Making
lesson plans is tough for new teachers because they are still in the learning
phase. But when an experienced teacher of a mainstream classroom is suddenly
given a special student, the teacher undergoes another learning phase. This
time, the experienced teacher learns to create lesson plans that take into
consideration the special needs of the ADHD-diagnosed student. The good news is
that the basic process is the same. But there are two traits of the teacher
that must come to the fore. These are creativity and flexibility. These two
traits can be used in the following.
Teaching
aids
The teacher
must utilize teaching aids that will attract the senses of the students.
Audio-visual aids are recommended. But visual aids may also present
distractions. Thus, the teacher must carefully choose those that are
interesting but are directly related to the lesson.
Lesson pacing
When the
ADHD-diagnosed students easily lose interest, it might be due to the slow pace
of the lesson that does not agree with their hyperactivity. The teacher can pick up the pace to get the
students’ focus back on the lesson. Another reason for the disinterest is the
length of the lesson. It might be too long for the ADHD students to pay enough
attention. Thus, the teacher must be flexible enough to break the lesson into
shorter and manageable ones.
Teaching
strategy
The experienced teacher has mastered a
host of strategies, such as role playing, the use of models, and more. Some of
these strategies will work on the ADHD-diagnosed students but others will not. Thus,
the teacher must be creative in utilizing the most unique resources – the other
students. Through peer tutoring, older students can teach the special student.
At the same time, the special student will have the opportunity to teach
younger students.
Advanced
planning will go a long way in making each teaching-learning session a success.
The presence of an ADHD-diagnosed student presents a challenge. Much of the
teacher’s attention is devoted to the special student. This is why having a
smaller student-teacher ratio will also help significantly. But with creativity
and flexibility, the teacher can make lesson plans that will help the special
students achieve their academic goals.