ADHD in Class: adding layers for success

"Mum, I can't go in. They're doing those quick maths questions first thing and I just can't face it."

This statement from my own child prompted me to delve deeper into the topic. I realised that there may be many terrific teachers who are unaware of the challenges their undiagnosed, unsupported adhd (and autistic) pupils will face. This also applies in University - and at work. The great thing is that the solutions that support neurodivergent students will also help typical students - so everyone wins.

What’s the problem with ‘rapid fire’ maths?

Picture this: you're a student with ADHD, sitting in a classroom where the teacher is rapidly firing off maths questions. You're trying to write down the question, but writing itself requires focus and can be painful. Maybe you get halfway through the question and forget what it was. Maybe you get it all written down, but the teacher has already moved on. The aftermath of those ten minutes lasts all day, you're stressed, demoralised, and your heart is racing. What happens to our learning when we are stressed? How about our executive functioning - how is our friend the amygdala?

The ADHD Brain and Processing

Students with ADHD often struggle with processing speed and working memory. Rapid-fire verbal instructions - with no written presentation - can overwhelm them, leading to stress and decreased performance. This isn't a reflection of their intelligence or potential; it's a matter of processing and executive function problems. 

Studies show students with ADHD do better than TD (typically developing) students on local processing and tasks that have global AND local aspects could leave them doing worse than their overall intelligence would suggest. This is very different to average students, who often process global information (the ‘big picture’ first) - ADHD brains tend to spot the small, local details and get distracted (guilty as charged)...

Working memory - holding pieces of information in our short term memory while we use them to complete a task - is a real problem for many with ADHD. This seems to be more noticeable for inattentive presentations - the dreamy ones you want to focus because they are so bright or who forget the homework even when it’s done.

Parents - processing speed also affects how young people respond to your instructions or requests. They are genuinely not trying - all the time - to wind you up. Their brain has received the information and is taking a little time to process it. So you can imagine how this impacts a verbal maths rapid fire piece of teaching - or your instructions to get out of the door quickly.

A Plea to Teachers

If you're a teacher, I implore you: do not rely solely on verbal instructions, especially for complex tasks like maths problems. Incorporate visual aids, written instructions, and allow time for processing. This is not just beneficial for students with ADHD; it's an inclusive practice that can help all students, especially those who may be living with undiagnosed learning challenges or who are hiding their problems so that they are not standing out. 

Universal Strategies for Inclusive Teaching

1. Visual Aids: Using charts, diagrams, or slides to supplement verbal instructions.

2. Written Instructions: Provide a written outline of the lesson or task at hand. Blackboard AND handout is best*.

3. Pause and Check: Periodically stop to ensure students are following along.

4. Interactive Learning: Engage students in discussions or group activities that allow them to process information in a dynamic way.

Additional strategies for teachers to support students with processing speed challenges:

• relaxed time constraints, 

• delivery of information at a reduced pace, 

• simplifying multistep tasks, 

• moderating processing demands, and 

• supporting the development of metacognitive strategies: teaching students HOW to learn (for example the ‘get ready, do, done’ approach to planning any kind of work or project) and how to be aware of their own state - are they feeling stressed? Let them know this will affect their learning and then offer strategies to regulate.

It might be extra work up front but the improvement in student engagement will help you too - everyone wins!

Inclusive teaching practices are not just for students with ADHD; they benefit everyone in the classroom. As we continue to explore ADHD this month, let's also explore ways to make our educational systems more accommodating and effective for all students.

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Katherine

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Further Reading:

Marcel Schulze, Silke Lux, Alexandra Philipsen et al. Sensory Processing in Adult ADHD – A Systematic Review, 10 September 2020, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-71514/v1]

Cohen, E., & Kalanthroff, E. (2019). Visuospatial processing bias in ADHD: A potential artifact in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and the Rorschach Inkblots Test. Psychological Assessment, 31(5), 699–706. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000687

Akerman, A., Etkovitch, A., & Kalanthroff, E. (2023). Global-Local Processing in ADHD Is Not Limited to the Visuospatial Domain: Novel Evidence From the Auditory Domain. Journal of Attention Disorders, 27(8), 822-829. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547231153952

Adalio CJ, Owens EB, McBurnett K, Hinshaw SP, Pfiffner LJ. Processing Speed Predicts Behavioral Treatment Outcomes in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Predominantly Inattentive Type. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2018 May;46(4):701-711. doi: 10.1007/s10802-017-0336-z. PMID: 28791531; PMCID: PMC5807232.

Weiler MD, Bernstein JH, Bellinger D, Waber DP. Information processing deficits in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, inattentive type, and children with reading disability. Journal of Learning Disabilities. 2002;35:448–461. doi: 10.1177/00222194020350050501.

Sturm A, Rozenman M, Piacentini JC, McGough JJ, Loo SK, McCracken JT. The Effect of Neurocognitive Function on Math Computation in Pediatric ADHD: Moderating Influences of Anxious Perfectionism and Gender. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2018 Oct;49(5):822-832. doi: 10.1007/s10578-018-0798-4. PMID: 29560540; PMCID: PMC6519456.