This week I wanted to extend our previous discussion on chapter 5 about listening and memory. My background is in special education but I have also taught in the classroom as a general education teacher. I wanted to find a topic that most, if not all teachers could relate to and that is teaching students with ADHD.
I found this article about a learning strategy developed to teach listening skills to students with ADHD. The name of the strategy is called FOCUS and the article can be found on moodle. The article states that FOCUS teaches students to become active listeners to improve learning, but I saw it as more of a way to teach students how to focus their attention in the classroom. What were your thoughts?
I have posted a powerpoint and TED talk on moodle as well as the article. The TED talk gives a different perspective of ADHD and how students can use this to their advantage.
- After reading about this specific learning strategy, would this be something you might consider using in your classroom? Why? Why not?
- After watching the TED talk video on ADHD did your perception of ADHD change?
- What other strategies do you use in your classroom to engage students who struggle with inattentiveness or hyperactivity-impulsivity to improve attention and working memory?
- Addition thoughts about the article or TED talk.
Although the FOCUS strategy seems like a good one I most likely wouldn't use it in my classroom. I teach high school students, and I think this strategy is too simplified and formulaic for the older students. I am interested to hear what other high school teachers have to say about how their kids might react to the FOCUS strategy.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the TED talk my perception of ADHD did no change because I believe what the speaker believes. I do not think that children with ADHD should be given experimental medication to deal with their struggle. I think there are other strategies that can be implemented for each individual child depending on each child's needs.
I agree with you Shelli, the FOCUS strategy seemed like it would be more effective at the lower levels. But if students never learn these skills in elementary they might benefit from a strategy that is similar to focus. I would be very interesting to see how this might work at a high school level.
DeleteI think the FOCUS strategy seems good on paper, I just don't know if I would use this is my classroom either. My perception of ADHD did not change from the TED talk either. It is difficult getting students to pay attention and focus sometimes, especially when it is the last class of the day. However, I don't expect students to stay completely still and quiet. I WANT them to talk and discuss during class. I just want the discussions to be relevant and students to remain on task. When students are having trouble focusing sometimes getting everyone to stand up and do some stretches for a couple minutes works. Sometimes having a water break for the whole class and coming back to class works. The kids who have been diagnosed with ADHD and take medication are very engaged during class and participate a lot. In the classroom I am in there does not seem to be too much trouble addressing this issue. The issue that seems to be a bigger problem with the ADHD students is many of them are not completing their homework. The parents tell us they do not give them medication at home so they are able to sleep at night, but then they cannot focus long enough to finish their homework.
ReplyDeleteMeredith, it sounds like you have found what works for your students. I know that the last part of the day is tough for my few students who are medicated because it starts to wear off and they are tired. Is there a way students could do homework in the morning at school or during their breakfast at home?
DeleteYour students who aren't finishing their homework may need to set a schedule for homework time they can take home. Maybe meeting with the parents and discussing some strategies to help with homework time, things you have tried in class like allowing for breaks. If you haven't already done so you could try putting your student on some type of reward system or token economy. When he/she turns their homework in they can pick out of the treasure box or get 5min of free time or be class leader for the day (whatever is motivating to the student). Rewarding them when they turn their homework in every day then fading it to every three days (in a row) then a week.
DeleteThe idea of trying to implement the FOCUS strategy sounds good and looks great on paper. I am just not sure how effective it may be in the classroom. Students with ADHD already have enough distractions in the classroom, so I am not sure if it would be a good idea to set up distractions, such as suggested in the sample, and then discuss what happened. I may be wrong, but this seems like added pressure on students that already have enough to worry about in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the video. A misconception that was addressed in the video was that students with ADHD cannot focus at all. As the speaker noted, if it is something the student with ADHD is engaged or interested in, they will hyper focus. I have seen this in the past. When I taught third grade I had a student that physically could not remain seated for long periods of time. He stood to complete assignments, rocked from foot- to- foot while reading, etc. for nearly all learning activities. When it came to Science, we was a completely different student. He would sit and listen, raise his hand, complete the given activities, and sometimes would even finish early. Although we could not work on Science all day every day, I did allow him the freedom to constantly move around his desk area, as long as it was not a distraction for his classmates. After a few weeks, they became accustomed to his movements. I also made sure my students had “brain breaks” to try and bring their attention back to the lesson(s). These breaks would include stretching, walking around the classroom, or a two-three minute “free sketch” in a journal. I found these to be extremely helpful for all of my students, and it allowed my students an opportunity to recollect their thoughts and try to get back on task. This was not a perfect solution. There were some days we had more brain breaks than intended, but it was needed in order to keep my students engaged.
Ashley, I have also observed students who hyper focus when they are engaged and interested. This always surprised me at first, but showed that it is possible for all students! I try to note for individual students what types of things will draw in their attention. I found it to be good feedback as a teacher to see when I was able to hold attention from my most challenging students, and also on the other extreme, when I was not able to hold attention.
DeleteAshley,
DeleteAre you familiar with the pomodoro technique? http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/pomodoro-technique.htm Your brain breaks reminded me of this strategy that helps students work through distractions and hyper focus. My students have become so accustomed to this technique that I they utilize it at home when completing assignments for my class.
-Jamie Hipp
Thanks Jamie. I have never heard of this! I love the idea that your students use it at home as well. I would like to try it in my class in the future. In the past, my breaks were sporadic, when I felt it was needed, but I am very interested in seeing how the pomodoro technique may impact my students. I just hope that once I begin to use it, my students will not be counting down until the next break:) I also hope that after it is repeated multiple times, my students will move this technique to their long-term memory and will be able to use it when working on assignments at home.
DeleteI find it really interesting that many of us think that FOCUS sounds like a good idea on paper, but don't think it would really work. Why do you think this is the case?
ReplyDeleteAs you mentioned, it does seem like a very formulaic way of learning. As high school teachers, maybe it would be better to use bits and pieces of the strategy at a time, depending on what works in a lesson, rather than trying to incorporate the entire strategy in a standard order.
DeleteI agree Amy. This strategy would be difficult for a classroom teacher to implement all at once but breaking up into smaller sections seems more realistic. I think its harder to except that this intervention is effective in the classroom because we were not given any data on how well it works. If we had some data to look at it might be easer to accept.
DeleteI think that the FOCUS learning strategy is really interesting because it involves asking students to learn about the way that they learn. I also think that incorporating discussions and activities that give students an opportunity to learn about the learning process could be beneficial. However, I don't know that I would use all of the pieces of the FOCUS strategy at one time in my classroom. I ask my students to concentrate and focus on the me, especially when I am using teacher led instruction. I also incorporate lots of opportunities for my students to form connections with the material, whether it is just a quick discussion of how the new content connects to the previous content or an activity that involves the students connecting the material to real-world situations. Like Shelli, I teach high school students and I feel like the FOCUS strategy is a very formulaic way of learning. I think that my students become familiar with my expectations (eyes on me, don't chat with your neighbor while I'm trying to teach) and the best ways for them to learn depending on the activity that we are doing.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Meredith, I rarely expect my students to be totally still and quiet for a full 90 minute class period. I would say that the majority of my lessons incorporate opportunities for the students to work either with a partner or a group and I also try to give them opportunities to move around. I loved that the video addressed ADHD as "attention different" rather than "attention deficit." I completely agree that just because a student has ADHD doesn't mean that they can't learn as well as someone without ADHD. I believe that it isn't a deficit at all. Perhaps the problem isn't that students diagnosed with ADHD can't learn as well, the problem is that they can't learn according to formulaic ways that many teachers expect. I thought it was so interesting that he discussed the fact that schools need to develop better attitudes toward students with ADHD. So often, teachers expect that the parents of students with ADHD will medicate their child so that they come to school, sit still, and learn like a "normal" student. But this takes so much away from the child's learning experience. I think it is really important for teachers to implement strategies to help students with ADHD learn in ways that are best for them rather than expect the students to be constantly medicated. I think that the education system is taking great opportunities away from students by standardizing student learning. Where would we be without cognitive diversity? For example, Albert Einstein displayed delayed speech in school and his teachers thought that he suffered from a learning disability. He dropped out of school because he couldn't learn according to the standardized way he was being taught. Most likely, Einstein would have been diagnosed with ADHD and given medication. What if the students we are labeling as ADHD and branding with a "learning deficit" are also brilliant, but we take that away from them? This video inspires me to learn more about ways that I can help my students who have been diagnosed with ADHD.
Amy, I think you bring up an excellent point about Einstein and embracing all students and their differences. I do worry about how to help train teachers on how to work with such diverse students. I know my school tends to employ teachers with less than 5 years of experience and it takes time to develop that skill set. Have you had any really great training or support on how to help these students? Do you think there is a learning curve for new teachers?
DeleteI haven't had any training on how to help these students, but I am definitely interested in finding out more about how we can help them in the classroom. I think that just realizing that ADHD doesn't necessarily mean that a student has a deficit plays a huge role in being more open to facilitating their learning in school. I also think that learning more about how the brain works and the cognitive differences in our students helps us to figure out ways to help them learn more effectively. I agree with the comment you made in your post about the great deal of collaboration it takes between parents and teachers to help meet our students' needs.
DeleteI've attended a few professional developments where facilitators mentioned "brain gym" exercises, which are mostly quick movements designed to relax your mind. I just did a quick search online and they may not be scientifically proven, but I think the idea behind them makes sense. One example of a brain gym activity is to cross your right arm to your left knee as you raise your knee, then switch to your left arm and right knee. Another is to cross your arms, pull them into your body, then breathe. Although I don't know the exact science, when I used these with my students it did often work as a type of "reset button" for both thoughts and actions.
DeleteThis week I spoke with a mother who had decided to treat her son's ADHD diagnosis with an elimination diet. No sugars, starches, food coloring, etc. She felt like this has helped a lot.
Thanks for mentioning the brain gym exercises. I think that adding short opportunities like this in class could help all students, not just the ones who have been diagnosed with ADHD. I love the idea of using them as a reset, kind of an brief time to "get your sillies out" and refocus your thoughts on the learning goal. I also think the idea of changing a child's diet is interesting. Thanks again for mentioning these things!
DeleteThis is some great discussion. I haven't had any training on how to help ADHD students but like Amy, I do think that understanding the brain and how it functions helps to understand this "disorder".
DeleteListening to the TED talk I think we have made some progress in this area. Doing the math, he probably went to elementary school in the 90s. which was a different time. We know more today about what works for kids. And I do have some students for whom medication has helped so much. I truly respect the decision not to medicate children, but it takes a lot of parent support and collaboration with teachers to help meet students where they are, ADHD or not.
ReplyDeleteI really like the focus strategy because it challenges us to not only address the physical side of listening (criss cross, eyes on speaker etc) but also what is going on in their head. I think I would definitely have to break this down a lot for my students into small chunks. But I do like the idea of teaching them how to manage their brain.
I also had some students that functioned and focused much better while they were on medication. I also agree with the decision for parents not to medicate their children. I haven't seen it firsthand, but after hearing about some of the effects, they seem to be devastating to the student's mental and physical well-being. I agree with you, when a student with ADHD does not take medication, there needs to be a strong collaboration between the teacher and the parents. The lines of communication need to remain open and they must work together in order to give the student the best learning environment possible.
DeleteAshley, I know that I worry about medicating students too. We hear so many stories about how the rates of ADHD are rising, but are they really rising or are we diagnosing it too quickly? I also think that sometimes ADHD is not the root cause and may be an easy fix. I found this helpful article when a parent was considering medication for her daughter and we were discussing her options. It's SUCH a big decision for parents.
Deletehttp://www.childmind.org/en/posts/articles/2014-5-6-what-we-know-long-term-effects-adhd-medication
Thanks for sharing. I wish teaching professionals and parents would collaborate more on the topic of ADHD. I do believe that it is being diagnosed more frequently than in the past. People are quick to offer up medication, which may be needed in severe cases, but not all. Sometimes a simple change in a child's diet could have a major impact. We should start with healthier changes before jumping straight to medication. Parents need to know there are other options for their children. As an educator, I believe it is part of our responsibility to help parents discover those options.
DeleteWhile none of my students have received an ADHD diagnosis, I think good listening skills are a life skill and should be explicitly taught to ALL students. In the past year at one of my three schools, I find students really struggle with this skill in their core curriculum classes. In this week's chapter, Zadina promotes teacher repetition to aid in making information more fluent to reduce cognitive load. In the past, I have told students that I do not repeat myself because, in doing so, I am teaching students not to listen the first time. After reading this week's chapter and the Johns Hopkins article and viewing the TED talk, perhaps I should adapt my thinking to increase achievement of all learners, including the ones that are struggling with executive dysfunction and/or ADHD.
ReplyDeleteI was particularly struck by the authors' urging to share/describe learning strategies to students. In thinking back to my elementary, middle, and high school career, I do not recall any teacher sharing strategies with me and WHY we were doing what we were doing and I remember thinking that I wish I knew WHY! Zadina also encourages sharing brain-based research with students, including how to improve their attention and working memory.
I enjoyed Tonti's TED talk immensely. He states that, "We need a healthier understanding of people with ADHD," and I could not agree more. My limited experience with ADHD students only includes those students who were also identified as Talented. While these students seem to have issues with body control and remaining focused both onstage and backstage, their excessive energy only improves their acting, thus I have never considered it a disability. Conversely, many of my classroom teacher friends loathe an ADHD diagnosis of one of their students, citing that, "ADHD is a joke" and, "Of course they diagnose this instead of having rules at home." ADHD is a serious difference in cognition, requiring effective interventions and effective teaching that takes this into account.
-Jamie Hipp
I can relate to your comments about hearing discussions regarding the diagnosis of ADHD. So many times, I've heard negative discussions about students who have been diagnosed with ADHD. I've even caught myself being very judgmental about these students and the way that their parents handle the situation. I've always considered the fact that as teachers, we need to mix up our teaching strategies so we can try to reach every student in the classroom. But after developing this very basic understanding of the brain and of possible cognitive differences in my students , it makes it even more important to me to learn more about the ways that students learn so that I really can make each student's experience a positive and enriching one rather than discouraging differences in thinking and learning.
DeleteJamie, what a wonderful perspective that their energy only adds to acting. I think so often teachers and teaching them to slow down, calm down, take a deep breath, but in acting class they get to be big and bold. I think this is why the arts are so very important for kids.
ReplyDelete