Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition affecting the brain that makes it very difficult for children to control their behavior while in school or when they are in social settings (Weyandt et al., 2020, p. 134). It affects between 4 – 12 percent of school-going children, making it one of the chronic conditions affecting children in the age bracket (Super, 2019, p. 189). According to the recently collected statistics, it is also more prevalent in boys than in girls. In the past decades, due to improved counselling, the rate at which ADHD affected children has been reasonably constant; according to the CDC data (2021), this could be attributed to the improved diagnosis hence early treatment.
Fig 1: Estimates of Medication Treatment and Behavioral Therapy
Source: www.cdc.gov
ADHD is usually characterized by hyperactivity, inattention and impulsiveness. ADHD can manifest in several ways. For example, in Raoul’s case, the child is considered impulsive since in some cases, in the middle of a lesson, he shouts aimlessly about how boring the class is regardless of the consequences of his actions (Selikowitz, 2021, p. 109). He is hyperactive since he cannot concentrate on a single task and therefore switches from one study to another. Other than shouting and drumming, which the boy does in class, ADHD can manifest differently in a classroom setting. For example, the child cannot complete his homework and other assignments.
Hyperactive ADHD, in most cases, always result in the children being easily distracted and therefore can only concentrate on any given assignment for a brief period and hence characterized by moving from one task to another. In the case of Raoul, the child is more interested in specific subjects such as physical education than Mathematics or other curricular subjects. Raoul is no longer able to execute problems in multiplication and division, which is a characteristic of ADHD, where the children produce sloppy work in most cases. It has been noted that such children will also imply not listening to the directives and instructions given in the class. In some cases, such children will also be very aggressive and wild and unable to play with the other children in school or any other socio-cultural activities (Hoshen et al., 2016, p. 189). They constantly squirm in their seats and tap their hands or feet on different objectives. They may also find it very difficult to wait for their turn, for example, in line whenever the rest of the children are involved, making it difficult for the children to make friends.
In some cases, Raoul is likely to jump into answering questions that are not his or even jump into finishing statements that are not his in class. As a result, their performance in class will be most likely affected, and they are likely to perform dismally in their academics. ADHD can therefore affect any child in any language irrespective of the cultural or social background.
When the teacher realized Raoul’s behavior in class, she decided to move his desk next to hers. This strategy may be effective when done alongside other methods. For instance, (Bauermeister, 2016, p. 211) suggested that the management of hyperactive ADHD children in class should always aim to bring the class environment’s attention. Having the child next to the teacher will help reduce impulsiveness and hyperactivity. This is because Raoul will have in mind the teacher’s presence, and therefore, he is less likely to engage in destructive activities. This will also help focus the child’s attention on his studies (Barbaresi, 2019, p. 213). For example, if the child is always looking outside or doing things not expected in class, he is likely to emphasize the classwork slightly.
Lastly, bringing him close will also help sustain the attention for a longer duration since he will be the teacher’s focus. When Raoul is next to the teacher, he is also likely to be away from the noisy children in a class. Some of the children could also be having behavioral challenges, and therefore when he is away from them, he is likely to improve even in his performance. On the other hand, it may also be necessary for the teacher to enhance his teaching skills, such as coming up with his phrases, use of visual aids, and creative ways that can help improve the child’s performance.
It may be necessary to consider putting other measures alongside the intervention of the teacher of putting Raoul sit in front that can help improve the performance and the general behavior of the boy in class. This includes more visual aids, such as writing the critical points on the board. It is also essential to consider seating the student with students who are well behaved. In such as case, the student is likely to concentrate more and do what the rest are doing. Secondly, it will also be necessary for the teacher to consider having short and direct routines. This is because the boy can hardly concentrate for an extended time. Having straightforward and fast routines will likely make the students take note of the most critical points before switching off or engaging in things that as destructive. The teacher should also consider making the tasks to be interesting. This can be done by making the child carry out tasks in small groups or pairs, which will make the student enjoy what is done in class (Barkley, 2022, p. 112). It may also be beneficial if Raoul’s tasks are made shorter. The teacher should also consider distributing the assignments over a broader period. This will make the boy slowly develop an interest in the functions.
To help the boy improve from one grade to another, it may be necessary for the teacher to consider enhancing the listening skills and organization of the child and allowing the child to move to make the environment conducive for Raoul (Barkley, 2022, p. 235). It will be necessary to consider putting the student amongst the best-performing students. It is also essential to consider having a flexible routine and incorporating creative activities that the student can do with his hands. It will also be necessary to bring on more computer-related activities that will sharpen and increase the attention of Raoul.
Conclusion
Considering that ADHD has been with us for a long time, Raoul’s case is not the first and will not last. Therefore there is no need of having the boy attend special school. If the above-stated procedure is taken into consideration, we will expect an improvement in the performance of Raoul. This can be made better if a suitable medication is also incorporated in the treatment.
References
Barbaresi, W. J. (2019). Improving care for children with ADHD: The information is just a rating scale away. Pediatric Collections: ADHD: Evaluation and Care, 85-87. https://doi.org/10.1542/9781610024129-part01-improving
Barkley, R. A. (2022). Improving clinical diagnosis using the executive functioning—self-regulation theory of ADHD. The ADHD Report, 30(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1521/adhd.2022.30.1.1
Bauermeister, J. J. (2016). Parental behavior training and Latino/Hispanic children with ADHD and/or disruptive behaviors. The ADHD Report, 24(8), 9-14. https://doi.org/10.1521/adhd.2016.24.8.9
Hoshen, M. B., Benis, A., Keyes, K. M., & Zoëga, H. (2016). Stimulant use for ADHD and relative age in class among children in Israel. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 25(6), 652-660. https://doi.org/10.1002/pds.3962
Selikowitz, M. (2021). What is ADHD? ADHD: The Facts, 3-18. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198867371.003.0001
Super, H. (2019). undefined. https://doi.org/10.26226/morressier.5d1a035d57558b317a13f795
Weyandt, L., Sweeney, C., & Thompson, L. (2020). The effectiveness of stimulant medication at improving executive functioning in adults with ADHD. The ADHD Report, 28(7), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1521/adhd.2020.28.7.1
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