One of the main problems for individuals with ADHD is the difficulty in completing assignments that are error free, clear and organized. There are several activities that can help students successfully complete their assignments. The first is to have the instructor help the students break the assignment into small parts that can be tackled one at a time. Instructors should also add deadlines for each section to help avoid procrastination. The second is to have students work in groups to exchange feedback or help with the assignment. In addition, students can check the work of other members of the team. The combination of these activities helps individuals with ADHD keep on task, correct mistakes and finish their assignments.
Students with ADHD have a difficult time concentrating for long periods of time. There are activities that will increase student engagement in learning. Group work is an activity example that helps students because team members ask questions, and find ways to work together to solve the problem. Another activity is to give students an outline of the lecture and to add in questions that they must fill out during the lecture. The student is listening to the instructor's words more carefully because he is searching for the answers. Another activity is to use games during a lecture. Give points for finding information in the lecture or by gathering information from slides or other materials. For example, if the lecture is on mammals, ask the students to keep a list of all physical characteristics of mammals addressed during the lecture. At the end of the lecture give points to the student with the longest correct list. Finally, use mini lectures within the lecture. Provide a short lecture of 10 to 15 minutes. Then ask students to complete an activity before going on to the next part of the lecture.
Students with ADHD are easily distracted by noise or activities of other learners, external activities (visible through the window or the door) or by activities of pets or other instructors or assistants in the classroom. Instructors can design activities that have fewer distractions and help the student remain focused on the work. One example is to design an activity in an uncluttered area where the only item of interest is the activity. Remove distractions from the classroom. This will make it less likely that the student will wander from the session to check on the fish tank or the activity in the bunny hutch. Pull shades on windows and doors and make the environment as quiet as possible. Make sure that other individuals in the room are also paying attention to the lecture or activity and not working on another project. Use a "hands on" project and give directions for each step. Ask students to repeat the instructions or to describe what they are doing. This allows the instructor to observe if the student understands the activity. In addition, use multiple media or tools for the different activities. Use white boards, computers, colored paper, slides, movies or models to demonstrate the learning activity. Have the student demonstrate what she learned by using the same tool to point out information or select parts of the learning session that were especially interesting. These types of activities work well for all students and improve student learning.