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Tips for Helping ADHD Kids Concentrate
Posted February 18th, 2008 by Carroll King Schuller
Because I have extensive experience working with people with ADHD, I’m often asked what my top tips for helping ADHD kids concentrate are. With no further adieu…
1. Listen to the child or try to find an adult that can explain the challenges in adult terms.
2. Provide a safe environment for the child. Make sure the child knows you are his friend, and you are there to help him.
3. Treat him with respect. Never belittle him in front of his peers.
4. Some children work better on more than one task at a time. Try working on three things for 20 minutes and rotate to completion.
5. Be alert to how much movement they may need. Allow for some extra trips to the restroom, or to run some errands or task him to try sitting on an exerdisc.
6. Help the child find his areas of strength so that he can build his self-esteem. It is important to pair verbal praise with a reward. A simple nod, wink, smile, or touch on the shoulder can carry tremendous recognition power.
7. Instead of confronting your student continually on activities or behaviors that are inappropriate, point out the alternative choices that are available. This will make the expectations clearer to him and avoid the negativity inherent in what he would perceive as criticism.
8. Encourage your student to monitor his own behavior. It can provide an opportunity for discussion when your student and the teacher agree/disagree on the ratings. It also prompts movement toward your student’s internal frame of reference in evaluating his behavior. This is the start of the independence needed for success in the world.
9. Look around – there are lots of very successful adults! School is not the easiest part of Life.
