Introduction
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common brain disorder that can normally be found in children, but people of all ages can suffer from it. ADHD is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder. According to medical practitioners, this disorder usually affects the brain areas that are responsible for planning, thinking, and concentrating. Scientists have been unable to come up with a treatment for ADHD (Reid & Johnson, 2012). However, doctors have come up with drugs that can help manage the effects of the disease.
The children with this disorder are easily distracted. In addition, they are impulsive and hyperactive, which makes them impatient. It is important to know the needs of children like Lucas and decide upon the necessary modifications to accommodate them comfortably in the classroom (Reid & Johnson, 2012). Lucas is very emotional and likes the teacher’s attention. He also requires frequent breaks in between the class hours.
Needs
It should be noted that Lucas needs special attention from the teacher, as he is very emotional. The boy should be tolerated, supported and encouraged more than usually. An important issue is to keep him disciplined in a positive way whenever he is doing wrong (Rief, 2005). At the same time, the teacher should congratulate Lukas when he does something good. Thus, the boy needs a close supervision with simple rules, which he can easily follow.
Lucas’ teacher should avoid expecting too much from him because of his special needs and must help him discover and grow his talents. It is important to involve the boy into co-curriculum activities, as this will assist him in concentrating better in class. Therefore, with the teacher’s help Lucas can complete assignments and other projects that he undertakes in the classroom. Finally, the teacher should be knowledgeable about ADHD (Rief, 2005).
Accommodation and Modification
Task Duration
Children with ADHD can only concentrate for a short period of time. So, Lucas should be given short tasks that do not require a lot of time to complete. The teacher should break up long assignments into smaller manageable tasks. Needless to say, the boy should get enough time to complete such tasks with breaks in between.
Classroom setup
From the above discussion, it is evident that the children with ADHD can be easily distracted by the activities happening outside the classroom. It is significant that Lucas be seated in front of the classroom far from all the windows. It is better to schedule academic activities during the morning hours because his ability to handle tasks effectively worsens over the course of the day (Rief, 2005). Nonacademic activities should be scheduled in the afternoons and the teacher should ensure that all activities types are fun. This will help him be more interested in class. The teacher should carefully structure lessons to accommodate the needs of Lucas.
Rule Reminders and Visual Cues
One should keep in mind that the students with ADHD should receive clear instructions from the beginning that are easy to follow. Visual cues could be used where necessary to help him follow the lesson topics discussed in class. Hence, it clearly appears that such cues should be located at strategic places in the classroom, which will encourage Lukas to follow instructions to the latter (Reid & Johnson, 2012).
References
Reid, R., & Johnson, J. (2012). Teacher’s guide to ADHD. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Rief, S. F. (2005). How to reach and teach children with ADD/ADHD practical techniques, strategies, and interventions. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.