TEACHING THE STRUGGLING ADD/ADHD STUDENT

Abstract

Students who are diagnosed with ADHD spend the majority of the school day in the regular education classroom. This research looked at best practices being used in the classroom and how effective teachers perceive those interventions to be. The questions of what are the attitudes of teachers towards students with ADHD, how do teachers feel about the effectiveness of specific interventions, and what interventions identified in research as effective are not being used by teachers. Additionally, there was qualitative section collaboration, co-teaching and differentiating instruction. One hundred and forty-nine teachers completed the survey. The respondents indicated, in general, students with ADHD learn best in the regular education classroom; most interventions are effective, but each student is different and may need different interventions; and teachers were not using interventions, taking extra time and planning. Recommendations for overcoming hindrances and obstacles are offered. Furthermore, teachers indicated there were hindrances to co-teaching and collaboration with both special education and school counselors. Furthermore, a number of additional interventions for differentiating instruction were gathered from respondents.