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Student-Tested, Teacher-Approved: Best Classroom Supports for ADHD

July 26, 2023

Every teacher wants to help their students boost academic performance, build behavioral skills, and improve emotional regulation… but how?

We asked a panel of veteran teachers to share teaching strategies and classroom accommodations that had made a real difference in the lives of real students with ADHD and learning differences. Here are some of their favorites:

ADHD Accommodations That Work

Offer movement breaks.
Allow quiet fidgeting while working.
Provide noise-canceling headphones.
Reduce homework load.
Provide extra time on tests.
Maintain a daily report card.
Use preferential seating.
Administer tests orally.
Provide an extra set of books for use at home.
Tap student on shoulder or use another cue to refocus.

[Download: Free Expert Resource for Teachers of Students with ADHD]

Teaching Strategies for More Engaging Instruction

Focus on strengths. (An artistic student can draw pictures to summarize book chapters.)
Start every class with a few minutes of mindfulness.
Use a step-by-step format with visually matching cues.
Break tasks into small, quickly achievable goals.
Divide the class into small groups and use a buddy system.
Create opportunities for students to self-correct their work to feel more motivated and in control.
Help a student start a task, then move away and check in frequently.
Give real-world examples to illustrate why the lesson matters.
Use a daily check-in and check-out procedure for middle and high school students.
Use their interests as a launching pad for learning skills.

Teaching Strategies to Boost Executive Function

Use timers and visual aids to plan and get organized.
Encourage self-directed goal-setting.
Lead the class in developing collaborative solutions to a problem to increase awareness and flexibility.
Identify students’ strengths and incorporate their successes into leadership opportunities.
Reduce pressure and anxiety. Emphasize a growth mindset.
Praise students for finding and correcting their own mistakes.
Administer the executive skills test in the book Smart but Scattered and share ways to compensate for their deficits.
Cultivate a child’s self-confidence.

[Download: The ADHD Learning Series for Educators]

Teaching Strategies to Improve Behavior & Emotional Regulation

Give immediate rewards and consequences for behavior.
After an emotional trigger, encourage self-reflection when students are calm.
Help students brainstorm different ways to respond to a difficult situation next time.
Incorporate physical challenges into brain-break times.
Stay calm with your body language and words.
Give a five-minute break to chat and snack.
Lead the class in a quick burst of exercise to refocus their attention before starting the next task.
Use checklists and constant communication to share a student’s victories with their family.
Practice mindfulness strategies, from meditation to deep breathing, to build a bit of calm.
Offer rewards (unstructured time, being a teacher’s helper) for working a specific amount of time.

Teaching Strategies for ADHD: Next Steps

Read: Positive Teaching Strategies to Uplift Students with ADHD
Read: 7 Surprising Ways ADHD Shows Up in the Classroom
Read: 27 Classroom Accommodations That Target Common ADHD Challenges