In 600 words, compare your understanding of ADHD before and after completing this
online learning including viewing of the video clips. Do relate this understanding to
your view of students with ADHD in terms of their learning, social and emotional
needs. Discuss how this new information may influence your teaching practice in the
classroom if you were to have one or a few students with ADHD in your classroom.
Before this course, I have some understanding of ADHD, having had students with
ADHD in my class before and dealing with several Upper Primary students with various
learning needs in my capacity as a Year Head. I am aware of the traits displayed by the
students and general strategies on handling their learning needs and how to manage
their behaviour.
I have had students who had several learning needs and behavioral difficulties when
they were younger and were finally diagnosed as when they reach Middle or Upper
Primary. Some students were more ‘mellowed’ as they got older, probably due to
developing maturity or were taking medication. Hence, I was able to manage these
students, applying differentiated strategies in the T&L of these students and they
generally exhibited fewer behavioural issues in my class.
However these students behaved differently in other teachers’ subject classes and
these teachers may have a lower threshold of managing students who are not able to
suppress their inhibitions and the teachers express their frustrations. Hence, my
concerns and desires are to help these teachers change their mental model of students
with ADHD and apply strategies which help students in their learning, social and
emotional needs.
It does strike a chord in me that students continue to display symptoms of ADHD as
they grow older and into adulthood as only the symptoms may change but their
diagnosis persist. These students may continue to encounter struggles in other aspects
of their life in adulthood if they are not taught self-regulation or coping skills to overcome
their impairments. Students with ADHD may also find difficulties sustaining or achieving
success during employment.
As such, Education and Career Guidance (ECG) in primary schools involves creating
awareness of various education pathways and career options to students. Firstly,
helping the student with ADHD identify his interest and strengths or talent areas is
crucial so that the student can feel a sense or achievement or build his self-esteem.
Next, I would like to impart ECG advice to students with ADHD to explore suitable
careers which are dynamic, fast-paced, less rigid or involves a more outgoing style of
communication and which also caters to the students’ interest and strengths.
After learning that ADHD affects the students in their executive functions such as in selfobservations, social skills and emotional self-control, I would be more mindful to be
more patient and understanding when intervening during the students’ poor interactions
with their peers. For instance, taking the time to verbally process with the student on his
inappropriate observed behaviours since he has not deficient in social reasoning. I
would need to take extra effort to provide encouragement for the student to exhibit the
appropriate social behaviours and desired outcomes.
I have learnt that students’ impairments in academic functioning is due to poor working
memory to retain information, execute motor planning or redirect attention between
tasks. Hence I now understand why strategies such as chunking, providing scaffolding
and reducing work demand are suggested.
Providing movement breaks and sensory activities for students with hyperactivity or
impulse control also may help the students’ impaired executive functioning in attention
and modulation of impulse so that they can redirect their attention or energy more
meaningfully.
Finally, after learning that students with ADHD may affect their siblings and a family
disfunction may cause ineffective parental strategies in ADHD management, I would like
to learn how to engage the students’ families, their mindset of ADHD and their
interventions at home which translates consistently across in school as well.
(583 words)