act impulsively even if they know the rules. But there are teaching strategies you can use to help students with ADHD — and all students — thrive in the classroom. Here are some strategies that can help students with ADHD focus and do better in the classroom.

1. Break directions into chunks. Students with ADHD can have trouble following multi-step directions. One way to help is to break down directions into manageable chunks. This may take a little more of your time at the start of an activity. But it will save you and your students time, confusion, and frustration in the end.

2. Give feedback with respectful redirection. Since kids with ADHD can have trouble managing emotions, it helps to give feedback that’s immediate, calm, and concise. Respectful redirection is a positive behavior strategy you can use to give in-the-moment feedback without making a big deal of it. Address the issue with the student as quickly and as privately as possible.

3. Take brain breaks. Sitting still for long periods of time can be hard for students with ADHD. Brain breaks can help by switching up what they’re doing for a few minutes. Brain breaks are quick, structured breaks using physical movement, mindfulness exercises, or sensory activities. Movement breaks like stretching give students a chance to get up and move around. Relaxing brain breaks like deep breathing can help calm students and allow their minds to settle enough to shift focus.

4. Use wait time. Students with ADHD sometimes rush to answer a question or say the very first thing that comes to mind. Wait time, or “think time,” is a strategy that helps students with ADHD and those who need more time to process information. With wait time, you ask a question and then pause for three to seven seconds before taking responses. This pause helps students think about their answers before sharing. And when students see that wait time is a part of your routine, they’ll know they don’t have to rush to give a response.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services