Working with Children with ADHD: Ways to Help Students with Poor Impulse Control

A common characteristic among children with attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD) is impulsivity, or poor impulse control. This often manifests in the student blurting out answers without being called on, talking out of turn or during inappropriate times, or interrupting teachers and peers when they are speaking. These behaviors can cause a great deal of disruption in the class room, but studies have hinted that children with ADHD have a biological reason for poor impulse control. A problem with the chemical Dopamine could be behind such children acting without speaking.

There are ways that teachers and parents can help students with ADHD develop more control over their actions and stay focused in conjunction with acknowledging that impulse behavior has a negative impact on their learning and the learning of everyone else in the class room. Because not all strategies work with all students, teachers and parents need to try a variety of interventions until they find the methods that work best.

Proximity Seating to Help Students with ADHD

Some accommodations are built into a student's IEP if they qualify for special education services, but behavior interventions can be used on any student who is having trouble in the class room. One accommodation helpful for students who have behavior problems or poor impulse control is proximity seating, or placing the student in an area near a teacher and as far away from distractions as possible. Placing a student who is prone to off-task behavior near a pencil sharpener, doorway, window, or other high traffic area is counterproductive. A seat near where the teacher will be working from, with as many good peer role models around is the ideal situation. In a moment the use of nonverbal cues or verbal prompts will be discussed, and having the teacher near the student will be beneficial when implementing that strategy.

The Use of Nonverbal Cues or Verbal Prompts to Help Students with ADHD

When discussing behavior intervention plans, it is essential that the student is a part of that discussion so that he or she will understand what cues are being used and what to do when cues are recognized. Some students respond well to a verbal prompt, such as a reminder of the classroom rules, when they display negative behavior. Other students feel singled-out or embarrassed when called out for behavior, and students such as these will most likely improve with the use of nonverbal cues. For example, the teacher and student will agree that he or she will let the student know that a behavior is inappropriate through a hand gesture or signal. Some teachers keep something specific nearby to pick up or touch to express displeasure in the behavior. For example, he or she could pick up a designated paperweight on a desk when the student blurts out an answer. Other teachers keep small sticky notes to place on the desks of students who are behaving negatively. When used with a specific set of consequences for inappropriate behavior, these strategies have been shown to improve impulse control for many children with ADHD.

Sources:
ADDitude Magazine