Use behavioral and environmental prompts to increase desired classroom behaviors. For example, pictorial prompts of students attending in class serve as a reminder of the teacher’s expectations for learning and behavior. Electronic visual aids such as interactive whiteboards and document cameras are helpful for capturing the attention of students with ADHD (Piffner, 2011).
Additionally, the use of tablets and computers may engage students more fully in learning activities.
Priming Procedure: Prime the student before an assignment or lesson by
reviewing a list of student-identified privileges or reinforcements that can be
earned following a specified work period.
Proximity Control: Teacher proximity is highly effective for helping students
with ADHD maintain attention. For example, the teacher may move closer to the
student when giving directions and monitoring seatwork.
Timers: Set a timer to indicate how much time remains in the lesson or work
period. The timer should be clearly visible so students can check remaining time
and monitor their progress.
Wristwatch or Smartphone: Teach the student to use a wristwatch or
smartphone to manage time when completing assigned work. Many watches and
smartphones have built-in timers that can be programmed to beep at set intervals.
Music: Play different levels and tempos of music to help students understand the
activity level appropriate for particular lessons. For example, using quiet classical
music for individual learning activities helps block distractions and creates a calm
classroom environment (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).
Children with ADHD require specific and frequent feedback and/or reinforcement
immediately following the demonstration of desired behaviors. When students are
learning new behaviors, it is generally important to reinforce close approximations first
as a way to shape behavior. Once a behavior is established, the frequency of
reinforcement can be gradually decreased. Students with ADHD tend to quickly lose
interest with repetition, so a variety of easy-to-implement reinforcers should be
considered.
Praise, Praise, Praise: Attentiveness and appropriate classroom behavior are
prerequisites for learning; therefore, interventions that promote these behaviors
should be an integral part of the teaching process for all students. When teachers
are attentive to positive behavior and specifically praise students for these
behaviors, they can engage students before their attention drifts while highlighting
desired behavior (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).
