Help for Teaching Children With ADHD

CHADD Educator’s Manual

Sometimes it is hard to know all the resources available to parents and teachers of children with ADHD. But knowing about and using these resources can often make a big difference in a child’s success.

For children with ADHD, the school setting can present some of the most difficult challenges, making it essential for educators to understand ADHD's impact on academic performance. The more knowledge your child’s teacher has about ADHD, the more effective strategies she can put in place within the classroom, and the more successful your child will be in reaching his or her full academic potential.

CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is the nation’s largest support and advocacy group on ADHD. Among the many resources CHADD provides, one that is an essential read for all educators is the Educator’s Manual on AD/HD: An In-Depth Look from an Educational Perspective. Teachers play a pivotal and powerful role in our children’s lives. They are the cornerstone of a child’s “educational treatment” plan and can truly make the difference in a child’s success and happiness in school.

The Educator’s Manual

The manual includes chapters on the following:

Overview of the diagnosis and treatment of both hyperactive and inattentive types of ADHD

Overview of key academic issues including the impact of ADHD on school performance, basic instructional strategies and accommodations, and creating a positive learning environment

Establishing a strong foundation during the early years including information about the impact of ADHD on preschoolers and elementary school students and advanced strategies for challenging behaviors

Avoiding the “brick wall” in middle and high school including providing information about the impact of ADHD on these students, specific instructional strategies for common learning problems and effective behavioral strategies for this age group

Key issues impacting students with ADHD including social skills for children and adolescents, preparing for the future, and educational laws regarding students with ADHD

Model programs and promising practices in education

Access to the Manual

In 2007, a copy of the Educator’s Manual was mailed to every elementary, middle and high school building in the country. Be sure to ask your school principal. You can also contact CHADD directly to find out more.

Additional Reading:
Homework Strategies
ADHD: Much More Than Just Hyperactivity
School Success Strategies
Back-to-School Tips
Improve Communication with Your Child
Help Your Child Develop Positive Peer Relationships

_Sources:

_{CHADD. Educator’s Manual on AD/HD: An In-Depth Look from an Educational Perspective. 2006.}

_{Ruth Hughes. Phone interview/email correspondence. 14, Oct and 6, Nov 2008.}