ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a developmental disorder that reduces one’s ability to function. It involves difficulties concerning attention and cognitive control. These difficulties may affect several areas of life, including studying. ADHD takes on many forms, and each student’s situation is unique.
The symptoms of ADHD are often stronger if the environment contains a lot of distractive stimuli, the instructions are unclear or the person is required to work on a task for a long period of time. When working independently, the student may have difficulties with creating a study plan and following it, assessing how much time it takes to complete the tasks, completing tasks that require concentration or perseverance, or getting lost in the tasks that interest them.
In addition to challenges, ADHD comes with strengths. For example, the student may be very creative, innovative, energetic and unafraid of new challenges.
Recommendations for reducing attention-related challenges
- Take the multisensory approach into account in everything you do: present matters both verbally and in written form and by showing and telling. Use diverse materials, such as text, images, videos and sound.
- Provide the students with a lecture outline and lecture materials in advance.
- Offer clear and specific information on the structure of the course, essential dates, exam requirements and practical arrangements.
- Ensure that longer lectures include breaks and variation. Even those without an attention disorder have an attention span of approximately 20 minutes.
Recommendations for special situations
- Go through the instructions and methods related to studying privately with the student.
- Ask the student what kind of learning materials and working methods support their learning. For example, team work and discussions may make it easier for them to process information and learn things.
- Take additional breaks and increase variation. It is typical for ADHD to lose attention already after 5–10 minutes.
- If the student’s hyperactive behaviour or constant tardiness is disrupting the teaching, you should review the common rules of conduct with the whole group and, when necessary, also go through them with the student in person. If the student is interrupting you by asking a lot of questions, you can ask them to write down any questions and ideas that they have so you can return to them later. Don’t take it personally if the student says something impulsive or inconsiderate - you can always clarify and clear up matters in a constructive manner.
- You can agree that the student finds a seat in the teaching room based on what best supports their concentration. If the student is easily distracted, the best place may be at the front of the teaching room. If the student focuses best when they are able to move, the best place may be next to the wall or at the back, where they can move without the others noticing or being bothered.
- You should tell the student about the different ways to demonstrate their skills as early as possible. These may include, for example, oral presentations, exams or learning tasks. Reading exam books independently and focusing on them for long periods of time may be very difficult for some students, while learning the same content through writing essays can be much easier.
- It can be useful to divide tasks that require long periods of concentration into smaller pieces; for example, having several smaller exams, writing your thesis one part at a time, etc. When working on a longer project, such as a thesis, regularly scheduled meetings with the supervisor may create regularity and a rhythm for the student’s studies.
- You can extend the deadlines for tasks when it has been agreed in advance.
- The student may need additional time for exams if they are sensitive to distractions or need to move around to stay focused. A separate exam room may also be necessary. Using a computer may also be justified to avoid mistakes due to carelessness.
- When necessary, the student should be allowed to use tools that support their learning, as well as to create sound and video recordings of materials for their personal use.
- Guide the student in using a time management tool, such as a timetable, a calendar, a notebook or the time management functions available in a mobile phone, in order to support their memory and planning.
Support for students with ADHD