Attention Deficit Disorder School
Accommodations.
The third component of the Attention Deficit
Disorder school strategy involves physical school classroom
accommodations. Children with Attention Deficit Disorder often
have difficulty adjusting to the structured environment of a
school classroom. Children with Attention Deficit Disorder often
have difficulty determining what is important, and focusing on
their assigned school work. Children with Attention Deficit
Disorder are easily distracted by other children or by nearby
activities in the school classroom. As a result, many children
with Attention Deficit Disorder benefit from school accommodations
that reduce distractions in the classroom environment and help
them to stay on task and learn. Certain accommodations within the
physical and learning environments of the school classroom can
benefit children with Attention Deficit Disorder
This guide on Attention Deficit Disorder school
practices, provided by the U.S. Department of Education, provides
an overall educational strategy
for successful instruction, academic instruction tips on
introducing lessons,
conducting lessons, providing
individualized
instructional
practices for math and
language arts,
organizational and
study skills, effective
behavioral techniques and techniques designed to
encourage positive behavior,
along with
classroom
accommodation tips. To order a hard copy of this Attention
Deficit Disorder school report, e-mail edpubs@inet.ed.gov or call
(877) 433-7827.
Special School Seating Arrangements for Students with Attention
Deficit Disorder: One of the most common accommodations that
can be made to the physical environment of the school classroom
involves determining where a child with Attention Deficit Disorder
will sit. Three special seating assignments may be especially
useful at school for the Attention Deficit Disorder student;
_ Seat the child with Attention Deficit Disorder near the teacher.
Assign the child a seat near your desk or the front of the room.
This seating assignment provides opportunities for you to monitor
and reinforce the child’s on-task behavior.
_ Seat the child Attention Deficit Disorder near a student role
model. Assign the child a seat near a student role model. This
seat arrangement provides opportunity for children to work
cooperatively and to learn from their peers in the class.
_ Provide low-distraction school work areas. As school space
permits, teachers should make available a quiet, distraction-free
room or area for quiet study time and test taking. Students with
Attention Deficit Disorder should be directed to this room or area
privately and discreetly in order to avoid the appearance of
punishment.
Instructional Tools and the Physical School Environment for
Attention Deficit Disorder Students: Skilled teachers use
special instructional tools to modify the school learning
environment and accommodate the special needs of their students
with Attention Deficit Disorder. They also monitor the physical
school environment, keeping in mind the needs of the Attention
Deficit Disorder children. The following Attention Deficit
Disorder school tools and techniques may be helpful;
_ Pointers. Teach the child with Attention Deficit Disorder to use
a pointer to help visually track written words on a page. For
example, provide the child with a bookmark to help him or her
follow along when students are taking turns reading aloud.
_ Egg timers. Note for the children the time at which the lesson
is starting and the time at which it will conclude. Set a timer to
indicate to children how much time remains in the lesson and place
the timer at the front of the classroom; the children can check
the timer to see how much time remains. Interim prompts can be
used as well. For instance, children can monitor their own
progress during a 30-minute lesson if the timer is set for 10
minutes three times.
_ Classroom lights. Turning the classroom lights on and off
prompts children that the noise level in the room is too high and
they should be quiet. This practice can also be used to signal
that it is time to begin preparing for the next school lesson.
_ Music. Play music on a tape recorder or chords on a piano to
prompt children that they are too noisy. In addition, playing
different types of music on a tape recorder communicates to
children what level of activity is appropriate for a particular
lesson. For example, play quiet classical music for quiet
activities done independently and jazz for active group
activities.
_ Proper use of furniture. The school desk and chair used by
children with Attention Deficit Disorder need to be the right
size. If they are not, the child with Attention Deficit Disorder
will be more inclined to squirm and fidget. A general rule of
thumb is that a child should be able to put his or her elbows on
the surface of the school desk and have his or her chin fit
comfortably in the palm of the hand.
