With at least one pupil per class having ADHD, it is not just the needs of that individual that must be addressed but their impact on the learning and behaviour of their peers, and you!

Difficult behaviours can evoke feelings of frustration and anger, and of worthlessness and despair.

However, it is important to remember that many young people experience much higher levels of negativity in their lives than their peers and that this can be very corrosive as they develop through their formative years.

We have attempted to include as much information as we can on these pages but these top tips may be a good starting point:

10 Top Tips for Teachers

To teach a pupil with ADHD effectively, all you need is good teaching skills, but with added patience and perhaps a deeper understanding of the factors that can present in a more severe way with this pupil population. For example, poor organisational skills, weak time management, working memory deficits etc.

Further details can be found through likns on this page.

1. Ensure that ALL the learning needs of the pupil have been assessed, including any specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia/dyscalculia, as well as hearing problems (pupils with ADHD find it difficult to discriminate noise in ‘busy’ environments), sensory difficulties, and any general health concerns.

2. Build a relationship with the pupil through humour, empathy, and ensure frequent communication throughout lessons.

3. Chunk tasks into manageable ‘bits’. Sustaining attention and effort can be problematic, so keep things moving in class.

4. Write tasks on the whiteboard. Cross off as they have been completed to give a sense of progress.

5. Provide frequent feedback. If work is set, mark it as quickly as possible to sustain interest.

6. Chase the positives. Boost self-esteem. Foster a ‘can-do’ attitude and ensure that pupils believe that they can achieve.

7. Don’t talk for too long or give complex oral instructions without supportive aide memoirs.

8. Walk around the classroom and interact with pupils through both verbal and non-verbal communication.

9. Try to start lessons with a challenge. This promotes functioning in the frontal lobes of the brain and thus increases the capacity for self-regulation.

10. For extended tasks, e.g. assignments/dissertations, provide a clear structure with deadlines. Collect work in and keep it along the way.

More detailed information:

• Assessing pupil needs

• ADHD through the school journey

• ADHD and learning: Understanding executive function deficits common with ADHD

• School exlcusion

• Behaviour management

• An ADHD-friendly curriculum