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Empowering Children with ADHD: Best Practices for Teachers and Caregivers

When working with children who are diagnosed with ADHD, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) must use therapy approaches that address attention, impulsivity, executive functioning, and language skills. ADHD affects attention, organization, emotional regulation, and social communication, so therapy should focus on these areas. Here are effective approaches, techniques, and carefully selected resources to support children with ADHD in speech-language therapy.

 

1. Executive Functioning Strategies

ADHD affects executive functioning, which includes organizing thoughts, remembering instructions, and completing tasks. SLPs can focus on helping children develop these skills to improve their communication.

TECHNIQUES:

• Graphic Organizers: Use visual aids (e.g., mind maps, story webs) to help children organize thoughts for storytelling or answering questions.
• Task Analysis: Break tasks into smaller steps and use checklists to guide children through complex activities.
• Visual Schedules: Provide structured visual timetables to help with task transitions and routines.
• Self-Monitoring: Encourage self-assessment through checklists (e.g., “Did I say all the key points?”).

RESOURCES:

Book:

“The Executive Functioning Workbook for Kids: 40 Fun Activities to Improve Memory, Flexibility, Self-Control, and More” by Sharon Grand, PsyD, provides practical strategies for improving executive functioning. Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/8WcXUaC

 

2. Behavioral Techniques

Children with ADHD benefit from structured feedback, reinforcement, and explicit rules for communication tasks.

TECHNIQUES:

• Positive Reinforcement: Use praise or token systems to encourage participation and attention.
• Token Economies: Offer tokens for completing tasks that can later be exchanged for rewards.
• Time Timers: Use visual countdown clocks to reduce transition anxiety and focus attention during tasks.
• RESOURCES:
• Time Timer: helps children manage their time and focus by providing a visual countdown. https://a.co/d/509rO9I

 

3. Attention-Enhancing Techniques

ADHD makes sustained attention difficult, so therapy should include strategies to help children stay focused during communication tasks.

TECHNIQUES:

• Chunking Information: Break information into smaller, manageable parts to help children process and retain details.
• Attention-Focused Games: Interactive activities like Simon Says, memory games, or sequencing tasks can improve listening and attention.
• Turn-Taking Activities: Structured turn-taking during conversations encourages active listening and focus.

RESOURCES:

App: GoNoodle offers movement-based activities to give children "brain breaks" that improve attention during therapy sessions. GoNoodle Website https://www.gonoodle.com/

 

4. Language and Communication Techniques

Children with ADHD often struggle with expressive language, word retrieval, and pragmatic (social) communication skills.

TECHNIQUES:

• Visual Supports for Vocabulary: Use pictures or word walls to help children improve vocabulary and word retrieval.
• Social Stories: Create personalized social stories to teach social rules and expected communication responses.
• Role-Playing: Use role-playing activities to practice social communication in various contexts.
• Sentence Builders: To develop expressive language skills, start with basic sentence structures and gradually add complexity (adjectives, prepositional phrases, etc.). 

RESOURCES:

Book: "The Incredible 5-Point Scale: Assisting Students in Understanding Social Interactions and Controlling Their Emotional Responses" by Kari Dunn Buron and Mitzi Curtis. This book provides a practical framework to help children with ADHD and other social communication difficulties understand and manage their emotions and behaviors. Available on Amazon:  https://a.co/d/3w5PkRe

 

5. Metacognitive Strategies

Teaching children to think about their thinking (metacognition) helps them regulate their communication and problem-solving strategies.

TECHNIQUES: 

• Think Aloud: Model the thought process behind planning and organizing speech or tasks (e.g., “First, I’ll write down what I need to remember…”).
• Verbal Rehearsal: Encourage children to verbally rehearse their ideas before speaking.
• Goal Setting: Establish small, achievable communication goals for each session to promote focus and task completion.

RESOURCES:

Book: "The ADHD Workbook for Kids" by Lawrence Shapiro provides interactive exercises for improving focus, organization, and self-control. Available on Amazon: The ADHD Workbook for Kids https://a.co/d/9Y94dnl

 

6. Pragmatic/Social Skills Interventions

Children with ADHD often struggle with social communication, understanding non-verbal cues, and following conversational rules.

TECHNIQUES:

• Video Modeling: Show videos that model appropriate social interactions to teach conversational skills and non-verbal cues.
• Comic Strip Conversations: Draw out conversations using stick figures to illustrate turn-taking, emotions, and appropriate responses.
• Social Scripts: Provide scripts for common social situations (e.g., initiating a conversation) and practice them with the child.

RESOURCES:

Video Modeling: https://youtu.be/38y_1EWIE9I?si=4wLFFsf_2scNDQYZ

School Talk - Comic strip conversations: https://youtu.be/_laRP2-ZPZ4?si=AO62YyLzwB0r0BEu

Communication: https://autismteachingstrategies.com/communication/  

Interaction: https://autismteachingstrategies.com/interaction/

Emotions: Free downloads activities https://autismteachingstrategies.com/emotions/

 

7. Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

Children with ADHD benefit from mindfulness exercises that help them regulate their emotions and improve focus during therapy.

TECHNIQUES:

Breathing Exercises: Practice deep breathing techniques to help children calm down and manage impulsivity.

Mindfulness Games: To improve sustained attention, use activities requiring sensory input (e.g., focusing on sounds and textures).

RESOURCES:

• Website: GoZen! offers engaging animated videos, activities, and courses that teach children to manage their emotions, focus better, and develop mindfulness strategies. It covers topics like stress management, resilience, and self-regulation, which are beneficial for children with ADHD. https://gozen.com/

Book:

“Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents)" by Eline Snel. This book provides simple, playful mindfulness exercises for children to help them develop focus, calmness, and emotional regulation. It’s easy to integrate into therapy sessions and helps kids manage their ADHD symptoms through mindfulness. Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/27Pkw6v

 

Additional Resources:

Books:

“How to Reach and Teach Children with ADD/ADHD” by Sandra Rief: A resource for managing attention difficulties and supporting communication in educational settings. Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/38mEktc  

Websites:

The ADHD Foundation: Offers strategies and resources for ADHD management, including improving communication and social skills. ADHD Foundation Website https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/

ADDitude: Articles, tools, and printable guides for managing ADHD, with a focus on communication, attention, and organization. https://www.additudemag.com

Social Skills Activities for Children with Autism, AutismTeachingStrategies.com by Joel Shaul

https://autismteachingstrategies.com/ in many languages, many great printouts.