hyperactive child. how to teach kids with adhd

In recent decades conflict between teacher and student moved to a new level. Talk about not being common language or psychological incompatibility is no longer fashionable. Teacher's job normalized and stamped - therefore, in a conflict, you need to look for deviations from the norm The child has. And they find, and make diagnoses, and even treat - with dubious success, really ... So who is unhealthy: students, teachers or herself school system?

ADHD and school: the problem of assessing the norm in abnormal conditions

The reason for the diagnosis of ADHD is the school's intolerance of ordinary human diversity.

Peter Gray, research professor of psychology at Boston College, is a developmental and evolutionary psychologist and author of the introductory textbook " Psychology".

According to the best current data, about 8% of children aged 4 to 17 in the United States are diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). The same studies note that boys are diagnosed with this problem three times more often than girls, that is, approximately 12% of boys and 4% of girls show attention deficit and hyperactivity. Think about it: 12 percent of boys - that's one in eight - were defined by clinicians using the American Psychiatric Association's official diagnostic criteria as mentally disturbed.

If criteria were applied school teachers, the numbers would be even higher. In one study, a sample of 16 different schools with more than 3,000 students asked teachers to complete a standard diagnostic questionnaire about student conduct disorders. In a study that did not compare parent-teacher testimony, 23% of elementary school students and 20% of middle school students were diagnosed with ADHD. Shocking results. It turns out, according to teachers, every fourth elementary school student and every fifth high school mentally ill.

ADHD can be called a "syndrome conflict with school»

What does a diagnosis of ADHD mean? Simply put, it's a child's inability adapt to the conditions of a regular school. Most diagnoses are based on teachers' observations. Usually a "problem" child becomes a source of constant teachers annoyance: he is inattentive, does not complete assignments, interferes with the class, turns around, chats - and the teacher consistently leads parents to the idea of ​​the need to consult a specialist about the possible presence of ADHD. Standard diagnostic questionnaires contain the opinion of the teacher and parents regarding the child's behavior. If the scores meet the given criteria, a diagnosis is made. The child can then be put on drugs such as Adderall or Concerta, and conflicts at school immediately become much less. The child does what the teacher said, discipline in the classroom is restored, and the parents breathe a sigh of relief: the medicine works!

The diagnostic criteria for ADHD (as outlined in the American Psychiatric Association's official diagnostic guideline) clearly prioritize assessment of school behavior. The guidelines list nine criteria related to inattention and nine criteria for assessing hyperactivity and impulsivity. If all six of them or a set of nine match your child to some extent and for a long time, he is diagnosed with ADHD - predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive, or a combination type.
Here, for comparison, is the full list of criteria directly from the DSM-IV guidelines:

inattention
1. Often does not show close attention to details or makes inattentive mistakes in school work or other activities.
2. Often has trouble staying focused on a task or play activity.
3. Often it seems that he does not hear what is directly said to him.
4. Often does not follow instructions and fails to complete school assignments, errands, or workplace duties (not due to protest or misunderstanding).
5. Often has difficulty organizing activities.
6. Often avoids, dislikes or does not want to do something that requires mental effort for a long time (homework or classwork).
7. Often loses items necessary for activities (toys, worksheets, pencils, books, tools).
8. Easily distracted.
9. Often forgetful in daily activities.

Hyperactivity and impulsivity
1. Often plays with his hands or feet, fidgets in place.
2. Often jumps up when he should be sitting still.
3. Often runs around and climbs, at the wrong time and in the wrong place (teenagers and adults can be very anxious).
4. Often unable to play or rest quietly.
5. Is often on the move or acts like he's turned on.
6. Often speaks excessively and exaggeratedly.
7. Often answers without listening to the question.
8. Often cannot wait for his turn.
9. Frequently interferes with other children's games or intervenes in conversations.

Interestingly, after reading the list, is anyone else surprised that so many boys are being awarded a diagnosis of ADHD and that it is teachers who initiate this process? Raise your hand! (But by no means answer immediately from the spot!)

How convenient it is to have this officially recognized method of diagnosing children who do not sit still, cannot often closely follow the teacher, do not complete assignments, climb out of line and answer from their seats! Previously they were called naughty. Sometimes with a frown, sometimes with a smile of recognition that children are children, or "these are boys." But now we know that they are mentally unhealthy due to their biological characteristics. And, wonder of wonders, we even have a cure for it. We'll give them a powerful drug - methylphenidate or amphetamine, which acts on the brain like cocaine (but without euphoria) and, for obvious reasons, is sold strictly by prescription. The drug is working. Children become more manageable and discipline in the classroom is easier to maintain.

The most common subtype of ADHD is predominantly inattentive. This condition used to be called ADD (attention disorder). A pediatrician from Yale University, who treats many children with this diagnosis, once admitted: “This diagnosis is awarded to a disproportionate number of children - smart, creative. I always think that these children find their inner world much more interesting and richer than the world of the classroom and naturally focus on it, to the detriment of schoolwork. The correct means for solving this problem would be the school itself, which, unfortunately, I cannot influence. I can just help these kids focus on school, get their attention back to it.”

Why do so many children fail to adjust to school?

From an evolutionary point of view, the school is abnormal environment. There has never been anything like it in our evolutionary history. School is a place where children have to sit quietly most of the time, listen to a teacher who talks about not very interesting things, read what they say, write what is given, and give out the information fed to them on tests. Like me, until quite recently in the history of mankind, children were in charge of their own education. They followed their inner impulses, which led them to ask countless questions (their own questions, not someone else's) and communicate with others as equals, actively explore the world around them, learn skills that are useful to them in their environment through free play in a mixed age group. group.

From my point of view of evolution, it is not surprising that many children show school maladjustment in the form of ADHD. All normal children experience at least one kind of difficulty in adjusting to school. It is unnatural for children (and not only for them) to sit for so long, ignoring their natural questions and interests, for so long doing diligently what they are told. We humans are highly adaptable creatures, but not infinitely. It is possible to change the environment so much from what is normal that many simply won't be able to fit in into her. And that's exactly what's happening in schools.

Not surprisingly, ADHD diagnosis peaked in the 1990s, when schools became stricter, when they introduced highly selective tests, when they introduced denials of revision, when teachers were ordered to teach preparatory classes for standardized tests that all students must pass or the teacher loses his job.

The school does not tolerate normal human diversity.

Why do some children adjust to school better than others? The answer lies in the realm of biology. For evolutionary reasons, humanity is genetically diverse, and personality traits vary quite widely.

Traditionally, people lived in communities, and communities, like individuals in it, benefit from diversity. It is useful if someone is more conservative and reserved in character, another is impulsive, someone is passive and another is active, someone is cautious and another is reckless, and so on. All these characters fit into the concept of a normal personality. When people are free, they find ways of behaving and learning that best suit their nature. And they make a special contribution to the society in which they live. In a normal community there is always a niche to fill, and naturally free people choose niches in which they can feel comfortable and happy, niches that suit their nature.

But modern school does not provide this variety of niches. Everyone must do the same. Everyone must take the same tests. Some, if not most, adapt by their natural flexibility and pass tests by avoiding the behavior they are punished for. The school takes its dues from them, but this is not so obvious: it can be general anxiety, moderate depression, cynicism, suppression of initiative and creativity, but in the school system this is perceived as the norm. Until these characteristics become extreme, no diagnosis is made. Diagnosis is made in children who conflict with the system. And most of them are boys.

The biological trait that predisposes to ADHD in the school environment is apparently the Y chromosome. Boys, for evolutionary reasons, are more impulsive and less compliant than girls. Although both boys and girls have these characteristics, there is a difference. The boundary in the distribution at which ADHD is diagnosed in today's society is at the point where about 12% of boys and 4% of girls. In another environment where they could choose their own niche, these kids would be just fine.

illustrative story

In conclusion, I want to give one real story that will illustrate the above. She is about one young man who I have known since I was 13. All school years he was playful, funny, unusually impulsive and clashed with literally all the teachers. He rarely completed assignments to the end and interfered with the class. He really couldn't concentrate on any of the lessons and seemed unable to help but say immediately what was on his mind at that moment, not what was asked to be said. Parents were regularly called to school. When the school referred him for an ADHD diagnosis, his mother refused. As a doctor, she knew that the long-term effects of ADHD medications on the human brain had not been studied, but they had been proven to be harmful in animals. The boy showed all the signs of mixed ADHD, and I have no doubt that if his mother had agreed to the diagnosis, the diagnosis would have been confirmed. Thanks to the condescending attitude of the head teacher, the school moved the boy from class to class, despite the fact that he did not complete assignments and failed tests. He graduated from high school with the worst grades in his class.

Then the best part of his life began. Obviously not suitable for the institute, he completed an internship and realized that he was passionate about cooking and he was good at cooking. After working in a restaurant, he received recommendations for admission to the school of cooks, where he showed excellent results. Now, at the age of 22, he has a good job at a popular, successful restaurant as an assistant chef. In conditions that require constant movement, an active mind, skillful hands, where it is necessary to perform several tasks that contradict each other at the same time, he shines.

He found his niche. He got nothing out of school for 13 years, but, thanks to his natural cheerfulness, did not suffer much from the school. When he freed himself from it and began to do what he was interested in in the real world, he found my niche- and flourishes there. Thank God that real world at all doesn't look like school.

The purpose of the project: to study attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and develop individual and group forms of work with hyperactive children that contribute to favorable schooling for children.

Project objectives:

• Define ADHD.
• Identify the signs of hyperdynamic syndrome.
• Describe the likely causes of the syndrome.
• Specify the main and secondary manifestations of the syndrome.
• Show the main points of a psychologist's help in identifying attention disorders in children, combined with hyperactivity.
• Designate the pedagogical conditions for teaching hyperactive children.
• Provide advice to parents and educators on how to better interact with hyperactive children.
• Develop individual and group forms of training with hyperactive children.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders.

IN Lately experts have shown that hyperactivity acts as one of the manifestations of a whole complex of disorders observed in such children. The main defect is associated with the insufficiency of the mechanisms of attention and inhibitory control. Therefore, these disorders are more accurately classified as "attention deficit disorders".

The main signs of hyperdynamic syndrome- distractibility of attention and motor disinhibition. One of the specific features of the hyperactive syndrome is the child's excessive activity, excessive mobility, fussiness, and the inability to focus on anything for a long time. The hyperdynamic child is impulsive. He easily endures punishment, does not remember resentment, does not hold evil, constantly quarrels with his peers and immediately reconciles. The biggest problem with a hyperactive child is their distractibility. If the symptoms of hyperactivity, as a rule, decrease on their own as the child grows older, then disturbances in attention, distractibility and impulsivity can remain with him for a long time, serving as fertile ground for neurosis, social maladaptation.

Working with hyperactive children great importance has the meaning reasons observed behavioral disorders. Most experts tend to recognize the interaction of many factors, including:

• Organic brain damage (traumatic brain injury, neuroinfection, etc.);
• Perinatal pathology (complications during pregnancy of the mother, asphyxia of the newborn);
• Genetic factor (a number of data indicate that attention deficit disorder may be familial);
• Features of neurophysiology and neuroanatomy (dysfunction of CNS activating systems);
• Nutritional factors (high carbohydrate content in food leads to a deterioration in attention indicators);
• Environment (deteriorating environmental circumstances lead to all sorts of health problems, including mental ones);
• Social factors(consistency and systematic educational influences, etc.).

Specialists identify the following mental manifestations of attention deficit disorder in children.

1. Restless movements in the hands and feet. Sitting on a chair, the child writhes, wriggles.
2. Inability to sit still when required.
3. Easy distractibility to extraneous stimuli.
4. Impatience, inability to wait for one's turn during games and in various situations in the team.
5. Inability to concentrate: often answers questions without thinking, without listening to them to the end.
6. Difficulties in completing assigned tasks.
7. Difficulty maintaining attention when performing tasks or during games.
8. Frequent transitions from one unfinished activity to another.
9. Inability to play quietly, calmly.
10. Loquacity.
11. Interferes with others, sticks to others.
12. Often it seems that the child does not listen to the speech addressed to him.
13. Frequent loss of things needed at school and at home.
14. The ability to take dangerous actions without considering the consequences. At the same time, the child is not looking for adventure or thrills.

The child has at least 8 of the 14 symptoms listed above that have been consistently observed for at least 6 recent months, is the basis for the diagnosis of attention deficit disorder. All manifestations of this syndrome can be divided into three groups: signs of hyperactivity (symptoms 1, 2,9,10), inattention and distractibility (symptoms 3, 6-8,12,13) ​​and impulsivity (symptoms 4,5,11,14) .
These primary behavioral disorders are accompanied by serious secondary disorders, which primarily include poor school performance and difficulty in communicating with other people.

Behavioral disorders associated with hyperactivity and attention deficits are manifested in a child already before school age. However, during this period they may not look so problematic, since they are partially compensated by the normal level of intellectual and social development. The peak manifestation of hyperdynamic syndrome is 6-7 years. Entering school creates serious difficulties for children with attention deficits, since educational activities place increased demands on the development of this function. That is why children with signs of attention deficit are not able to satisfactorily cope with the requirements of the school.

Poor academic performance is a typical phenomenon for hyperactive children. It is due to the peculiarities of their behavior, which does not correspond to the age norm and is a serious obstacle to the full inclusion of the child in learning activities. During the lesson, it is difficult for these children to cope with tasks, as they experience difficulties in organizing and completing work, they quickly turn off the process of completing the task. The reading and writing skills of these children are significantly lower than those of their peers. Written work looks sloppy and is characterized by errors that are the result of inattention, not following the teacher's instructions, or guessing.

Behavioral disorders of hyperactive children affect not only school performance, but also largely determine the nature of their relationships with other people. In most cases, such children experience problems in communication: they cannot play with their peers for a long time, establish and maintain friendly relations. Among children, they are a source of constant conflict and quickly become outcasts.

In the family, these children usually suffer from constant comparisons with brothers and sisters, whose behavior and studies are set as an example for them. They are undisciplined, disobedient, do not respond to comments, which greatly irritates parents who are forced to resort to frequent, but not effective punishments. Most of these children have low self-esteem. They often have destructive behavior, aggressiveness, stubbornness, deceit, a tendency to steal and other forms of antisocial behavior.

The primary difficulty in this area is the ability to focus on the long term. It implies the ability to perform a monosyllabic, uninteresting or requiring repeated task. Children with ADHD have the ability to concentrate for short periods of time and lose interest and focus faster than other children. As a result, they "jump" to another task, to another area, and are disposed to look for stimuli (satisfying them for a short time) and tasks that bring them immediate satisfaction.

As a rule, during adolescence, attention defects in such children persist, but hyperactivity usually disappears and, on the contrary, is often replaced by reduced activity, inertia of mental activity, and shortcomings in motives.

What help can psychologists provide in identifying attention disorders in children, combined with hyperactivity?

First, parents should be advised to take their child to a neuropsychiatric consultation to make an accurate diagnosis and differentiate ADHD from a number of conditions and diseases that have similar external manifestations.

Secondly, it should be explained to teachers that a hyperactive child is not “harmful” or “bad”, it’s just harder for him than other children to restrain their motor activity, he is not to blame for this.
Thirdly, when holding meetings with parents of children suffering from ADHD, the psychologist should describe the causes and signs of the syndrome, convince parents that only persistent, consistent and special educational techniques can smooth out the manifestations of this condition.

Fourthly, the psychologist needs to encourage parents to work with the child for a long time, sometimes up to adolescence, to give each "Recommendations for parents of hyperactive children." Based on this, work with hyperactive children should be carried out in a comprehensive manner, with the participation of specialists from different professions and the mandatory involvement of parents and teachers.

In providing psychological assistance to hyperactive children, work with their parents and teachers is of decisive importance. It is necessary to explain the problems of the child to adults, to show that without the help and support of adults, such a child cannot cope with his difficulties.

First of all, it is necessary to explain to the parents of a hyperactive child that they need to adhere to certain tactics of educational influences. They should remember that the improvement of the child's condition depends not only on specially prescribed treatment, but to a large extent also on a kind, calm and consistent attitude towards him. In raising a child with hyperactivity, parents need to avoid two extremes: the manifestation of excessive pity and permissiveness, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, setting increased requirements for him that he is unable to fulfill, combined with excessive punctuality, cruelty and punishment. Parents should also be aware that the child's existing behavioral problems can be corrected, but this process is lengthy and will require great effort and great patience from them.

1. Maintain a “positive model” in your relationship with your child. Praise him in every case when he deserves it, emphasize successes. This will help build the child's self-confidence.
2. Avoid repeating the words "no" and "can't".
3. Speak calmly, calmly and softly.
4. Give the child only one task for a certain period of time so that he can complete it.
5. Use visual stimulation to reinforce verbal instructions.
6. Reward your child for all activities that require concentration (for example, working with blocks, coloring, reading).
7. Maintain a clear daily routine at home. Eating, homework, and sleeping times should follow this routine.
8. Avoid crowds if possible. Staying in large stores, markets, restaurants, etc. has an overly stimulating effect on the child.
9. When playing, limit your child to only one partner. Avoid restless, noisy buddies.
10. Protect your child from fatigue, as it leads to a decrease in self-control and an increase in hyperactivity.
11. Give your child the opportunity to expend excess energy. Useful daily physical activity outdoor activities: long walks, running, sports activities.
12. Constantly consider the shortcomings of the child's behavior. Children with Attention Deficit Disorder have hyperactivity that is unavoidable, but can be reasonably controlled with these measures.

Pedagogical conditions for teaching hyperactive children

In the organization of assistance to hyperactive children, the participation of teachers is also necessary. The implementation of a number of recommendations of the psychologist allows you to normalize the relationship of the teacher with the "difficult" child and his parents, helps the child achieve better results in the classroom, in learning.

First of all, the psychologist provides the teacher with detailed information about the nature of hyperactivity, about the nature of the behavior of children with this syndrome.

Emphasizes that work with such children should be built on an individual basis, and special attention should be paid to their distractibility, weak self-regulation and self-organization. It is advisable to ignore defiant acts as much as possible and encourage good behavior of the child.

During lessons, it is important to limit distractions to a minimum. This, in particular, can be facilitated optimal choice places for a hyperactive student in the classroom at the desk - in the center of the room opposite the teacher's table, blackboard.

The child should be given the opportunity in cases of difficulty to quickly seek help from the teacher. His classes must be built according to a clearly planned, stereotypical schedule, using a special calendar or diary for this.

The tasks offered in the classroom should be written on the board, in no case accompanied by an ironic explanation that this is done specifically for “our special boy” (girl). For a certain period of time, the child is given only one task. If there is a large task to be completed, it is offered in the form of successive parts, and the teacher periodically monitors the progress of work on each of the parts, making the necessary adjustments. During the school day, opportunities are provided for motor "relaxation": physical labor, sports exercises.

From the teacher, if possible, it is required to ignore the defiant actions of the child and encourage good behavior. Tasks in the classroom should be offered to the teacher gradually, calculated for certain time intervals. If the student needs to complete a voluminous task, then it is offered to him in the form of successive parts, the teacher periodically monitors the progress of work on each of them, making the necessary adjustments.

It is advisable for the teacher to explain each task several times (with synonymous phrases) until he is sure that all the children understood him. To keep the attention of hyperactive children, the teacher can negotiate with inattentive students about special "secret signs" known only to them, which he uses whenever the child is distracted and turned off from work.

It is necessary to achieve an increase in the child's self-esteem, self-confidence by acquiring new skills, achieving academic success and Everyday life. The teacher must determine strengths the personality of the child and his well-developed higher mental functions and skills, in order to rely on them in overcoming the existing difficulties.

1. Work with a hyperactive child should be built individually, with the main attention being paid to distractibility and poor organization of activities.
2. If possible, ignore the defiant actions of the child and encourage his good behavior.
3. Keep distractions to a minimum during class. This can be facilitated, in particular, by the optimal choice of a seat at a desk for a hyperactive child - in the center of the class opposite the blackboard.
4. Provide the child with the opportunity to quickly seek help from the teacher in cases of difficulty.
5. To build training sessions according to a clearly planned, stereotypical schedule.
6. Write the assignments for the lesson on the board.
7. For a certain period of time, give only one task.
8. To dose the student with the completion of a large task, offer it in the form of successive parts and periodically monitor the progress of work on each of the parts, making the necessary adjustments.
9. It is advisable for the teacher to explain each task several times (with synonymous phrases) until he is sure that all the children understood him.
10. During the school day, provide opportunities for motor "relaxation": physical labor, sports exercises.
11. To keep the attention of hyperactive children, the teacher can negotiate with inattentive students about special "secret signs" known only to them, which he uses whenever the child is distracted and turned off from work.
12. Seek to increase your child's self-esteem, self-confidence by learning new skills, achieving success in school and daily life.
13. Determine the strengths of the child's personality and his well-developed higher mental functions and skills in order to rely on them in overcoming the existing difficulties.

hyperactive children- "very difficult children who often lead to despair, both parents and teachers." With regard to the further development of such children, there is no unequivocal prognosis. For many, serious problems can persist into adolescence. Therefore, from the first days of such a child's stay at school, the psychologist needs to establish joint work with his parents and teachers.

To organize classes with hyperactive children, a teacher and a psychologist can use specially designed correctional and developmental programs, as well as exercises and games in an individual form of work.

Play as an effective therapy for children with ADHD

Distraction of attention and motor disinhibition of the child must be persistently and consistently overcome from the very first years of his life. It is necessary to clearly distinguish between purposeful activity and aimless mobility. It is impossible to restrain the physical mobility of such a child, this is contraindicated in the state of his nervous system. But his motor activity must be directed and organized: if he runs somewhere, then let it be the fulfillment of some order. Good help can be provided by outdoor games with rules, sports activities. The most important thing is to subordinate his actions to the goal and teach him to achieve it.

Specially selected games are the most effective, and sometimes the only method of corrective work with young children. In addition, an adult in the game with a child can discover a completely unfamiliar world of a child, establish a more trusting relationship with him and understand what kind of help he needs most. It is in the game that the child reflects what happens to him in real life. Here, his conflicts with the outside world, problems of contacts with peers, his reactions and feelings immediately become noticeable. It takes a lot to play with a hyperactive child.

It is known that in any game there are rules that each participant must obey. It must be remembered that when a child learns to regulate his own activity, it will be easier for him to communicate with peers. After all, if children do not know how to follow the rules and constantly break them, there will be few who want to play with them.

When choosing games for hyperactive children, it is necessary to take into account the following features of such children: attention deficit, impulsivity, very high activity, and inability to long time obey group rules, listen and follow instructions, easy fatigue. In the game, it is difficult for them to wait their turn and take into account the interests of others. Therefore, it is advisable to include such children in collective work in stages. You can start with individual work, then involve the child in games in small subgroups, and only after that move on to collective games. It is desirable to use games with clear rules that contribute to the development of attention.

Recommendations for the correction of attention for individual lessons with hyperactive children

§ Development of concentration of attention.

corrective tasks.

The child is asked to find and cross out certain letters in printed text. This is the main type of exercise in which the child has the opportunity to feel what it means to "be attentive" and develop a state of inner concentration.

The implementation of proofreading tasks contributes to the development of concentration of attention and self-control in the performance of written work by schoolchildren. For their implementation, any printed texts, pencils and pens will be required. For children of primary school age, it is desirable to use texts in large print. Corrective exercises should be carried out daily for 5 minutes (at least 5 times a week) for 2-4 months.

Instruction. Within 5 minutes, you need to find and cross out all the letters “A” encountered (any letter can be indicated): both small and capital, and in the title of the text, and in the author's surname.

As you master the game, the rules become more complicated: the letters you are looking for change, they are crossed out in different ways, etc .; two letters are simultaneously searched, one is crossed out, the second is underlined; on one line, the letters are circled, on the second they are marked with a tick, etc., all changes made are reflected in the instructions given at the beginning of the lesson.

Based on the results, the number of gaps and incorrectly crossed out letters is counted. An indicator of normal concentration of attention is 4 or fewer gaps. More than 4 passes - weak concentration.

1. The game is played in a friendly atmosphere.
2. Losing should not cause feelings of displeasure, so you can introduce funny “penalties”: meow as many times as you made mistakes, crow, jump on one leg, etc.
3. The norm of allowed passes in each lesson should change and approximately equal the actual number of passes that the child makes.
4. In no case should the duration of the lesson exceed 5 minutes.
5. The amount of text viewed does not matter and can be different for different children: from 3-4 sentences to several paragraphs or pages.

Exercises based on the principle of exact reproduction of any sample

Children are offered some kind of graphic pattern (a sequence of several letters, numbers, a geometric pattern made in cells, etc.) and are given the task of accurately reproducing it (for example, to the end of a notebook line or on several lines).

The game "Mirror" also serves to develop concentration of attention, in which children are invited to follow the leader to repeat his movements (both individual movements and their sequence).

Distribution of digits in a specific order

In the left table there are 25 numbers from 1 to 40. You need to rewrite them in ascending order in an empty table on the right, starting from the top left square.

"Find the words"

Words are written on the board or on separate pieces of paper, in each of which you need to find another word hidden in it. For example: laughter, wolf, pillar, scythe, regiment, bison, fishing rod, stranded, set, injection, road, deer, pie, tunic.

Münsterberg technique (and its modifications)

Words are inserted into a meaningless set of letters (more often - nouns, but there may be verbs, adjectives, adverbs). It is required to find them as quickly as possible and without errors. A. The child is given a form with 5 lines of randomly typed letters printed on it, following one after another without spaces. Among these letters, the child must find 10 words (3, 4, 5 complex) and underline them. It takes 5 minutes to complete the entire task, the indicator of success can be the number of correctly found words and the speed of the task.

§ Increased attention span and short-term memory

The exercises are based on memorizing the number and order of a number of objects presented for a few seconds. As you master the exercise, the number of objects gradually increases.

Game "Notice everything"

7-10 items are laid out in a row (you can put pictures depicting items on a typesetting canvas), which are then closed. Having slightly opened the objects for 10 seconds, close them again and invite the child to list all the objects (or pictures) that they remember.
Opening the same objects again, for 8-10 seconds, ask the child in what order they lay.
By swapping any two objects, show everything again for 10 seconds. Invite the child to determine which items are transferred.

Without looking at the objects anymore, say what color each of them is.

You can come up with other options for this game (remove objects and ask children to name the missing person; arrange objects not in a row, but, for example, one on top of the other, so that the children list them in order from bottom to top, and then from top to bottom, etc. .).

The game "Search non-stop"

Within 10-15 seconds, see around you as many objects of the same color (or the same size, shape, material, etc.) as possible.

§ Attention training

The basic principle of the exercises: the child is offered the simultaneous performance of two multidirectional tasks. At the end of the exercise (after 10-15 minutes), the effectiveness of each task is determined.

"Each hand has its own business."

The child is asked to slowly leaf through a book with illustrations for 1 minute with his left hand (memorizing them), and with his right hand to draw geometric shapes or solve simple examples.
The game can be offered in a math lesson.

Interfering account.

The child calls the numbers from 1 to 20, while writing them down on a piece of paper in reverse order: says 1, writes 20, says 2, writes 19, etc. Calculate the task execution time and the number of errors.

Interference reading.

Children read the text while tapping a rhythm with a pencil. When reading, children look for answers to questions.

An exercise to train the distribution of attention.

The child is offered the following task - to cross out 1 or 2 letters in the text and at the same time put on a children's record with a fairy tale. Then they check how many letters the child missed when crossing out, and are asked to tell what he heard and understood from the fairy tale. The first failures in the performance of this rather difficult task may cause protest and refusal in the child, but at the same time, the first successes please him.

§ Development of the skill of switching attention.

Course consisting of 12 remedial classes designed for children of primary school age.
The number of children attending classes is 5-6 people. The reason for enrolling a child in a correctional group is: the doctor's diagnosis, observations, teacher reviews, psychologist's diagnosis, parents' wishes.

The purpose of the classes is to teach children to manage their behavior, as well as to help overcome the problem of inattention in order to achieve academic success.

In addition to hyperactive children, the composition of the correctional group may include insecure, impulsive and inattentive children, as well as one balanced child. The latter serves as a role model (but without undue praise for his exemplary behavior). Insecure, fearful children get the opportunity to be more active, and at the same time, their safety is protected by rules that are binding on all members of the group.

Before proceeding to the main course of classes, it is advisable to carry out with hyperactive children individual work aimed at developing attention or control over impulsivity.

The duration of a group lesson is 30 minutes. Each of the corrective classes includes games for the development of attention, control over impulsivity and control of motor activity, psycho-gymnastic and body-oriented exercises. (The need for the introduction of the latter is explained by the fact that, according to the observations of physicians and psychologists, hyperactive children not only poorly control their behavior, but also have poor control over their own body, they do not feel enough parts of the body).

Psychocorrectional work requires a long time and therefore additional classes can be made up of separate parts of it. Children enjoy playing the same games many times, and the benefits of the proposed games also lie in the fact that they allow you to train underdeveloped mental processes.

When I first got into homeschooling our son with ADHD, I looked everywhere for advice on HOW to teach this child who is so distracted. I have found many volumes of information on how to recognize a child with ADHD, how to manage a child with ADHD, how to treat him, how to punish him, and how to accept him. But I haven't found much about how to teach a child with ADD/H math or reading on Monday mornings.

Education for ADHD Tip #1
How to make math workbooks EARN

Turn some of the math examples into a game. One of the best ways to do this is to come up with a puzzle. My son just dives into his examples every time I do it.

Take a piece of writing paper the size of a standard letter. On one side, write answers to a selection of examples (about 10 pieces). Scatter the answers randomly on the paper.

On the back of the page, write a note about what a wonderful child you have, or give directions for finding a treasure hidden in the house. Then take scissors and cut out each of the answers, trying to give each piece a specific shape - like in a puzzle.

Now scatter the answers across the floor. Each time your child completes an example, they must choose from a pile of appropriate answers. Little by little, the whole puzzle will come together.

Let him work in small portions. If you give such a child a whole page of examples, then the task assigned to him will seem insurmountable to him. But if they only see one part at a time, they are not so horrified by the WHOLE PICTURE.

One way is to dictate the examples one by one. Sometimes, if the problem is too boring for the child, I even write one example per piece of paper (in this case, they are about a quarter of a standard sheet).

Another way is to simply cover part of the workbook with white paper and hold it in place with poster velcro. You can use large Post-It notes ( pages for notes with a sticky edge, they are sold in stationery stores - approx. translator). Children are not stupid. They know what's under that paper. But for some reason, the very possibility of not seeing this often alleviates the anxiety that a whole page of examples arouses in them.

Tip #2
Let them do two things at the same time

When I talked to my son, I usually concluded that if he turned upside down in his seat or started catching imaginary flies, then he was DEFINITELY not listening to me. Wrong! Not only does he listen—if I demanded that he sit up straight and stare at me while I speak—he almost certainly didn't listen. In fact, he could withdraw into himself. He NEEDs to move when he listens. But if I let him choose the movement, his choice will almost certainly distract me or irritate those around me (such as other children). So I choose what to do with it. Some of our favorite activities are:

• Playing with polymer dough (silly putty - description of the substance in English here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silly_Putty- approx. translator)
• Making maps and objects related to the topic of the lesson from salt dough. The most interesting was the model of an ancient Egyptian house, made during one of our history lessons.
• Lego game
• Driving screws into wood
• Sweeping and mopping the kitchen floor (this activity has obvious side benefits)

Tip #3
Let them respond verbally

Writing is a real torment for many of these children. And you will find a lot of information in the education literature that writing should be included in an excellent multi-component educational mixture - from the moment a child learns to hold a pencil. But it happens - especially when doing mathematics - that my son gets completely stuck where he has to write down something he knows very well. Jumping from those parts of the brain that are responsible for calculations, to those that are responsible for the presentation of thoughts in writing, is an impossible task for him. It's like there's a wall between these areas that he can't get over. He can take a written fragment and write it off without any problems. He can easily dictate to me every step of solving a complex mathematical problem. But tie these two cases together and a five-minute task becomes a forty-five-minute task.

Luckily, I've read that most of these "letter-haters" have it all tied together by 4th grade. So if you're not in a writing class, try letting him answer verbally. In other words, if in a math lesson your child has to write down something in the terminology of a multiplication problem ("multiplier", "multiplier" and "product", if anyone has forgotten), remember that your job is to master the mathematical material, not practice writing. Writing does NOT have to be an integral part of any learning activity.

For many days I insisted that he deal with it diligently. I want these two parts of his brain to eventually learn how to communicate with each other. But there are days when the purpose of the lesson... math... gets completely lost in my efforts to get it to connect math and writing. Don't be afraid to isolate the concept you are learning - if it works for your student. If you do not want to do this, you may find yourself in a sad situation: your child is lagging behind in a subject that is perfectly capable of him - just because you insist that he work on it at the same time as a subject that is given to him far worse.

Tip #4
Bring movement wherever you can

We often play at home "Mom, can I?" I ask each child an age-appropriate question. If they answer correctly, I say that they can move forward (eg baby steps, giant steps, scissors, frog jumps, etc.). They MUST respond with "Mom, can I?" - to which I answer "yes", and then they can move forward. If they move without asking, they must take two steps back. The first child to reach their mother wins. Then we start over. By carefully choosing the types of steps, I can ensure that every child wins in one game.

A game "jump" works with a large number of educational objects. I put word cards on the floor - in one game, for example, with the words "adjective", "noun", "verb" and "adverb". Then I name a word and my son has to jump to the right type of word. In another version, the cards say: 2, 3, 4 and 5. Then I say "16" - and he must jump on the card of one of the factors of this number.

Here are some more ideas for this format:

• The cards say: mammal, amphibian, insect, bird, fish.
• Out loud you say: "I have fur", "I give birth to live babies", "I have scales".

• The cards say: b, p, d, s, w, f ( for the Russian language, the letters may be different - approx. translator).
• You name the sounds that stand for these letters, or the words that end with these sounds.

To memorize any linear, list information, you can play "throwers". Very good example- learning the alphabet with kids. I say "a" and throw the ball in the original - a bag of cereals - approx. translator) to kid. He says "b" and throws it back. When we reach the end of the alphabet, we start again, but now it starts with "a". So we learned the names of all the books of the Old Testament (I finally remembered them all!), the multiplication table and Spanish numerals.

It is also good to play this game when the information to be learned is paired: for example, abbreviations for states. I throw the ball and say: AK! He throws back: Alaska! In order not to stumble anywhere, keep a list of abbreviations somewhere in front of your eyes. Whatever information you learn in this way, remember that it must be spoken out loud. Do not pause while you say: "Which figure in American history is known for his long speeches and what time did he live?" ... throw. The rhythm of the game is lost. The essence of the game is in a quick response.

Tip #5
Put in visual and auditory plugs

We have many other children in the house - our own and those of others, whom we look after from time to time. I can't rule out my son's distractions, and he can't ignore them. One day I remembered how much work I managed to do in the study booth in the university library. So I put a large cardboard fence in front of it and a little around it - a sheet of cardboard folded in three (these are often used for science projects and are sold in educational supply stores). This turned out to be a HUGE help. We also found that headphones that play certain types of music also help him focus. My son works best with Mozart and Promise Keepers.

Tip #6
Noiditi is more enjoyable in the rules of reading! (And many other things too)

Undoubtedly, the most useful and varied game in our repertoire was called "Barrier". With its help, you can master both the alphabet and more serious information - for example, the names of human bones. I found this game in Peggy Kaye's book "Games for Learning" by Peggy Kaye. And it has become the center of our learning to read program ( the rules are set out on the material in English, so you need to make adjustments for the features of Russian - approx. translator). Its basic principles are so simple that it is hard to believe what results this game can bring.

You simply make a playing field with 20 cells. Ours usually looks like a road with a gas station near the start and a small house somewhere along the road.

If you are just starting to introduce letters to your child, start by placing about 10 letters in the cells, repeating each letter somewhere along the way.

Your child should now choose a car (if you don't have one, get the cheapest one at your nearest store) and fill the tank with gas at a gas station, while making any "gas station" sounds of their choice. When the cars are ready, they set off, starting by trying to get the first letter right. If it succeeds, we move on. If not, I lower the barrier. We have a real plastic barrier, which adds charm to the game, but if you don’t have it, you can simply chop with the edge of your palm, as in karate, after a difficult letter). We try to overcome a difficult letter several times, in different ways. If it doesn't work out, you have to start over. When a child gets to a difficult letter, it gives him great pleasure to break through the obstacle. I allow only 3 barriers during the game, and if the child still does not cope, the game is postponed until tomorrow. As soon as one game is done, I make a new one and insert some letters into it, which turned out to be especially difficult last time.

This game turned out to be incredibly popular in our house. Partly, I think, because I took Peggy Kaye's game one step further. I made small plastic credit cards for each child (3" x 5" white cards). (approximately 8 by 13 cm - translator's note), cut out in the form of real credit cards, in the center is a sticker, at the top is the name of the child, on both sides there is a transparent film). After playing the "Barrier" children count how many cells they managed to overcome. Each cell is equal to 1 cent on the card. Now they can spend their "money" in our little "Teacher's shop". In the kitchen, I set aside a small shelf for various trinkets (mostly found at garage sales), candy, and a few other items that kids are really willing to work for. The shop is open only once a day. You won't believe what kids can do to shop at this store. If I forget to play Barrier, four-year-olds will object loudly until they shake my memory thoroughly.

This game helps to achieve many educational goals. Younger children will practice counting by counting their cells at the end of the game. As they get older, they can add new points to those left from the last time - and then, of course, subtract them if they bought something. They also learn an important consumer lesson: if you want to buy something "big", you have to save up for it.

This game is suitable for any age. After the letters were learned, we moved on to letter combinations denoting sounds, then to simple 2-3-letter words, phonetically pure words, and so on ( for Russian reading rules, the game should be different; however, this method is suitable for learning to read in English. - approx. translator). My son's latest reading game included words like psychologist, hydrochloric, dodecahedron, echolocation, cumulus, tintinnabulation and atrophy. ). Somewhere around that moment, I decided that he had mastered it well enough. English spelling. (By the way: it was in the second grade). So we continued to play this game to learn Latin word roots, dictionary definitions, human bones, and so on. My daughter and I learned to recognize written letters in this game.

Tip #7
You don't have to do every task in every book.

You don't have to do every example in every exercise in every tutorial. STOP! The fact that today's lesson contains 17 examples of division by a column does not mean that every child must definitely do everything to master the principle. For many, much less is enough. Of course, we feel better if each example has an answer next to it. But you should constantly ask yourself: "What am I trying to achieve here?" If your child really needs to work through this principle 17 times today, then great. But if he learned it eight lessons ago, then perhaps five will be enough for daily refreshment of what he has learned. We call it zip math ( from zip - the name of a program for archiving large files - approx. translator). I read the lesson and circle the tasks that the child has to do. In about two-thirds of the lesson, he must complete everything. But in about a third of the lesson, I mark only a few examples for repetition. I know that my child knows enough that I can confine myself to abbreviated repetition. And he thinks that they are doing him favors, because he is not required to do everything.

Tip #8
Give your child a to-do list for the day.

Give your child a to-do list for the day. The first time I wrote such a list was just for fun. But since then, the son has consistently demanded lists. One of the benefits for me is that it increases my responsibility. I can't just fly through the day. My son's point of view is that he should know what is ahead of him. He somehow feels more confident if there are no surprises. And, of course, he feels deep satisfaction if he ticked off all the tasks on the list as completed.

Tip #9
Watch Your Teaching Temperament

This is what is given to me with great difficulty. My style is very lively and cheerful. Many students need this, but for a child with ADHD, there may be too many stimuli. Over time, I learned to adapt my volume and intensity to his needs, sometimes lowering it to the level of a monotonous boom. If your teaching style is already reserved enough and you feel like it needs to be spruced up… don't ask for more. You just have what it takes to work with your child.

Tip #10
Forget what others say... REVIEW THE GIFT IN YOUR CHILD

You have no doubt come across other people who do not consider your child such a gift at all. I know that many other mothers watch in horror as I calmly remove the child from the top of the refrigerator, where he climbed. They are exhausted when he shares with me the three millionth thought that just flashed through his head. They even say that they would never have coped with such an energetic child, while I secretly think that they just think that I need to "pull up" him.

Others have told me that they think my discipline is too rigid. I really keep this child on a "short leash" because I know that there is a limit of excitement, beyond which he will already act immediately under the power of impulse, without thinking about the consequences and danger. So to these parents of calm, accommodating children, my reaction to very minor infractions seems too swift. But I know what will happen if we don't intervene now.

So I've learned to smile politely when those kind comments are too groundless. I learned to understand that I have a special child. I truly believe that my child is destined for some wonderful destiny. I know of several activities in which this boundless energy can be an incredible advantage. I like the rapid flow of his thought. I even envy his tireless enthusiasm for life and think what I would have achieved if I had been granted the same. And I especially rejoice that I can help him master this gift of boundless energy and shape it.

In a traditional school environment, he would certainly have received the label of a bully and troublemaker - and, most likely, he would have believed it himself. I am very glad that he sees himself as a creative, innovative thinking, intelligent and capable child.

That's my story, that's what I think. I hope this is of some use to you and your child.

With attention deficit disorder (ADD or ADHD - an additional letter in the abbreviation reflects the hyperactivity that accompanies the picture of the syndrome), a person - a child or an adult - is not able to focus and maintain his attention on anything for a long time. The inability to concentrate can also be found in early years childhood, but it becomes especially noticeable at school age, when the child begins to fail in school. This problem is quite common and requires urgent intervention in order to help the individual improve their behavioral and mental skills. To help reduce the impact of ADD on the life of your loved one, start with the first step in this guide.

Steps

Part 1

Dealing with ADD in Children

Show them your support at home and at school. Children suffering from ADD need every possible means to help them deal with this problem. In this struggle, parents are perceived by the child as the main allies, although teachers also play an unusually important role.

• Manifestations of ADD in each individual case may be different, as well as the needs of children caused by this problem. That is why it is very important to treat the child with respect and attention - this is the only way you can see the strengths and those that cause difficulties, and then develop the right strategy to support the child in the learning process.
• Parents should build relationships with their child's teachers. Parents are strongly encouraged to share their observations, experiences, and understanding of their child with educators.
• It is also worth talking with teachers about the course of psychotherapy and progress. This will give them the opportunity to use the information received for the benefit of the child, because he spends most of his productive hours at school. Both home and school should be a learning environment.

1. Organize your child's life according to the daily routine. Children with ADD do respond well to structure and order in their lives. They need to be taught to be as organized as possible. Help them keep all the things they use organized in their places.

   • Encourage your child to do this on their own as they learn to keep their things in order and understand how easy it is to find the things you need when everything is in its place.
   • For example, you can teach your child to keep their stationery in a desk drawer, all school textbooks- in one place, and home books - all together in another; similarly, you can teach your child to use dresser drawers, folders, paper trays, etc., so that each thing has its place. So you save the child from painful attempts to find the right item.

2. Help your child reduce distraction to a minimum. Children with Attention Deficit Disorder have difficulty focusing and sustaining attention on anything for long periods of time. Their attention is easily distracted by visual and auditory stimuli around them. They can even be the child's own thoughts. Of course, such distraction prevents him from finishing the work he has begun. Children with ADD lose focus so easily that they can lose interest and forget about it at the same time. For these reasons, the child must be protected from external stimuli.

   • To reduce child distractions while studying, doing homework, or doing school homework, make your child's environment soundproof; also, it should not have doors and windows.
   • You can also use earplugs to keep your child from being disturbed by extraneous sounds. They will also help you with short, frequent breaks, because children with ADD cannot sit in one place for long periods of time.

3. Help your child stay motivated. To make it easier for the child, divide large tasks into small intermediate subtasks, so it will be easier for him to achieve the final goal. Help your child keep a to-do list; do it in writing and together with the child, so that he has the opportunity to express his opinion.

   • When he successfully completes a task, use it as a platform to increase his motivation. Appreciate the child, celebrate and recognize his achievements, no matter how small and insignificant they may seem.
   • Children with ADD really need praise, approval, and kind words—success and staying motivated is not easy for them. Basically, they do all this through negative reinforcement, hearing such words as “naughty”, “undisciplined”, “ill-mannered”, “restless”, “lazy”, etc. in their address.
   • Remember that you must appreciate and reward every good behavior, no matter how insignificant it may seem on the outside. Every small step taken today will be followed by big steps in the future.

4. Teach your children that bad behavior is unacceptable. When a child behaves badly, try to convey to him the idea that bad / unacceptable behavior can and will entail consequences. Such consequences may be a “timeout” or a temporary denial of privileges.

   • By putting aside the consequences, help your child understand how they could have done otherwise. Although the very organization of their psyche is such that they feel guilty for bad behavior, sometimes children need to face the consequences of their actions in order to correct themselves.

5. Follow instructions carefully. Children with ADD have incredible difficulty following instructions. Outwardly, it may seem to you that the child understood everything, and he will not have any difficulties in following the instructions. However, in reality, the difficulty to follow the instructions - distinguishing feature ADD problems. Here's what you should keep in mind:

   • To facilitate the work of the child, the steps of the instruction / task should be divided so that there are fewer of them, or they themselves are smaller.
   • It helps if the instruction is short, simple and understandable - so it will be easier for the child to learn it.
   • Repeat the items of the task/instruction several times so that the child remembers and can follow them.
   • Written instructions can be presented in such a way that different points and steps are highlighted/underlined in different colors.
   • Maintain eye contact with your child when interacting with him so that it will be easier for him to follow directions.

6. Let your child switch between multiple tasks. A child with ADD does not have to forget about the task at hand, flying away into the world of his thoughts and imagination. The time interval in which they can maintain concentration is very small for such children, so it is very difficult for them to sit down for the time necessary to complete the task. This can become an insurmountable obstacle for the child in many cases and projects. That is why you should encourage him to switch between several tasks, projects or assignments.

   • Thus, the child will have the freedom to choose between different subjects or tasks when his interest in the current work is gone. When that happens, he can switch to something else. This method will allow you to maintain the productivity of the child for a longer time.

7. Help children stay out of dangerous situations. Unfortunately for children with ADD, their hyperactivity is not always and everywhere acceptable. In such a child, in some sense, the sense of time, place and action is disturbed. Actions are done on the spur of the moment and are often very impulsive. The combination of hyperactivity and impulsivity can lead to dangerous consequences not only for them, but also for the people around them. Therefore, in certain situations, ADD requires reliable and effective leadership.

   • The best way to control manifestations of impulsivity and hyperactivity is to redirect them in a more appropriate direction. Here it is worth thinking about the interests and inclinations of your child.
   • Children with ADD may spend hours doing activities that pique their interest; however, it is impossible to force such a child to do what seems to him uninteresting, monotonous and boring. The child can direct his attention to the execution of the instruction only when the corresponding task or work evokes a positive response in him.

   Part 2

   Teaching a child with ADD

   1. Recognize the fact that many children with ADD are highly intelligent and creative. A child with ADD can think about several things at the same time - their thinking seems to be born for innovation and invention. Such children are almost always full of energy and enthusiasm. It is thanks to this side of ADD that they are a real find. As you teach them, focus on this manifestation of their disorder.

      • Push the person to embrace this side of ADD and focus on themselves, especially teenagers. ADD shouldn't be a burden—in fact, it can be used to your child's advantage.

   2. Be aware, too, that most children with ADD do best by listening. This means that it is much easier for them to learn through repeated listening to the lesson. The activity can be read aloud to an adult, or you can invite the children to do it for themselves. So the material is better understood.

      • They should be encouraged to speak while they work. Controls and tests can also be done orally with them. By doing this, you will see much better results.

   3. However, some children with ADD learn better when the material is presented visually. It means that visual aids and visual stimuli allow them to achieve better results. Diagrams, graphs and other graphic images will help you in teaching these children.

      • They can easily be encouraged to write or draw. Design tests that allow them to demonstrate their knowledge through writing and drawing.

   4. It should also be remembered that some children with ADD learn better through tactile stimuli. This type of student learns the material better when they have the opportunity to touch, feel and experience it for themselves. Try to keep all tasks as interactive as possible.

      • Applied to control work: make them conceptual. Let the child will show you what he has learned. Conduct experiments and display problems or examples with specific objects that will visually represent them.

   5. Equip your child with the skills they need to learn. These skills are very important - they will be useful to your child in any new task, and with them he will be able to pay enough attention to what is happening. This includes:

      • perseverance
      • Compliance with the rules
      • Attention
      • Eye contact
      • Imitation
      • Often, children with ADD do not demonstrate these basic skills that make the child more learnable.

   6. Do exercises to train attention and concentration. Thanks to this, the child will become more attentive, and after all, the main problems are connected with attention. You can do these exercises in a variety of ways. Here are some examples:

      • Ask the child to put together a simple puzzle or do some kind of game exercise; increase the difficulty over time and increase the duration. Reinforce (for example, praise) the child's successful attempts.
      • Use audio books (fairy tales, short stories, etc.) appropriate for the child's level. Ask him to listen to the recording as carefully as possible, and then retell it to you. Over time, you can increase the difficulty, thus improving the attention of the child.
      • Ask your child to find the similarities and differences between the two pictures. This task is very useful in order to increase attention and concentration; Plus, most kids love it.

   7. Divide the task into simple steps. Help your child improve their learning skills at their own pace by following simple commands and step by step instructions. Children with ADD often try to avoid the mental effort required to complete a task and become frustrated when they lack attention. Start with smaller and simpler steps, gradually making the task more difficult; work at a speed that is comfortable for the child. Use every advance you make to fuel his motivation.

      • Regardless of the assignment, clarify expectations. Tell your child about what he will now learn, what is expected of him, what is required of him, and what materials you will work with.

   8. Help him improve his concentration by using creative and unusual tasks. Bring in as much creativity as you can to increase your child's focus and ability to concentrate. At the beginning, you can determine what the child likes the most, and then use it in various tasks. You will find some useful tasks below.

      • Coloring with pencils or markers when drawing is completed.
      • Using oils or watercolors on a new surface such as leather or packaging material.
      • Using colored clay: Make toys, pots or models.
      • Modeling from various materials.

   9. Increase the portion of group exercises. Working in groups is very important for a child - it helps him increase his ability to concentrate and hold attention. It is useful for the following:

      • Working in a group helps build useful study skills.
      • Help your child to participate in group activities. Organize the work so that all participants speak (or speak) in turn, answer each other's questions, etc.
      • Give the child a task that requires them to understand what the group is doing and respond accordingly. This exercise will develop his ability to concentrate.
      • Motivate your child: invite him to look at how his classmates do the task, and try to compete with them.
      • Increase his mental activity and attention.

   10. Invite the child to visit different roles, simulate and act out situations. If you want your child to become more attentive and focused, you can offer him various positive roles and talk about how “good kids” listen and respond. Modeling different situations can also be very effective - with it, children can learn many skills, learn to be involved in what is happening and concentrate on patterns of behavior around them.

       • When you are trying to convey an idea or concept to a child, it is very important to do it repeatedly and consistently. Constantly working on concentration and focus, repeating various tasks and increasing their level of difficulty will give you better results in a shorter time. You will have to be patient, but don't worry, good results will positively motivate you too.

   Part 3

   Lifestyle changes

   1. Healthy food. A healthy diet with all the necessary nutrients can reduce the symptoms of ADD. Healthy snacks, eaten at regular intervals, will help you maintain proper blood sugar levels, control hyperactivity, and improve your ability to focus. Proper portions of protein and complex carbohydrates (meat and whole grains) at every meal can help alleviate symptoms.

      Provide your child with the necessary amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. They are found in foods such as salmon, tuna, flax seeds, walnuts, and fortified eggs; Omega-3 fatty acids will be an excellent assistant for you, controlling the manifestations of hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. Moreover, they have a good effect on the properties of attention and memory.

   2. Put healthy sleep first. Many children and adults with ADD have sleep problems. This can be expressed in problems falling asleep, restless sleep and difficult getting up in the morning. When a person does not get adequate and quality sleep and/or rest, their symptoms worsen. Therefore, sleep should be a matter of paramount importance.

      • With regard to sleep problems, it is helpful to maintain a routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
      • Get your child into the habit of staying away from the TV, computer, video games, and other electronic devices at least the last hour before bed. This hour should be used to set yourself up and prepare for a good, sound sleep.
      • Listening to light and soothing music will help calm your nerves and stimulate quality deep sleep.
      • Some soft, unobtrusive aromas can be diffused in the room. They are great for relaxing the mind.
      • Caffeine intake should be reduced as much as possible; caffeine is known for its bad effect on sleep.

   3. Consider taking stimulants. Both children and adults can use stimulants as a means to reduce the symptoms of ADD. Medications are quite effective in suppressing symptoms (to a certain extent) as long as you take them. The drugs are especially effective when used in tandem with other therapies (eg, cognitive behavioral therapy, proper nutrition and exercises).

      • We repeat: the effect lasts only as long as the person takes the drugs. Medications are aimed at suppressing the symptoms of ADD, not treating it.
      • Stimulants are the most common drug prescribed for ADD. They are considered the most effective medication for ADD because they are backed by extensive research that proves their effectiveness. These stimulants include concerta, doxedrin, and others (the once popular Ritalin is currently banned in the Russian Federation - it is addictive).
      • Not all patients respond equally to medications. While one person may experience significant improvement, another patient may not benefit from the same drug for ADD.

   4. Talk to your doctor about taking non-stimulant medications. In some cases, medications such as Strattera or other antidepressants may be prescribed. Also, drugs that are recommended for high blood pressure, such as clonidine or guanfacine, may be prescribed for ADD. These medicines may be effective tool to suppress manifestations of hyperactivity and impulsive behavior, although they will not help with attention problems.

      • Non-stimulant drugs work differently than stimulants. For best result these two types of drugs are often given in pairs. Research also supports the notion that using two drugs in combination is more effective in managing the manifestations of ADD than using only one of them.
      • In such cases, the child or adult starts with a small dose of the drug. The dosage is gradually increased until the doctor notices the effect. This is called "titration". When using drugs to combat ADD, the goal is to get as much benefit as possible for a person, with a minimum number of side effects.

   5. Take up yoga, tai chi, taekwondo, or meditation. Practicing yoga or martial arts is beneficial for many reasons. Regular exercise (in whatever form) is beneficial both physically and mentally. This is especially true for children and adults with ADD.

      • Regular training (at the same time, properly conducted) in any of these areas helps to gain self-esteem, self-control, become focused and organized. When your self-esteem is high and you feel in control of your life, you are better prepared to deal with pressure, stress, bullying (bullying from colleagues or classmates), etc.
      • Yoga and deep breathing techniques (such as pranayama) are self-soothing methods that are great for managing ADD.
      • With regular meditation, your prefrontal cortex will buzz with activity. This part of the brain is responsible for concentration, attention, organization and control of incoming impulses.

   6. Organize adequate physical activity. One of the most striking characteristics of ADD is hyperactivity. Children and adults with ADD are always on the go; It is very difficult for them to sit in one place for any significant period of time. They experience constant desire do something, run around, climb up or just sit and fidget. Physical exercise is a great help to calm this restlessness.

      • By receiving appropriate guidance and seeing how and where to direct their energy, children and adults not only show symptom relief, but are also able to take some responsibility for their lives. A child with ADD should be offered (and encouraged to do so) to exercise regularly or join a sports club at school.
      • Physical activity can be as simple as walking, taking part in country excursions, jogging in the park, walking the dog, watering flowers, or riding a bicycle. Or it can be some kind of sports game: football, hockey, badminton, basketball, volleyball, etc.
      • For children and adults suffering from ADD, getting proper and quality sleep is a challenge. Exercise and general physical activity contribute to better sleep.

   7. Look for a support group. A support group can go a long way in helping a person with ADD to better understand their disorder, its symptoms, and the overall situation. Groups will help him accept his problem and current situation, which will strengthen the person's involvement in his treatment. The more optimistic he looks at the treatment, the more effective it will be.

      • A support group is a platform where people share a lot of effective strategies and approaches. This place allows a person to understand that they are not the only one in the world suffering from this problem. The group allows you to feel confident that ADD can be dealt with if you prepare well for it.

   8. Use white noise to combat wandering attention. Children and adults with ADD have difficulty focusing on the activities they are doing. They are easily distracted by surrounding objects, by what is happening around them, by sounds and people. Despite this, “white noise” (sound) has a calming effect on certain people.

      • These distractions can be especially annoying when you're getting ready for school, doing homework, chores around the house, or doing some other serious business. Find a quiet, less busy place, and if you still can't work there, turn on the electric fan or the radio on an empty frequency to get some noise to overcome the silence.

   9. Get a pet. Studies have shown that pets reduce hyperactive, impulsive, and aggressive behavior among children. Studies have also found that pet caregivers are less likely to experience depression and anxiety disorders. If you have the opportunity to get a cat or dog, consider this option.

      • Playing with pets naturally increases dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain. In addition, caring for and caring for an animal can instill a sense of responsibility in your child.
      The services of a learning specialist can make a real difference by teaching your child various techniques and strategies that will help him succeed in school life. In addition, the specialist may work with school leaders to help meet your child's special needs.
      • There are other types of psychotherapy that can help improve social child's skills. Through interventions, such psychotherapy teaches to read people's reactions, their non-verbal body language and gestures; teaches the child to be able to listen and develops qualities that allow him to better communicate and interact with others.
   • The Mediterranean diet is ideal for people with ADD. It is rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and various proteins.
   • Exercise and sports cause the body to release dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. This has a positive effect on the ability to concentrate and concentrate.

In medical practice, it is accepted when a child is born absolutely healthy, without any physical or mental abnormalities. However, there are times when a hyperactive baby with attention deficit disorder is born.

Unfortunately, there are diseases that cannot be predicted or foreseen in advance. It is customary in medical practice to call such diseases congenital, when a person has a genetic predisposition to certain diseases that are stably transmitted from one generation to another. One of these diseases is hyperactivity (it is also commonly called attention deficit disorder). The disease is serious and requires mandatory medical intervention, both from the attending physician and the child psychologist. extremely acute in this case there is a question of raising and educating children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, before proceeding to consider the issue of education, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the causes and main signs of the disease. This is important because some other diseases are very similar to the one under consideration in their manifestations. You need to be able to distinguish between these symptoms in order to choose the right doctor and, accordingly, undergo competent treatment.

The causes of hyperactivity are diverse, but the opinions of many experts in this field are that the main factors of the disease may be the following. In the first place, as mentioned above, is genetic inheritance. In this case, signs of hyperactivity are observed in the baby from the moment of his birth. Children with hyperactivity, having reached a certain age, need to be examined and undergo treatment. The second place is occupied by biological factors associated with birth injuries, organic brain damage to the baby during pregnancy. And, finally, the third place is occupied by socio-psychological factors caused by parents' alcoholism, the microclimate in the family, social living conditions, and the wrong approach to education. The factors under consideration are already acquired in nature and leave an imprint on the psyche of the child throughout his growth and formation. Having decided on the causes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, you should deal with the signs of the disease. As a rule, they are pronounced in nature, so it is almost impossible not to notice these manifestations in a child. The main signs are: deficit (or lack) of attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

With a lack of attention, the child's selective attention decreases, he shows an inability to concentrate on one object or certain details of the object for a long time, he is characterized by careless mistakes that other children would not make. In addition, hyperactive children with a sign of attention deficit show the inability to maintain attention, the child is not able to complete the task to the end. It seems that he does not listen at all when he is addressed. Such children are not able to organize their activities, they experience certain difficulties when switching from one subject or issue to another. When it comes to tasks or issues that require increased mental attention, the child avoids or ignores them. In addition to listed features Attention deficit is manifested in the child by the loss of things, easy distractibility to completely unnecessary and extraneous things and noises, increased forgetfulness in everyday activities.

With regard to hyperactivity and impulsivity, these signs are manifested in the form of intense movements of the arms and legs, fidgeting in a chair, frequent and impetuous rises from a chair, the inability to participate in a calm atmosphere. During classes, the child does not manage to sit still, he behaves like a “wound up”, fidgets constantly, shouts loudly, attracting the attention of others, shows other noisy antics, disturbing those sitting next to him and distracting the teacher. On top of that, the child always answers questions ahead of time, showing impatience. He constantly interferes in the conversations of strangers, interrupts them, tries to attract their attention and express his opinion.

Therefore, the question arises of how to teach children with ADHD if they are naughty, impatient and uncontrollable. Despite the fact that hyperactive children are very mobile, clumsiness, awkwardness in movements are observed behind them, they constantly drop objects, accidentally break toys, often fall and are damaged. It is not at all surprising that such children have bruises, bruises, scratches, bumps and other sores on their bodies, because they are constantly on the move and constantly fall and bruise. Since children are too active throughout the day, they only sleep at night, daytime sleep is not for them. True, experts say that with age, closer to adolescence, hyperactivity decreases, some symptoms lose their strength, and the child becomes calmer. However, treatment in childhood it is necessary not to further aggravate the condition of the baby and help him to stop difficulties.

When diagnosing, at the doctor's appointment, the child goes through three stages of examination. At the first stage, the doctor collects detailed information about how the pregnancy process went, childbirth, whether there were any complications, what diseases the baby had, and so on. At the second stage, a psychological examination is carried out, in which the child undergoes special tests. The results of these tests help the doctor determine and measure the parameters of the baby's attentiveness. And, finally, at the third stage, an electroencephalographic study or magnetic resonance imaging is performed. These methods allow you to register the electrical potentials of the brain and identify the corresponding changes. The procedures are absolutely painless and safe. The totality of the results obtained from the examination gives a complete picture of the presence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child.

In the upbringing of a child with ADHD, the question of his education always arises. Not only teachers, but also parents take part in the learning process. If teachers involve the child in the learning process at school, then parents at home. How should a teacher organize the education of a child with ADHD? The learning process consists of: increasing the educational motivation of the child, organizing the educational process, developing deficit functions, teaching the student constructive forms of interaction with the teacher and peers.

Increasing the educational motivation of the child is characterized by the use of a reward system; using non-traditional forms work, for example, you can let the child choose his own homework; increasing the child's self-esteem. The organization of the educational process includes a wider range of activities compared to increasing educational motivation. Depending on how quickly the child gets tired in the classroom, he is given a change of activities. since the child is too active, the teacher allows him to move during classes, but not when he pleases, but as the teacher himself sees fit. For example, a student can carry out such instructions from the teacher as: distribute notebooks, erase from the board, bring a magazine, wash a sponge. This is done so that the child moves for some time, and shows attention in the lesson. During the lessons, the teacher should conduct some exercises with the child to relax and relax the muscles. As for testing knowledge, it should be carried out at the beginning of classes, when the child is not too tired and shows some attention. There should be no criticism from the teacher, assignments should be clear and precise.

Deficiency functions are to increase the level of attention of the child, reduce impulsivity, reduce destructive motor activity. As for the constructive forms of interaction with the teacher and peers, they are versatile and allow the child to succeed in many ways with their peers. The training is aimed at how to develop the skills of expressing anger in the required form, how to be able to resolve conflicts during lessons, how to structure study time, how to learn to control yourself and your time, how to manage yourself and your emotions.

In addition to these forms of training, the teacher himself must carry out the following actions. If a child indulges, shows excessive activity, the teacher should not notice these pranks, be able to restrain his irritation, not scream, because the child becomes even more excited from screaming and is not responsible for his actions. In some cases, the teacher will be required to stroke the child on the head, hug him, and calm him down. In addition, such children should be praised more often, show delight and be more polite with him.

As mentioned above, raising a child with ADHD should not be carried out without the participation of parents. Every parent should remember that education and upbringing will not give the expected results if you force the child and speak to him in an orderly tone. Each action should be aimed at ensuring that the child perceives the information and learns everything that is taught to him. For this, it is necessary to restrain your emotions and not break loose on the child if he did not understand something or became distracted during training. For a hyperactive child, any cry, prohibition, order looks like an empty ring. And, on the contrary, every praise, sincere surprise serve as an incentive for other actions. Therefore, after each task completed by the child, he should be praised, encouraged, and kind and warm words should be said. The child will be motivated to work and study further. In addition, visual stimuli are very important for a child with ADHD. If in some cases the material presented orally is not imprinted in his head, then the lesson explained in the form of drawings will be remembered for a long time. Therefore, it is necessary, as far as possible, to spend with him interesting activities with demo materials.

If during the whole week the child was obedient and completed all the tasks, pleasure walks should await him on the weekend as a reward. This approach to learning will serve as an incentive to master new materials. At the same time, it should be remembered that hyperactive people do not like clusters, therefore, during classes with him, all family members should not gather in the same room or, even worse, above his head. In such an atmosphere, the child becomes even more irritable and capricious, every little thing will begin to irritate and annoy him. Only the child and the one who conducts interesting and colorful activities with him should remain in the room.

All these measures and forms of education are extremely important for a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, because thanks to this, he will begin to control his actions and behavior, be able to stay in society, and not be distracted by unnecessary things and trifles. On top of that, you should always remember that the microclimate in the family plays an important role for the child. There should be no screaming, clarification of relationships between adults, reproaches, anger, slamming doors and other actions that increase the atmosphere. A hyperactive child is overly sensitive to things that can throw him off balance and further upset his nervous system. For him, calmness, a favorable atmosphere in the house are important. He must be sure that everything is fine between his parents, that at any moment he will get a helping hand, love, caress.

Thus, children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder require increased attention and special approach to learning, in which not only teachers at school, but also his parents should take part.