Special Advice: Multi-sensory approach

In the second feature on the subject, we discuss the possible ways to deal with children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the classroom


Experts in the field of education and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) believe that greatest classroom success occurs when children are taught using the multi-sensory approach.

According to modern learning theory, there are four basic types of learners: visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic. While types may overlap, visual learners tend to work best with visual stimuli. Auditory learners relate best to lecture-techniques and verbal material.

Tactile-oriented students absorb new information most readily through their sense of touch, such as when tracing letters made from sandpaper. Kinesthetic learners however require body movement and action for optimal results: they need to move around, use their muscles, explore. Flashlight writing is an example of a kinesthetic technique. Writing letters in sand or shaving cream is both a tactile and kinesthetic method.

One needs to observe the ADHD-affected child in order to determine his/her learning style. Many affected children are either kinesthetic or visual learners. This means they learn best by either doing or by seeing. Since many classrooms still use an auditory teaching style (lectures), children who do not learn in this manner will tune out and begin engaging in their true learning style.

Since this does not usually meet with teacher approval, problems can occur and a normal classroom can be very challenging to an ADHD-affected student.

Kinesthetically-oriented children find it stressful to be asked to "look and listen" for long periods of time. Imagine the frustration of having your hands tied, your mouth covered, and your eyes blindfolded, so that you could neither gesture, speak, or see.

Kinesthetic students face similar frustration when they are not allowed to move in a classroom. To relieve stress, they seek to break out of these constraints.

When faced with several hours of desk work, for which they are required to "sit still", they tend to get up to sharpen their pencil several times, they ask to go to the rest room, or they drop things, so they can get up to retrieve them. They may seek to be class monitors to run errands. If they can't engage in these activities, they will at least begin to move while in their seats: wiggling their legs, leaning back in their chairs, rocking, or tapping their pencils.

When these actions are also not acceptable, they may resort to misbehaviour as part of a psychological need to move. Teachers consider such behaviour as red flags for an attention (or behavioural) disorder.

Always make sure that your child is being challenged academically. Contrary to what many people believe, children with ADHD are typically of average or above-average intelligence.

In fact many of these children are gifted in special ways. Since they learn quickly, due to their high intelligence, they become bored when the material is repeated over and over again. If your child is ADHD-affected, arrange with your child's teacher for accelerated activities that keep the boredom away. Another option would be to make your child the teacher's assistant for this subject.

While your child may be above average or gifted in some areas, other areas may be a struggle for him. Make sure that the areas of struggle and the causes are determined. It is common and possible for your child to have additional learning difficulties.

Specific learning disorders such as dyslexia, dyscalculia may also affect your ADHD-affected child. If you feel that your child may have a specific learning disorder, request that your school do a multi-factored evaluation and target the problem areas individually.

After you have isolated the problem areas and begin working towards them, remember to use proactive recognition. Simply put, it is the opposite of finger pointing, berating and criticising.

It is catching someone in the act of doing something good. When parents point out the positive aspects of their kids behaviour and choices, the behaviour is more likely to be repeated.

Parents also benefit from proactive recognition because we show children their self worth. The opposite can be seen in kids who never get positive reinforcement.

It is very important that each year is approached as a clean slate expecting great success and achievements. Though it is tempting to expect that if your child has forgotten homework assignments for the last five years, the same trend will continue.

It is important to realise that changes are possible and sometimes all the joint efforts put in suddenly pay off and click.

If your attitude as a parent is positive, new, fun and reassuring your child can envision it too. Once both of you believe in it - IT WILL HAPPEN.


Smooth sailing at school

Here are few sure shot ways to keep the academic wheels rolling smoothly for your affected child.

- Make contact with the classroom teacher, early and often. Call or visit the teacher ahead of the new school year.

- Share your goals for your child with him/her and compare them with the teacher's goals for the year. Demarcate areas of help needed.

- Introduce your child to her through a letter written preferably with the help of your child.

- Prepare an info packet and educate your child's teacher(s) about ADHD. Even if the teacher claims that she knows all about ADHD, there will be 'trouble spots' of disagreement between parents and teachers.

- Take a trip together with your child through the school before the school starts. Visit all classrooms, activity areas, cafeteria and gym.

- Make the child practice opening the locker, if they have one. The frustration of learning to do it on the first day of school can be a daunting task and your child may end up avoiding the use of the locker.

- If possible volunteer as a helper in your child's classroom at least once a month. This gives you an insight and experience of what your child is going through.

- Develop good organisational strategies with the teacher so that assignments and books do make it home and finished work does reach the teacher back again.

- Keep the teacher updated with any subjects that seem either too difficult or too easy. You may suggest topics that will allow your child's knowledge to widen or deepen.

- Have your child's homework system in place. With your child's involvement choose folders, binders, planners even pens and markers with colour coding as a tool for organisation and alertness.

- Prepare an area for your child to complete homework. Some children need a quiet den or workplace while others prefer high traffic areas like the living room/kitchen where parents can keep track of them.


Helpful books

The following books will be helpful for parents with an ADHD affected child.

- The ADD Hyperactivity Workbook for Parents, Teachers and Kids by Harvey C Parker PhD

- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactvity Disorder: What Every Pare