Other considerations for ADHD
Safety
Some students with ADHD may display more impulsive behaviours and take extra risks that may put themselves or others in danger.
Consider using prompts and cues when necessary to prompt students to stop and calm down.
Behaviour
Some students might also show behaviours of concern. It’s important to remember students are most likely trying to communicate a need or want that is not being met.
Some students may benefit from extra support to manage their emotions. Consider using some of our resources, such as the self-monitoring form.
Refer to the behaviour page for more information on how to reduce behaviour of concern by supporting the student and promoting more appropriate behaviour, and our emotions page for more information about supporting a student with managing their emotions.
Classroom transitions
The time between ending a lesson (for example, putting away a book) and starting a new lesson (for example, listening to teacher or SLSO instruction, carrying out the task, and waiting for the start of lesson) may be challenging for some students.
Transitions
A student who has challenges with attention may benefit from supports when moving across education settings.
For example, it may be helpful to teach and practise organisation and homework skills, and time- and self- management skills.
For more information about supporting students with disability when transitioning to a primary or high school setting access our transition page.
For students transitioning to primary school access our school story - a school day and for students transitioning to high school access our school story - how to be organised.
Friendships
Sport
The School Sport Unit provides inclusive sport and physical activity opportunities and pathways for students with disability across NSW. These focus on ability, participation, enjoyment and skill development. Opportunities include gala days, Multi-Sport days, knockouts and Come-and-Try Athletics days, and are available for students with disability who learn in mainstream classrooms, support classes in mainstream schools and Schools for Specific Purposes.
Inclusive school sport programs have the potential to support a student with disability’s social, emotional, mental and physical health. Watch Lexie and Anna’s stories of what sport and physical activity, both at school and in their journey through the representative school sport pathway, has meant to them.
Excursions or camps
Some students may become over-excited and not respond to teacher or SLSO instructions. Others may ask lots of questions or forget about the usual expectations and instructions when placed in new environments.
Consider explaining the new structure and routine, and special rules and expectations beforehand. Check if they understand. This can relate to riding the school bus, behaving in a new place, staying in a group or not touching anything unless permission is given.
Buddies may help remind and model expected behaviours. Consider a special visual schedule for the event if it is different from the student’s usual daily schedule.
Access our school story - going on an excursion.
Homework
Homework may be challenging for some students. When setting homework consider what types of activities they could complete within a set time or to a set standard.
It may be helpful to teach students how to use a homework planner and to give them prompts when they need to write things down.
Some students may need to be shown how to break down projects and study into smaller tasks, and to plan their time. Teachers or SLSOs can check and sign planners.
Consider ways to support parents or carers to use consistent homework routines at home. This may be doing homework in a distraction-free area if possible at a fixed time. Parents or carers may be able to check that tasks in the planner are finished and provide encouragement and affirmation.
Access our homework organisation support page.
Other co-occuring conditions
Students with ADHD may also have challenges with behaviour, learning and memory, social skills and thinking/cognition, or experience specific learning disorder (reading, writing, or mathematics), oppositional defiant disorder, or anxiety.
Refer to understanding disability page or common needs page to help support the student.