Maximizing Online Learning for Students with ADHD
Online learning is especially hard on kids with ADHD. Whether your student is homeschooling, distance learning, or you’re just looking for additional tools to help with online organizational and virtual learning skills, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)’s video series is a great resource to help.
The nonprofit partnered with the University of Maryland ADHD Program to develop a set of videos called TOOLS (Teaching Online Organizational and Virtual Learning Skills). These free videos, which are each accompanied by an online handout, feature very short animated clips for students to better understand the vital skills needed to thrive mentally, emotionally, and academically. Here are some highlights from the 11 videos currently available:
Available Resources for Online Learning with ADHD:
#1: What is Behavioral Activation?
This video teaches students about the correlation between the things you do and how you feel or think about yourself and other people. It includes tips on identifying what’s important to you, setting goals, and getting assistance and accountability from others.
#2: How to Use a Calendar System
Is your student looking for tips to set up a calendar system in order to plan ahead for assignments, tests, and other important and fun activities? Find out how to download a calendar app, determine important dates and activities, and add them to your calendar.
#3: Creating a Home Workspace
Setting up an organized space can help your student stay focused, finish schoolwork faster, know where things are, and feel calmer. Encourage them to watch this video to learn more about minimizing distractions, keeping materials together and packing up and storing everything in the same place.
Click here to learn more about training focus & building attention skills >>
#4: How to Manage Emotions
For kids or teens who can benefit from some tips on emotional regulation, this video offers steps that include writing down what makes them angry, recognizing how emotions manifest in the body, and a breathing exercise to calm their body and mind.
#5: Tips for Communicating with Parents
Finding a balance between independence and asking for help when you need it can be tricky for kids and teens. Takeaways from this video include ways to ask for and receive support from parents, the importance of “checking in” with others for good mental and emotional help, and why communication with parents or guardians is vital.
#6: Staying Connected with Friends
Although we don’t need to socially distance anymore, the tips in the video still apply for kids and teens to maintain connections with friends. It also points out the importance of regular sunlight exposure to absorb vitamin D, an essential vitamin for optimal health.
#7: Prioritizing What’s Important
While many adults make to-do lists to ensure they’re using their time well and prioritizing important tasks, kids and teens often need a little nudge. This video encourages students to make task lists, weigh the importance of each task alongside deadlines, and determine the importance of non-academic activities (such as spending time with friends or going for a run).
Have a child who struggles with organization, time management, and breaking down tasks into manageable chunks? It could be because their executive functioning skills are weak. Learn more.
#8: Creating Daily Routines
Routines can help turn behaviors into habits and even chores and boring tasks can feel easier if they’re on autopilot. Students who watch this video can learn about chunking blocks of time for tasks and activities, scheduling them into your day, and using alarms and reminders.
#9: How to Sleep Better
A good night’s rest is one of the simplest ways to improve your mood, reduce stress, and help you stay focused in school. Although parents are often sharing the same advice, this video empowers students to learn about the importance of sleep—and tips to create healthy sleep habits—on their own.
#10: Breaking Down Assignments & Tasks
Big academic projects can feel especially daunting, but this video teaches students how to break down large assignments into smaller steps to make them more manageable. Tips include determining how long each step will take and planning ahead by adding subtasks along the way.
#11: Tackling Unhelpful Thoughts
Almost everyone has gotten trapped into a bad mood, anxiety, stress, or negative thinking due to unhelpful thoughts. This video helps students understand the connections between thoughts, emotion, and behaviors. It also teaches kids and teens how to identify unhelpful thoughts and then challenge them with questions.
