Classroom strategies for improving behaviours

A working party of the National Health Advisory Committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council has, as one of its aims, the production of 'high quality, evidence-based information and advice about Attention Hyperactivity Deficit Disorder for use in a range of settings'. A draft document has been prepared and it includes useful suggestions for classroom strategies. As many of the behaviours addressed are common to many children who experience learning problems, we have requested and received permission to share with our readers those strategies. They address: assisting a child to follow instructions; reducing overactivity; countering impulsivity; countering inflexibility; improving self-esteem; improving socialisation; assisting in overcoming learning difficulties; and improving communications between home and school.

EDITOR'S NOTE: While we heartily endorse these strategies for use with ADHD students, it is always a matter of determining individual students' needs and selecting the appropriate strategies to meet those needs.
 
IMPROVING SELF-ESTEEM

• Encouraging the child to engage in activities where he/she will experience success.
  
• Initially setting goals which are easily obtainable and gradually increasing task difficulty.
  
• Acknowledging the child's achievements in both verbal and written forms.
  
• Focussing the child's attention on positive aspects of his or her written work (for example, use highlighter pen to emphasise exemplary sections of the child's work).
  
• Helping the child to feel that his/her contributions in the classroom are important (for example, acknowledging the child's attempts to do a task, irrespective of his/her success).
  
• Recognising and rewarding accomplishments (however small) and appropriate behaviour (for example, for younger children, a cutout handprint representing 'a pat on the back' allows the child to share accomplishments with parents and peers).
  
• Teaching the child to praise self when he or she accomplishes something, so encouraging a positive self-image (for example, instructing the child to tell self he or she did a great job - first aloud, then in his or her head).
  
• Near the end of the day, reviewing with the child the accomplishment/s for the day.
  
• Initiating friendly conversation with the child daily (for example, discussing child's interests).
  
• Attending to learning difficulties as soon as possible to restore self-confidence.
• Providing assurance.
  

• Warning the child that an instruction is about to follow and that he/she should listen carefully.
  
• Having the child make eye contact with the teacher before giving instructions.
  
• Keeping instructions brief and clear.
  
• Giving only one instruction at a time.
  
• Having the child repeat the instruction, and then to self while carrying it out.
  
• Repeating instructions/information in different forms if possible; presenting information both visually and verbally; exposing the child to the same information at regular intervals.
  
• Allowing the child to give a predetermined signal to indicate he/she is ready.
  
• Providing checklists for what the student needs to work/listen.
  
• Encouraging the child to verbally rehearse information and to write instructions down. (Older children may find a notebook useful for this.)
  

• Interspersing academic tasks with brief periods of physical exercise.
  
• Preparing a number of low-pressure fun activities for when the child needs to spend a few minutes calming down.
  
• Having the child perform structured tasks and errands that permit him/her to move around the classroom and/or school buildings (for example, delivering notes).
  

• Assisting the child in becoming aware of the consequences of his/her actions upon self and others.
  
• Using visual prompts to remind the child to think before he/she acts, for example: STOP, THINK, DO.
  

• Have a fixed routine
• Classroom activities should be well organised and predictable.
  Display the daily schedule and classroom rule (for example, attach a flowchart to the inside of the child's desk/book).
  Inform the child in advance (whenever possible) of a change in the schedule.
• Keep choice to a minimum.
• Tell the child what his/her task is, rather than allowing him/her to choose.
  Offer limited choices, i.e., 'Would you like to do x or y?'
• Give the child opportunities to adjust to transitions by giving advance warning. For example: 'In five minutes you will have to put your work away.' Remind the child more than once.
  

• Giving frequent and honest feedback regarding work.
  
• Where possible, arranging remedial assistance for specific learning difficulties.
  
• ADHD children work well in 1:1 situation.
  

• Using a school-home daily notebook can assist communication.
• Notebook travels from home-school-home every day
  Both teacher/s and parent/s record in the notebook
  Communicating inappropriate behaviour, failure to take medication, positive aspects of the day, etc.
• Being sensitive to parents' feelings - they have the difficult task of raising the child with ADHD.
• Helping parents feel proud of their child - finding positive things to share with them about their child on a regular basis (this can be done in front of the child).
• Engaging the parents' help to encourage child to complete homework. Parents could:
• 
  Make work environment attractive, but not too distracting
• Provide rewards (e.g. refreshments, TV, activity of choice) for initiation and completion of homework.
  
• Have a scheduled time for homework (perhaps at child's best time of concentration). Stick to this routine.
  

• Involving the child in smaller, rather than large groups (i.e. no more than two other children).
  
• Placing contingencies on appropriate social skills such as sharing, cooperating, and initiating play, i.e. rewards for appropriate behaviour, negative consequences for inappropriate behaviour).
  
• Teaching the child more appropriate responses to provocation (e.g., walking away, talking with the teacher).
  
• Encouraging the child to join other activities where 'supervised socialisation' is available (e.g. scouts, sporting groups).
• Providing the child with experiencing in working collaboratively with peers accompanied by explicit teaching of the requisite social and communication behaviours.