Educational Considerations

In 2007, J.E Nowacek investigated the array of perceptions that general education teachers have on individuals diagnosed with ADHD. Here, researchers looked to see whether or not teaching modifications and other educational considerations were used in order to accommodate the different learning styles of their students.

Results had shown that general educators seemed to have a general understanding of the key elements and characteristics of ADHD. However, they provided little to no modifications for diagnosed children in their classroom.

As a prospective educator myself, it is difficult to accommodate every need in the classroom, especially when you have numerous students, some even having conflicting styles due to special learning disabilities. One thing to know, is that the majority (more than half) of diagnosed students receive little to no special education. This means that in more cases than none, these students are in a general education classroom with no direct personal help from a professional.

As a parent you can help in several ways:

• Sit down with the professionals assigned for your child's individualized education plan (IEP) and talk about the special considerations that are fitting and beneficial to your child. If through assessments and observations your child shows no improvement, a process can be taken in order to get your child the IEP they deserve.
• Try to spend time with your child at home for goal planning. Help them form their own personal goals, this could carry on in the classroom.
• Use progress monitoring: Monitor not only at-home progress but speak with the educational professionals to learn more about in-school progress. This could be on anything from tests to observing their ability to maintain relationships.

As an educator you can help in several ways:

• You don't need to have any drastic changes, because often times pleasing one student may effect a whole class. So make little changes that could help and you can learn about what types of changes could be effective if you speak to your special educator.
• Instead of using one method of assessment, for example a test, you can offer different forms of assessment, like projects or essays.
• Provide different visual and auditory stimuli in your lessons.
• Often times these individuals have difficulty paying attention with a room full of aimless pictures and objects. Keep your room educational and fun so if they are caught staring, they're atleast learning and reading about something that could benefit them.