AD/HD Final Research Journal Summary
The name Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or AD/HD, refers to a family of disorders which interfere with a person’s capacity to regulate their physical activity level (hyperactivity), inhibit their behaviour (impulsivity), and properly focus on tasks (inattention) (National Institute of Mental Health, 2000, in Rief, 2005, p. 4). The disorder has attracted controversy and has had its legitimacy questioned by some, who would reinterpret the problem behaviours exhibited by children with AD/HD as being simply energetic, lazy, naughty, and so on (Rief, 2005, p. 4). In spite of its detractors, the disorder has been identified as one of the most common additional needs in school-aged children, affecting between 2.3% and 6% of students (Krause, Bochner & Duchesne, 2003, p. 256). With such a high incidence rate, teachers can expect to teach approximately one student with AD/HD in every class. Therefore it is imperative that teachers are equipped to appropriately respond to this additional need.
Craig Wright offers several practical suggestions for accommodating students with AD/HD in an inclusive classroom environment. Students with AD/HD often experience deficient working memory and difficulty internalizing rules and expectations, so Wright recommends regular external reminders of school and classroom rules, such as with posters or other visual aids (Wright, 2006, p. 4). Wright also explains that working memory deficiency affects an individual’s perception of time, and as a result students with AD/HD often exhibit less goal-oriented behaviour. For educators, this may require a reevaluation of systems of long-term goals such as delayed rewards or large, ongoing assessment projects (Wright, 2006, p. 4). By breaking down tasks into smaller, more readily achievable components, we can scaffold a student with AD/HD’s eventual completion of the task. Similarly, when implementing behaviouralist rewards for behaviour, teachers should aim to minimize the time delay between the behaviour and the reinforcer (Wright, 2006, p. 4).
AD/HD can have a particularly detrimental effect on academic achievement when it impacts on a student’s literacy levels. Owing to their deficiency in working memory, many students with AD/HD experience difficulty reading, and comment that by the time they have read to the bottom of a page, they have forgotten what they had read at the top (Wright, 2006, p. 7). Wright recommends that students with AD/HD be explicitly taught “active reading” skills including strategies for note-taking, highlighting texts, making notes in margins and writing short summaries as they read (Wright, 2006, p. 7). Strategies such as these are useful study tools for all students, as are the above recommendations for posting class rules, breaking down tasks into smaller components, and establishing a strong link between behaviour and reinforcer when using positive and negative reinforcement for behaviour management (Wright, 2006, p. 4, and Krause et al., 2003. pp. 110-124).
Many of the above strategies for accommodating students with AD/HD in an inclusive learning environment fall under the framework of Universal Design for Learning (CAST). Scaffolding tasks by breaking them down into more management components, reinforcing rules and expectations, providing external motivation, encouraging “active reading”; these are all strategies that will benefit every student in any given class. Above all, ensuring lessons and tasks are interesting and engaging, thereby heightening a student with AD/HD’s state of arousal and hence their attention, is a goal teachers should be aspiring to wherever possible, and one which will benefit all students and provide a better quality educational experience (NSW DET, 2003, in McLeod & Reynolds, 2007, p. 47).
Much of the literature surrounding AD/HD focuses on the early childhood and primary school years, with hopes that early intervention can minimize the disorder’s disruption in later life. However, as Noël Gregg asserts, the disorder is an enduring, life-long condition and requires ongoing efforts to accommodate it in secondary and tertiary settings. As a secondary school teacher, this is the domain in which I personally will encounter students with AD/HD. Gregg is particularly interested in the systemic discrimination in assessments for students with AD/HD; that is, how the formative and summative assessments that are commonly administered in secondary and tertiary education marginalize students with AD/HD.
Gregg has identified a number of areas in which students with AD/HD and related learning disorders are disadvantaged by secondary and tertiary education assessment structures. As the majority of high-stakes, standardized assessment in both America and Australia, such as college entrance exams, the HSC and NAPLAN are administered in an exam environment, they do not successfully accommodate students with AD/HD. These students’ reduced ability to focus on tedious tasks, as well as their lower inhibition, puts them at risk of underperforming in exam situations. However, reasonably simple accommodations could go a long way to inclusively assessing these students. They could be allowed regular breaks from exam conditions, or be able to sit the exams over multiple sessions; they could undertake exams in a less distracting environment or in an environment in which they are less likely to distract their neighbours. Other options are available for students with related and often co-morbid learning disabilities such as dyslexia, including providing a human or screen reader (Gregg, 2009, p. 232)
People with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder experience working memory deficiency, diminished inhibition and self control, and difficulty attending to tasks which do not provide adequate arousal. They have difficulty internalizing expectations, maintaining intrinsic motivation for tasks, and controlling impulsive behaviour. Students with AD/HD, and several other learning disabilities, benefit from a range of strategies for inclusion which fall within the Universal Design for Learning framework, meaning that teachers can accommodate their needs with methods that will benefit their entire class (CAST). Recasting medical descriptions of the disorder into considerations of its day-to-day impact, for example recognizing the impact of deficient working memory on activities such as reading and completing ongoing tasks, internalizing rules and expectations, and motivating goal-oriented behaviour, allows teachers to implement practical strategies to better include their students with AD/HD. These strategies include more structured scaffolding of tasks, breaking down projects into attainable chunks, reinforcing desirable behaviour, regular reminders of expectations, and explicit teaching of metacognitive strategies such as active reading. More research and consideration of inclusive assessment practices, especially in the secondary and tertiary fields, is required to improve inclusive education and, by extension, improve later life outcomes for adults with AD/HD.
Source List
Centre for Applied Special Technology (n.d.). What is Universal Design for Learning? Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html
Cherkes-Julkowski, M., Sharp, S., & Stolzenberg, J. (1997) Rethinking attention deficit disorders. Cambridge: Brookline Books.
Gregg, N. (2009) Adolescents and Adults with Learning Disabilities and ADHD: Assessment and Accommodation. New York: The Guilford Press.
Krause, K., Bochner, S., & Duchesne, S. (2003) Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching. Southbank: Thomson.
McLeod, J., & Reynolds, R. (2007) Quality Teaching for Quality Learning: Planning through Reflection. South Melbourne: Thomson Social Science Press.
Rief, S. (2005) How to reach and teach children with ADD/ADHD: practical techniques, strategies, and interventions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Wright, C. (2006) "Practically Speaking: ADHD In The Classroom", Special Education Perspectives, 15(2), 3-8.
Showing posts with label AD/HD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AD/HD. Show all posts
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
RINE Research Journal 7: AD/HD
Noël Gregg's "Adolescents and Adults with Learning Disabilities and ADHD: Assessment and Accommodation" attempts to redress the imbalance in the literature surrounding learning disabilities and ADHD. As Gregg asserts, the majority of studies and associated literature on ADHD focuses on early childhood and the primary years, in the hopes that early intervention can correct the impact of the disorder on later life. However Gregg believes that the disorder is a lifelong condition that requires accommodation in secondary, tertiary and adult education as well, and her book focuses on these later years.
As Gregg's book also deals with learning disabilities, students with ADHD are not the primary focus, however as with many "Universal Design for Learning" principles many of her ideas apply to both categories.
One area in which Gregg asserts students with ADHD are being marginalised is in standard, high-stakes assessment such as college entrance exams, NAPLAN and the like. Much standardised testing both in America and Australia is still largely based on written work, so they do not accommodate students with ADHD well, nor do they reflect their whole ability (Gregg, 2009, p. 128). Multiple intelligences are poorly catered for in written exam situations, and the requirement for sustained focus in a stressful, silent exam environment is particularly difficult for students with ADHD. This is one area in which accommodations are yet to be made, although relatively simple changes to procedure such as allowing breaks in exam settings, would no doubt assist students with inattention problems.
Source:
Gregg, N. (2009) Adolescents and Adults with Learning Disabilities and ADHD: Assessment and Accommodation. New York: The Guilford Press.
As Gregg's book also deals with learning disabilities, students with ADHD are not the primary focus, however as with many "Universal Design for Learning" principles many of her ideas apply to both categories.
One area in which Gregg asserts students with ADHD are being marginalised is in standard, high-stakes assessment such as college entrance exams, NAPLAN and the like. Much standardised testing both in America and Australia is still largely based on written work, so they do not accommodate students with ADHD well, nor do they reflect their whole ability (Gregg, 2009, p. 128). Multiple intelligences are poorly catered for in written exam situations, and the requirement for sustained focus in a stressful, silent exam environment is particularly difficult for students with ADHD. This is one area in which accommodations are yet to be made, although relatively simple changes to procedure such as allowing breaks in exam settings, would no doubt assist students with inattention problems.
Source:
Gregg, N. (2009) Adolescents and Adults with Learning Disabilities and ADHD: Assessment and Accommodation. New York: The Guilford Press.
RINE Research Journal 6: AD/HD
As my research steers away from the identification and classification of AD/HD towards real-world responses to it, I have been drawn to Craig Wright's short but helpful article "Practically Speaking: ADHD In The Classroom". Wright describes a number of traits common to children with AD/HD and links them to practical strategies and techniques that teachers can employ to assuage their impact on the student's learning.
I have been struck by the prevalence of Universal Design for Learning in many of the recommendations made for accommodating students with special needs, and this is especially the case for students with AD/HD. As Wright explains, issues such as working memory deficiency and a lack of internal motivation can be minimised with carefully scaffolded learning experiences. For example, since their lack of working memory affects a child with AD/HD's perception of time, they are less likely to show goal-oriented behaviour, especially when it comes to long term goals (Wright, 2006, p. 4). Teachers can adapt activities to a child with AD/HD simply by breaking tasks down into smaller, shorter term goals, which for the child with AD/HD are more easily attainable. This approach to scaffolding large tasks is undoubtably beneficial for all students who struggle with procrastination and the daunting task of a large school assignment.
Similarly, Wright identifies the student with AD/HD's lower ability to internalise rules (both classroom and school rules, as well as unwritten social rules and teacher/parent expectations). Frequent reminders, for example in the form of class rules posted on a wall or represented visually, will help to reinforce expectations (Wright, 2006, p. 4). Again, this concept will benefit all students in the class.
Wright also points out that students with AD/HD, owing to their working memory deficiency, sometimes have difficulty recalling information from their short term memory, particularly as they read texts. Some students comment that by the time they get to the bottom of a page, they have forgotten what was at the top. Wright recommends that "students with ADHD ... should be taught to become active readers ... [using] strategies such as highlighting ... underlining, writing notes ... and making ongoing summaries." (Wright, 2006, p. 7) This recommendation is clearly applicable to all secondary students and is an obvious example of Universal Design for Learning. Active reading is the key to getting the most out of any source during assignment research, yet it is a strategy that is allowed to develop on its own in many cases. By explicitly teaching this reading strategy to all students, teachers can scaffold students with AD/HD's literacy development at the same time as extending other student's research skills.
Source:
Wright, C. (2006) "Practically Speaking: ADHD In The Classroom", Special Education Perspectives, 15(2), 3-8.
I have been struck by the prevalence of Universal Design for Learning in many of the recommendations made for accommodating students with special needs, and this is especially the case for students with AD/HD. As Wright explains, issues such as working memory deficiency and a lack of internal motivation can be minimised with carefully scaffolded learning experiences. For example, since their lack of working memory affects a child with AD/HD's perception of time, they are less likely to show goal-oriented behaviour, especially when it comes to long term goals (Wright, 2006, p. 4). Teachers can adapt activities to a child with AD/HD simply by breaking tasks down into smaller, shorter term goals, which for the child with AD/HD are more easily attainable. This approach to scaffolding large tasks is undoubtably beneficial for all students who struggle with procrastination and the daunting task of a large school assignment.
Similarly, Wright identifies the student with AD/HD's lower ability to internalise rules (both classroom and school rules, as well as unwritten social rules and teacher/parent expectations). Frequent reminders, for example in the form of class rules posted on a wall or represented visually, will help to reinforce expectations (Wright, 2006, p. 4). Again, this concept will benefit all students in the class.
Wright also points out that students with AD/HD, owing to their working memory deficiency, sometimes have difficulty recalling information from their short term memory, particularly as they read texts. Some students comment that by the time they get to the bottom of a page, they have forgotten what was at the top. Wright recommends that "students with ADHD ... should be taught to become active readers ... [using] strategies such as highlighting ... underlining, writing notes ... and making ongoing summaries." (Wright, 2006, p. 7) This recommendation is clearly applicable to all secondary students and is an obvious example of Universal Design for Learning. Active reading is the key to getting the most out of any source during assignment research, yet it is a strategy that is allowed to develop on its own in many cases. By explicitly teaching this reading strategy to all students, teachers can scaffold students with AD/HD's literacy development at the same time as extending other student's research skills.
Source:
Wright, C. (2006) "Practically Speaking: ADHD In The Classroom", Special Education Perspectives, 15(2), 3-8.
Friday, July 16, 2010
RINE Interim Summary: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or AD/HD, is a commonly misunderstood and controversial disorder that affects approximately three to seven percent of school aged children. (Rief, 2005, p. xvi) This high incidence rate virtually guarantees the pre-service teacher will encounter students with AD/HD in their practicum classrooms, and consistently throughout their future teaching careers. My previously limited understanding of the disorder has motivated me to investigate its effects within the classroom, and the techniques I can employ to mitigate them.
AD/HD, or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, refers to “a family of related chronic neurobiological disorders that interfere with an individual’s capacity to regulate activity level (hyperactivity), inhibit behaviour (impulsivity), and attend to tasks (inattention) in developmentally appropriate ways.” (National Institute of Mental Health, 2000, in Rief, 2005, p. 4) This helpful definition concisely separates the traits of the child with AD/HD into the sometimes co-existent, sometimes mutually exclusive categories of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention, which is perhaps the least recognizable form of the disorder.
I was previously unaware of the “predominantly inattentive” form of AD/HD, which according to Rief is easy to overlook, as the child with this form does not exhibit the disruptive behaviours that are commonly associated with AD/HD. The “predominantly inattentive” child may exhibit behaviours such as seeming not to listen, difficulty remembering and following directions, forgetfulness, difficulty sustaining alertness during tedious tasks, daydreaming, disorganization and poor study skills. As Rief acknowledges, many of these behaviours could easily be dismissed as “not trying” or “being lazy” (2005, p. 4), meaning students with this form of AD/HD could go undiagnosed and unassisted in the classroom, thus disadvantaging the student throughout their schooling and later life careers.
In addition to the “predominantly inattentive” form of AD/HD, the “predominantly hyperactive-impulsive” type is the more recognizable. This form of the disorder is responsible for behaviours such as extreme energy and hyperactivity, unnecessary movement, fidgeting, roaming, excessive talking, interruptions, impatience, lack of self control, inappropriate noises, poor consideration of the consequences of actions, and so on. Since this is a far more observable form of the disorder, this is the form of AD/HD we are most likely to respond to in the classroom, generally in a negative fashion.
One of the main inhibitors for a student with AD/HD being able to focus and participate in their work is their need for “arousal” (Cherkes-Julkowski, Sharp & Stolzenberg, 1997, p. 50). In “Rethinking Attention Deficit Disorders”, Cherkes-Julkowski et al. recommend tactics for maintaining a student’s interest in an activity, by maintaining their state of arousal. Importantly, they recognize that the teacher’s oft-quoted “sit still so you can pay attention” is absolutely wrong when it comes to students with AD/HD. These students need to maintain arousal in order to maintain attention. Teachers can help students maintain arousal by switching tasks frequently, incorporating movement into tasks and allowing motor activity while working. These suggestions excite me as a teacher, as I believe these active, exciting and engaging lesson tasks are not only suitable for students with AD/HD, but are ‘best practice’ techniques for engaging all students, regardless of their additional needs. They are all techniques which I have already employed in my practicum, in order to maintain a high engagement level, not only for students with AD/HD but for their peers, and even for myself.
It is easy to sympathise with some parents’ concerns about administering drugs such as Ritalin to their children on a long-term basis. I hope to develop a greater understanding of how to help both the medicated and unmedicated students with AD/HD to deal with their disorder on a day to day basis, by providing a challenging and stimulating learning environment which will benefit all the students in my classroom.
Thus far my research has focused on developing an understanding of the nature of Attention Deficient/Hyperactivity Disorder in order to create a foundation on which to build my ongoing research. From this point forward my research will focus more on some of the recommended practical techniques and strategies for engaging students with AD/HD to ensure their higher achievement in the classroom.
Source List
Cherkes-Julkowski, M., Sharp, S., & Stolzenberg, J. (1997) Rethinking Attention Deficit Disorders. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Brookline Books.
Rief, S., (2005) How to Reach and Teach Children with ADD/ADHD: Practical Techniques, Strategies, and Interventions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Wright, C. (2006) Practically speaking: ADHD in the classroom. Special Education Perspectives, 15(2), 3-8. Retrieved from http://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=155036;res=AEIPT
AD/HD, or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, refers to “a family of related chronic neurobiological disorders that interfere with an individual’s capacity to regulate activity level (hyperactivity), inhibit behaviour (impulsivity), and attend to tasks (inattention) in developmentally appropriate ways.” (National Institute of Mental Health, 2000, in Rief, 2005, p. 4) This helpful definition concisely separates the traits of the child with AD/HD into the sometimes co-existent, sometimes mutually exclusive categories of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention, which is perhaps the least recognizable form of the disorder.
I was previously unaware of the “predominantly inattentive” form of AD/HD, which according to Rief is easy to overlook, as the child with this form does not exhibit the disruptive behaviours that are commonly associated with AD/HD. The “predominantly inattentive” child may exhibit behaviours such as seeming not to listen, difficulty remembering and following directions, forgetfulness, difficulty sustaining alertness during tedious tasks, daydreaming, disorganization and poor study skills. As Rief acknowledges, many of these behaviours could easily be dismissed as “not trying” or “being lazy” (2005, p. 4), meaning students with this form of AD/HD could go undiagnosed and unassisted in the classroom, thus disadvantaging the student throughout their schooling and later life careers.
In addition to the “predominantly inattentive” form of AD/HD, the “predominantly hyperactive-impulsive” type is the more recognizable. This form of the disorder is responsible for behaviours such as extreme energy and hyperactivity, unnecessary movement, fidgeting, roaming, excessive talking, interruptions, impatience, lack of self control, inappropriate noises, poor consideration of the consequences of actions, and so on. Since this is a far more observable form of the disorder, this is the form of AD/HD we are most likely to respond to in the classroom, generally in a negative fashion.
One of the main inhibitors for a student with AD/HD being able to focus and participate in their work is their need for “arousal” (Cherkes-Julkowski, Sharp & Stolzenberg, 1997, p. 50). In “Rethinking Attention Deficit Disorders”, Cherkes-Julkowski et al. recommend tactics for maintaining a student’s interest in an activity, by maintaining their state of arousal. Importantly, they recognize that the teacher’s oft-quoted “sit still so you can pay attention” is absolutely wrong when it comes to students with AD/HD. These students need to maintain arousal in order to maintain attention. Teachers can help students maintain arousal by switching tasks frequently, incorporating movement into tasks and allowing motor activity while working. These suggestions excite me as a teacher, as I believe these active, exciting and engaging lesson tasks are not only suitable for students with AD/HD, but are ‘best practice’ techniques for engaging all students, regardless of their additional needs. They are all techniques which I have already employed in my practicum, in order to maintain a high engagement level, not only for students with AD/HD but for their peers, and even for myself.
It is easy to sympathise with some parents’ concerns about administering drugs such as Ritalin to their children on a long-term basis. I hope to develop a greater understanding of how to help both the medicated and unmedicated students with AD/HD to deal with their disorder on a day to day basis, by providing a challenging and stimulating learning environment which will benefit all the students in my classroom.
Thus far my research has focused on developing an understanding of the nature of Attention Deficient/Hyperactivity Disorder in order to create a foundation on which to build my ongoing research. From this point forward my research will focus more on some of the recommended practical techniques and strategies for engaging students with AD/HD to ensure their higher achievement in the classroom.
Source List
Cherkes-Julkowski, M., Sharp, S., & Stolzenberg, J. (1997) Rethinking Attention Deficit Disorders. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Brookline Books.
Rief, S., (2005) How to Reach and Teach Children with ADD/ADHD: Practical Techniques, Strategies, and Interventions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Wright, C. (2006) Practically speaking: ADHD in the classroom. Special Education Perspectives, 15(2), 3-8. Retrieved from http://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=155036;res=AEIPT
Monday, July 12, 2010
RINE Research Journal 2: AD/HD
"AD/HD is the most common neurobehavioural disorder of childhood, affecting approximately three to seven percent of school-aged children." (Rief, 2005, p. xvi)
AD/HD is an umbrella term for a family of disorders which interfere with a person's capacity to regulate activity level (hyperactivity), inhibit behaviour (impulsivity), and attend to tasks (inattention). (National Institute of Mental Health, 2000, in Rief, 2005, p. 4)
A child may have the more easily recognisable attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or only the attention deficit disorder, which is harder to recognise and hence can go undetected throughout a child's schooling. Their failure to attend to tasks, stay focused, listen, refrain from daydreaming and so on, can be read as laziness rather than identified as a treatable disorder.
AD/HD is an umbrella term for a family of disorders which interfere with a person's capacity to regulate activity level (hyperactivity), inhibit behaviour (impulsivity), and attend to tasks (inattention). (National Institute of Mental Health, 2000, in Rief, 2005, p. 4)
A child may have the more easily recognisable attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or only the attention deficit disorder, which is harder to recognise and hence can go undetected throughout a child's schooling. Their failure to attend to tasks, stay focused, listen, refrain from daydreaming and so on, can be read as laziness rather than identified as a treatable disorder.
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