Modified Tutoring Plans for ADHD Students

ADHD is an increasingly common diagnosis, particularly among boys. While some parents and educators feel wary of the "over-diagnosing" (and, perhaps, the resultant "over-medicating") of children, an ADHD diagnosis can actually be a step toward educational independence and success for your child. That's because ADHD gives a name — and a concrete set of characteristics — to behavior that had heretofore been dismissed as "acting out." Widespread information campaigns concerning ADHD have helped teachers understand why some students struggle to stay on task or even to sit still. Rather than sending these kids to the principal's office for behavioral problems (as was common practice little more than a decade ago), teachers can now modify lessons to help ADHD students realize their true potential.

These modifications can — and should — be made in tutoring scenarios, too. If you're the parent of a child with ADHD, you are familiar with the unique learning challenges that the disability presents. But you've probably also noticed a few other things about your child, like the fact that he's energetic, creative, and — when the subject interests him — driven to achieve. It is incredibly important to tailor the tutoring environment to suit the needs of your child. Consider the following tips as you tutor.

1) Keep It Neat. Students with ADHD are easily distracted. This distraction isn't just confined to staring out a window or wandering around the room, though. ADHD students are very sensitive to their environments and can be distracted by something as seemingly minor as a disorganized binder. At the beginning of each school year (and each new tutoring endeavor), take time to help your child get organized. You can purchase an organizational system (such as the ones available at such places as The Container Store), or you can create whatever sort of system works best for you and your child. Many ADHD students are visual learners and respond well to color-coding; for example, if you and your child decide that science is "green," he can keep his papers in a green folder and take notes with a green pen. Color-coding is a simple, yet extremely helpful, way to keep your ADHD child from becoming distracted (or even overwhelmed) by clutter.

2) Break It Down. Very few people learn well when information is delivered in huge chunks. This is particularly true for ADHD students, whose attention spans often last between five and ten minutes (and even less in more severe cases). With this in mind, create a tutoring scenario that doesn't rely on lengthy periods of instruction. Your ADHD child is not going to respond well to 20 minutes of reading aloud, or to a half-hour of practice quizzes. Instead, break activities into five- and ten-minute chunks. For example, he could read silently for five minutes, and then switch gears by telling you about (or drawing a picture of) what he has just read. Additionally, don't underestimate the power of the break. As long as a break is structured (i.e., a predetermined, three-minute break to step outside or grab a drink of water), it can be very useful in keeping an ADHD student focused.

3) Plan It Out. Some students thrive on spotenaeity, but ADHD students typically do not. Because they are easily distracted and have difficulty with maintaining focus, ADHD students do best when they adhere to a logical schedule. This means that tutoring sessions should take place at the same time each day, and last for the same number of minutes. Scheduling also helps ADHD students to bring a sense of order into their minds and lives. Instead of making a schedule for your child, sit down with her and make that schedule together. This process will help her see the importance of advance planning. Often, ADHD students procrastinate and then get in a bind when they realize they can't read that history chapter, do the practice math problems, and play in the soccer game all at the last minute. A week- or month-long calendar will help your student visualize upcoming events and plan appropriately.

My fellow blogger, Kathy, has excellent posts on identifying ADHD and working with ADHD students. You can read those posts here and here. If you want to find a tutor to work one-on-one with your ADHD child, take a look at our list of tutoring services.