Five sentence summary
There are many things instructors do without thinking that do not go over well for brains that have trouble organizing themselves and staying on track. Inconsistent instructions, inconsistent deadlines, multipart questions, sneaking in important steps or bits of information without clear signals and so forth all exacerbate our inability to focus and manage our energy. You create hell for your ADHD learners when you add additional disorganization and obscurity into our lives.
Seemingly little things can cause absolute havoc for folks with inattention and hyperactivity problems. Our brains skip ahead and miss a step. We're thinking about the ten million things we need to do tonight as instructions are being relayed.
1. Directions for assignments in multiple places. Do not give half of the instructions in-person, some instructions written on assignment, and then some more instructions written on the submission page. ADHD learners will miss some. They'll do the whole assignment, submit it at the last minute, and then see that there was this one line on the submission page that was really important but they forgot. 2. Having things due on random days. For example, if class meets on Mondays and Wednesdays, have things due on Mondays and Wednesdays and at the same time every time. Don't have essay rough drafts due at 5pm and weekly homework assignments due at midnight. It's much easier for us to remember deadlines if they're built on top of other related items we need to remember. If we have a meeting with you every Thursday at noon, there's a decent chance we're already thinking about that meeting throughout the day, so have the weekly report due Thursday as well. If there is a holiday or something that adjusts the schedule for the week, give lots of reminders and plenty of advanced notice, and don't be surprised if we function on autopilot and submit on the day it was originally due. 3. Being inconsistent about your reminders and communications. Don’t remind students every week that lab is due tomorrow but fail to send out reminders about homework assignments. 4. Insist on “neurotypical” standards of focusing. Let people knit, draw, fidget, walk around, etc. As long as we're not distracting others, what does it matter? Kitting, drawing and other activities allow our brains to work better and are barely noticeable by others. No, you don't need to allow folks to pace the back of the room the entire meeting, but you could schedule in time specifically for movement or when movement wouldn't be as distracting (work in groups, ask your neighbors how they solved this problem, etc.)
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Five sentence summary Universal Design for Learning or UDL is a pedagogy or strategy in which there are multiple options for engaging with the topic, multiple options for representing the information, and multiple options for expressing knowledge. ADHD brains often do very well in educational settings that use UDL because we can follow our passions and make choices that work for us. The flexibility included in UDL increases the likelihood that we can challenge ourselves, embrace novelty when we need it, and cater our learning so that topics are relevant and interesting. While we may need help organizing and setting goals, thoughtful scaffolding and check-ins make this manageable. If overwhelmed with choices and flexibility, both can be scaled back to help the individual. What is UDL? Universal Design for Learning or UDL is a framework based on the idea that purposefully including multiple modes of representation, participation, and options for expressing knowledge increases accessibility. UDL is NOT meant to be a substitute for accommodations, but using UDL can definitely reduce the need for accommodations. The graphic organizer from CAST below provides more information. Disclaimer: I do not consider UDL to be the be-all end-all of inclusive teaching. UDL may or may not purposefully prioritize disabled students and it may be implemented without regard for equity and justice, trauma-informed teaching, etc. There are multiple interpretations of UDL and ways to implement it.
That disclaimer aside, UDL can do a lot and I think it's a good starting point for ADHD-friendly teaching. By providing learners with options and allowing them to choose what works best for them, many ADHD folks (and other disabled individuals) will benefit. Five sentence summary
The hyperactivity and inattentiveness can both lead to creative ideas and new directions, but it also makes organizing thoughts and keeping track of everything challenging. Large assignments, readings, lectures, and projects without clear subsections, goal posts, and breaks can easily overwhelm us. We can get off track and spiral into the wrong direction. By giving us an outline or a table of contents for how we're going to proceed, ADHD learners can plan. By breaking down everything into chapters or smaller chunks, ADHD folks are more likely to focus and organize efficiently.
Why
ADHD brains struggle to color within the lines. We are attentive to a million ideas at once, whether we realize it consciously or not. We can become easily overwhelmed when other neurotypical folks are doing just fine. No matter what "It" is I can guarantee your ADHD learners will benefit from breaking it down. By breaking down talks, events, assignments, and other materials into chunks that are smaller and clearly defined, you help us reign our brains back in and we're less likely to get lost. Whereas neurotypical brains are adept at managing administrative-type tasks, ADHD brains are less equipped to do this. Regardless of the format you're teaching in (essay, textbook chapter, oral presentation with slides, oral presentation without slides, an instructional video), I know your ADHD learners do better when things are divided and those divisions are clear.
What do I mean exactly? No matter what format we're talking about, pretend it's a book. 1) Give your medium a table of contents, allowing learners to see what is coming up. It allows us to plan and we appreciate a heads up because sometimes we have elaborate note-taking methods. 2) Break everything down into chapters with headings. We have trouble organizing our thoughts and organizing someone else's is often more problematic. By giving us more structure and reminding us where we are in the talk, video, podcast, etc., you allow us to focus better and spend less time trying to organize ourselves and more time trying to learn and understand the material. |
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AuthorThere's a reason theADHDAcademic is an anonymous account and there's a reason why this website will remain anonymous. That said, there are some basics it might be helpful to know about me: DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional or a lawyer of any kind. All text, graphics, and content on this website are for educational purposes only. Any and all content should not be substituted for medical or legal advice. Although I strive to provide the most accurate, current, and scientifically sound information, content should never be substituted for professional advice. Always consult a medical and/or legal professional before making any decisions. Links are provided only for reference and do not necessarily imply endorsement.
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