Report on Impact of ADHD on Classroom Performance

Running head: IMPACT OF ADHD ON CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE
Impact of ADHD on Classroom performance
Name of the University
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1IMPACT OF ADHD ON CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE
Introduction
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is described by persistent and
developmentally unsuitable complicatedness with concentration, rashness and hyperactivity.
Aggression, nonconformity and angst are some of the behavioral problems associated with
ADHD. Children with ADHD are not likely to make friends or grab teacher’s attention in the
classroom. They are often perceived as students with special needs. On the academic front,
students with ADHD are expected to perform poorly. In addition, their chances of being retained
during elementary school are higher than students without ADHD.
DuPaul, Weyandt and Janusis (2011), point out the three most basic interventions for
students with ADHD, which includes behavioral intervention, adjustments to academic directives
and home-school communications program. They further argue that pharmacological treatment
to reduce ADHD symptoms however affective is not sufficient. The authors have also laid stress
on the behavioral impact of students with ADHD on classroom. The ratio of students with
ADHD to that of students without it is quite low and thus it is difficult for teachers to address
their impulsive behavior.
Interventions to tackle ADHD
Students with ADHD tend to be weak when it comes to self-regulation that is organizing
themselves on their own. In addition, they have a weak working memory that leads to poorer
academic performance and reduced interactions with peer. Teachers face troubles controlling
these students, which in turn affects the overall environment of the class.

2IMPACT OF ADHD ON CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE
Academic intervention
Hart et al., (2011) have highlighted the academic as well as behavioral impact on
classroom with students having ADHD. They have studied the behavior of ADHD students in
different groups and found that those students responded better during small-group instructions.
This brings forth the issue of the degrading academic performance of the students with ADHD
and the lack of concrete solution in schools to assist them.
A systematic approach to address this issue has to be adopted. Teachers need to be given
training on the ways to detect and address issues of students with ADHD. The school-based
services to assist ADHD students must be evaluated and updated as per the situation and needs of
the students. Teachers must encourage other students to be more lenient and humble towards
their peers having ADHD syndrome.
According to Martinussen et al., (2006), ADHD is identified in preschool age children.
However, they also put forward views that low scores and poor grades at the school level is the
result of inattentive behavioral dimension and not hyperactive impulse behavior. They outlined
the facts that ADHD symptoms may not be perceived in its early age as it starts with mild then
goes to moderate and then becomes severe. Therefore, it is important for teachers, they say, to
understand the mild and moderate behavioral symptoms like inattentiveness to studies.
Hart et al., (2011) opine that lot of students with ADHD syndrome receives school-based
services that include behavioral and learning involvement. However, it has been found that these
services are of little or no effect to these students. A deeper study on their behaviors and its
impact on academic performance have to be carried out.

3IMPACT OF ADHD ON CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE
It is essential for teachers to realize that ADHD symptoms occur on a continuous basis
and must be addressed at an early age. Evidences are there that support the fact that students with
ADHD respond better to situations where they are given the opportunity to respond and in
situations where they get feedback from the educators. Encouragement and confidence building
play a significant role in boosting the morale of a student and especially students with ADHD. It
is a prerequisite for teachers to develop a classroom environment that fits the features of each
student. in addition, teachers also have to keep on interacting with the students with ADHD so
that they do not feel left alone or separated. The students without ADHD may also be
encouraged by the teachers to befriend the students with ADHD and involve in productive tasks
such as reading and other activities.
Behavioral Interventions
Both antecedent and consequence-based strategies are included in the behavioral
intercessions for students with ADHD. In accordance with this method, teachers can post rules
that need to be followed by students in the classroom. Antecedent refers to the events leading up
to any unwarranted behavior as per DuPaul, Weyandt and Janusis (2011). Thus, in order to
prevent that incident from occurring, teachers can strategize and analyze the rules that they want
every student to abide by. However, they must be cautious not to include too many rules as it
might have an adverse affect on the students with ADHD. In addition, the rules should be written
in a positive manner that is, the students must not be instructed to behave properly but must be
asked what things they have to do are.
Consequence-based strategy to manage behavioral impact includes management of a
specific situation to adjust the regularity of that behavior. Teachers in schools have applied

4IMPACT OF ADHD ON CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE
several consequence-based strategies to counter the hyperactive-impulsive behavior of students
with ADHD. Some of which are conditional positive corroboration, response cost and self-
management interventions. The most common and useful method however is the conditional
positive corroboration. In this method, the teacher appreciates and praises a student suffering
from ADHD syndrome for the successful completion of any task. Teachers also reward the
students with things like poker chips or sticker points that can be exchanged at the end of the day
to play computer games or do other activities. It must although be bore in mind that the
reinforcements must not be commonplace as it might reduce the student’s interest in completing
a task. Teachers must evolve fresh ways to reward the student and keep them involved and in the
task.
DuPaul, Weyandt and Janusis (2011) argue that behavioral intervention and stimulant
prescription are alone not enough to improve the academic performance of the students with
ADHD. Academic intervention that directly addresses the academic weakness of the students is
necessary to improve academic performance. A teacher-intervened instruction is an effective
method to better academic performance of ADHD students.
Studies have found that students with ADHD respond better when taking notes or
appearing for tests during direct teacher instructions. It also needs to be mentioned that in the age
of technology, computer-aided teaching also boosts the academic performance of not only
students with ADHD but also everyone. Utilizing computer-aided teaching to teach subjects such
as mathematics and other readings could significantly improve academic performance of the
students with ADHD. Teachers can also promote peer instructions in reading, spelling or doing
math. Peer instructions or tutoring also benefit students with ADHD to improve their academic
performance. Academic intervention if exploited properly could largely assist students with

5IMPACT OF ADHD ON CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE
ADHD in improving not only their skills in academy but also feel related to the classroom
environment (DuPaul, Weyandt & Janusis, 2011).
Martinussen et al., (2006) while stressing on the need for interventions, also state that a
single-method-to-all approach is unlikely to yield considerable results. According to them,
children with ADHD must be intervened as per their individual requirements. In order to meet
this demand, they have developed a method that involves a five-stage process. The first stage is
the analysis of classroom curriculum and activities; second stage is identification of strengths
and weaknesses of the students; third stage includes goals to be set for students and categorize
progress indicators; the fourth stage comprises action plan identification, management,
instructional plan utilization and the final stage includes supervising progress.
These five stages could assist the teachers to understand and work upon the academic
needs of the students with ADHD. Through these five stages, the teachers could focus on the
four key areas of learning for the students. These are context of learning, language of instruction,
child strategies and instructional supports. All these key areas when clearly addressed may
greatly assist the teacher to implement strategies with a clearer view to approach students with
ADHD.
As advocated by Hart et al., (2011), small-group instructions for students with ADHD is
an improved way to help students with ADHD learn better in classrooms. They further lament
that there are few or no research carried out to evaluate systematically the practices that assist in
handling these students.

6IMPACT OF ADHD ON CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE
Conclusion
Therefore, it can be concluded that researches and experiments have been done to devise
ways for improving the behavior and academic skills of students with ADHD. The essay
discusses the prominent methods and process involved with additional recommendations as to
how teachers and educators can equip themselves to handle such students. ADHD is a problem
that needs attention from an early age as discussed in the essay above and a cooperative attitude
from both teachers and parents is needed. Every student has unique syndrome of ADHD and it
must be treated accordingly. Behavioral and academic interventions are although the two basic
methods but variations and modifications must be done in order to help the students with ADHD.
Medicinal treatment while effective only decreases the symptoms but does not help in
confidence boosting. This has to be done by the teachers at school in the classroom. Once this is
achieved, ADHD students may no longer feel isolated.

7IMPACT OF ADHD ON CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE
References:
DuPaul, G., Weyandt, L., & Janusis, G. (2011). ADHD in the Classroom: Effective Intervention
Strategies. Theory Into Practice, 50(1), 35-42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2011.534935
Hart, K. C., Massetti, G. M., Fabiano, G. A., Pariseau, M. E., & Pelham Jr, W. E. (2011). Impact
of group size on classroom on-task behavior and work productivity in children with
ADHD. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 19(1), 55-64.
Martinussen, R. L., Tannock, R., Chaban, P., McInnes, A., & Ferguson, B. (2006). Increasing
awareness and understanding of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in education to
promote better academic outcomes for students with ADHD. Exceptionality Education
Canada, 16(2/3), 107.