Educational Psychology II

ADHD Case Scenario

Sigmund Seow Zichao

Valencia Thng Su Ying

Pang Toh Jin

Anna Lin Shi Ting

Seah Hui Xin

What is ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders

ADHD is a neurobiological condition that affects mental functioning.

What causes ADHD?

ADHD, without hyperactivity

ADHD, hyperactivity-impulsive type

ADHD, combined subtype

3 Kinds of ADHA

How do we tell if a child has ADHD?

To be diagnosed with ADHD, without

hyperactivity, six or more of the

following symptoms of inattention

must have persisted for at least six

months to a degree that is

maladaptive and inconsistent with

developmental level.

ADHD, without hyperactivity

• Often fails to give close attention to

details or makes careless mistakes

in schoolwork, work, or other

activities.

• Often has difficulty sustaining

attention in tasks or play activities.

ADHD, without hyperactivity

• Often does not seem to listen when

spoken directly.

• Often does not follow through on

instructions and fails to finish

schoolwork, chores, or duties in the

workplace.

• Often has difficulty organising tasks

and activities.

ADHD, without hyperactivity

• Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to

engage in tasks that requires sustained

mental effort.

• Often loses things.

• Often easily distracted by extraneous

stimuli

• Often forgetful in daily activities.

To be diagnosed with ADHD,

hyperactive-impulsive type, six or

more of the following symptoms of

hyperactivity/impulsivity must have

persisted for at least six months to a

degree that is maladaptive and

inconsistent with developmental level.

ADHD, hyperactive-impulsive type

Hyperactivity

Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in

seat.

Often leaves seat in classroom or in other

situations in which remaining seated is

expected.

Often talks excessively.

ADHD, hyperactive-impulsive type

Hyperactivity

Often runs about or climbs excessively in

situations in which remaining seated is

expected.

Often has difficulty playing or engaging in

leisure activities quickly.

Is often “on the go” or often acts as if “driven

by motor”.

ADHD, hyperactive-impulsive type

Impulsivity

Often blurts our answer before

questions have been completed.

Often has difficulty awaiting turn.

Often interrupts or intrudes on other

(e.g., butts into conversation or game)

To diagnosed with ADHD, combined

subtype, symptoms of the above two

types are equally predominant in the

person.

IS SIMON ADHD?

Simon, who had been wriggling feverishly on his chair, fell off it much to the amusement of his classmates. Simon stormed off to the back of the classroom where he proceeded to roll around in the reading corner.

HYPERACTIVITY

Simon ignored him and proceeded instead to run around the teacher’s desk trying to upset the piles of books stacked on it. Mr Chan took him firmly by the hand and deposited him with the computer group where he became fascinated in the mouse.

INATTENTIVE, EASILY

DISTRACTED

HYPERACTIVITY

Simon, in the meantime, had deserted the computer group after only five minutes and was attempting to run backwards around the class.

DIFFICULTY SUSTAINING ATTENTION

HYPERACTIVITY

Simon

has

ADHD

a

What difficulties/problems is Simon experiencing?

How might the problems/ difficulties that

Simon is facing affect his development and

learning in the short and long term?

b

• Simon, who had been wriggling feverishly on his chair, fell off it much to the amusement of his classmates.

Kids with ADHD enjoy producing emotional reactions in others. They may be drawn to the children at school who cause more trouble and they often look for or try to provoke an emotional reaction in order to feel more stimulation. Because a loud or angry response from an adult or peer tends to be reinforcing for many children with ADHD.

Impulsivity is the behavioural side of ADHD. Kids with ADHD often bypass the process of considering the consequences. The impulsive child will be constantly in trouble for talking, poking others, and leaving his seat.

• Simon stormed off to the back of the classroom where he proceeded to roll around in the reading corner.

• Simon ignored him and proceeded instead to run around the teacher’s desk trying to upset the piles of books stacked on it.

The key problem in ADHD is distractibility which will lead to a lack of application in study unless the teacher and the material are of compelling interest.

• Mr Chan took him firmly by the hand and deposited him with the computer group where he became fascinated in the mouse.

• Simon, in the meantime, had deserted the computer group after only five minutes and was attempting to run backwards around the class.

How might the problems/ difficulties that Simon is facing affect his

development and learning in the short and long term?

School Performance IssueIntelligent Performance Academic AchievementLowered self-esteem

High-risk in adulthood High risk for criminal activity

High risk for automobile accidental injury

Social difficulty Family interaction (disharmony )Peer interaction (peer rejection)

short termBut the consequence

can leads to long term.

short termBut the consequence

can leads to long term.

long termlong term

inability to pay attention to details or a tendency to make careless errors in schoolwork or

other activities

avoidance or dislike of tasks that

require mental effort

difficulty following instructions

problems with organization

School Performance Issue

• ADHD interference with concentration and attention, which make learning become difficult for a child to perform well in school.

Social difficultyADHD kids have their difficulty in getting along with others because they have…

Social difficulty

1. Limited turn-taking during conversations,

2. Less responsive to others' initiations,

3. Likely to ignore peers' questions,

4. Inappropriate or disagreeable verbal exchange,

5. Difficulty remaining on topic,

6. Poor eye contact and motor regulation

Deficient communication skills

1. Excessive talking, 2. Interruptions, 3. Noisy interactions, 4. Dominating activities

Monopolizing discussions,

5. Obnoxious behavior

ADHD kids have their difficulty in getting along with others because they have…

High-rate intrusive behavior

High-risk in adulthood 

1. lack of self- awareness of the results of their own actions. 

2. Less knowledgeable about appropriate behavior,

3. Deficient social problem-solving skills,

4. Biased attributions of others' intentions,

5. Inattentive to social cues

1. Aggressive behavior, 2. Temper outbursts, 3. Overreaction to minor events, 4. Excitability, 5. Having a tendency to fall apart

easily,6. Have difficulty in learning to

tolerate frustration and to over-come stress of disappointments.

Biased and deficient social cognitive skills Poor emotional regulation

AlcoholismAlcoholism

SmokingSmoking

Drug abuseDrug abuse Drunken drivingDrunken driving

Street racingStreet racing

Traffic violationTraffic violation

Due to a lack of the above mentioned skills, there is a tendency for the child to behave in an antisocial manner.

Model of Creating an Inclusive Learning environment

Inclusive

Collaboration

Learning environme

nt

instructionBehaviour

Self-esteem

Using the Model of Creating an Inclusive Learning environment, our team has suggested a few things Mr Chan can do to save himself a few

years of stroke (Raj,2009).

Collaboration

Collaboration between the

school, the parents, the students,

is the key to success in

overcoming the problem that the

child experiences.

Teachers

School

Parents

Students

Collaboration

SchoolThe Psychological and Guidance Services

Branch of MOE advocates that teachers

and other relevant personnel serve as front-

line mangers to address the learning and

behavioral needs of the student.

(PGSB,2001)

Should any special arrangements be needed to be made for the student, it would referred by them to the Multi-

Skilled Team of PGSB which will grant the permission.

Mr Chan should consult the Learning Support Coordinator or Pastoral Care coordinator

regarding the situation.

School

PARENTS

Share with Parents:

The concerns about the student’s difficulty and how it has adversely affected his performance in the classroom.

Offer to them some suggestions on what they can do, such as arranging for a psycho-educational assessment to gain a better understanding of the student’s difficulties.

what you, as a teacher, have done and will continue to do to help the student and the effectiveness of those strategies.

StudentsMr Chan can teach the student how to learn to organise with the use

of a notebook

The Notebook

A. Should contain daily checklists

B. List homework assignments with due dates and textbooks and supplies needed.

C. Remind the child to refer to the notebook at the end of the day to ensure the needed supplies are taken home.

Teach the student to be an Active Learner(Keep him occupied)

Encourage visual aids and hands-on experiences

Teach:• Active learning (underlining),

• Active listening (note-taking)

• Reading for detail

• Sub-vocalization (whispering) as an aid to memorization.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

• Seat the child close to the teacher

• Provide a structured classroom with clear expectations

• Limit open spaces which may encourage hyperactive behaviours

• Reduce distracting stimuli

• Give the student opportunities to move if he is restless.

What can Mr Chan Do?

• Make Simon sit near to Mr Chan

• A set of Specific Classroom rules for Simon

(To be discussed later in the section on Behaviour)

• The area of reading corner should be relocated

• Mr Chan should observe Simon’s behaviour and remove any distracting stimuli such the mouse and the pile of

books on his table the next time he comes into class.

• Should Simon be restless, Mr Chan should give clear instructions for him to stretch and take a break in an orderly

manner.

INSTRUCTION

a. Keep oral instructions brief and repeat if necessary.

b. Provide written instructions

c. Break up tasks and homework into smaller steps.

How can Mr Chan help Simon follow his instructions?

• With written instructions already on the board,

he should have given brief instructions instead

of giving his instructions all at a time.

• For the benefit of Simon, Mr Chan should have

told him specifically which group he should be

in and break down his task into smaller parts

so that he can comprehend them easily.

Behaviour

• Target a few unacceptable behaviours with clear consistent consequences. This should be explained privately to the child.

• Consequences should not be publicly humiliating.

• Use of Hand signals

Self Esteem

• Provide Feedback privately

• Focus upon positive reinforcement rather than negative responses.

3. Provide formal feedback(e.g star charts) to reinforce positive behaviours.

4. Reward progress even if achievement does not meet standard requirements.

5. Remove tedious repetitive work.

How can Mr Chan Design a Specific Behaviour

Programmethat will consider Simon’s Self-

Esteem at the same time?

• Mr Chan can target Simon’s

undesirable behaviours such as

rocking the chair and running around

the class without permission and

come up with consistent

consequences – Mr Chan should

explain this Specific Behaviour

Programme to Simon in private.

• The consequences should not be

publicly humiliating as it might hurt his

self-esteem.

• Instead of reprimanding Simon in front

of the class and taking him by the

hand to the computer table, Mr Chan

should have given his feedback in

private.

• Mr Chan can privately warn Simon that his

behaviour is unacceptable is through the use

of hand signals. On the contrary, hand

signals can also provide positive feedback for

appropriate behaviour which will act as a

positive reinforcement for his behaviour.

• Mr Chan can also use a star chart in the

class for Simon to reinforce his positive

behaviour.

References

Cohen, L. G., & Spenciner, L. J. (2009). Teaching Students with Mild and Moderate Disabilities. New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Charles, C.M. (2005). Building classroom discipline (8th Ed.). New York: Allyn and Bacon.

Edwards, C.H. (2004). Classroom discipline and mangement (4th Ed.). New York: Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Kounin, J. S. (1970): Discipline and group management in classrooms. New York: Holt, Reinbhart and Winston. Inc

Elliot, Kratochwill, Cook & Travers, (2000). Educational psychology: Effective teaching, effective learning (3rd ed.) US: The McGraw-Hill Companies.

References

Nomanbhoy, D.M and Ng, K.H (2004) Learners with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders. In Lim, L. and Quah, M.M (Ed.) Educating learners with diverse abilities (pp.181-200). Singapore: McGraw-Hill Education (Asia).