This week in CEP 812, we researched specific learning disorders and struggles that educators must be aware of to approach instruction. The learning disorder I researched was Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). This is a learning disorder that I see when teaching in many sections I teach. This disorder is very prevalent in our society, but it can be combatted with effective instruction if the teacher understands the impact on the student.
This week, we were tasked with outlining the key facts about what is understood about the learning disability. We were then supposed to research strategies and solutions for the problems that this learning disorder brings to the classroom. And finally, we were to find a technology tool that can help supplement instruction and support instruction for this learning challenge.
The technology tool I chose to use is: Text2MindMap.com. This tool is a way to turn a list of terms or notes into a visual aid. This is helpful for students with ADHD because of their inability to organize their thoughts. This tool is helpful in making connections of concepts, prewriting for an essay, and studying notes.
Here is my Screencast about the use and benefits of Text2MindMap in classrooms with students with ADHD.
Click Here to view my Essay.
References:
DeRuvo, S. L. (2009). Strategies for teaching adolescents with ADHD: Effective classroom techniques across the content areas. San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass.
Wheeler, L. (2010). The ADHD toolkit. Los Angeles: SAGE.
Brock, S. E., Jimerson, S. R., & Hansen, R. L. (2009). Identifying, assessing, and treating ADHD at school. Dordrecht: Springer.
Nigg, J. T. (2006). What causes ADHD?: Understanding what goes wrong and why. New York: Guilford Press.
United States., & National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). (2006). ADHD fact sheet. Bethesda, Md.: Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.
Ratey, J. J., & Hagerman, E. (2008). Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. New York: Little, Brown.
Winning in Education 
Hi Vincent,
I really enjoyed reading your whitepaper on ADHD. In my second grade class many of my students have been diagnosed with this impairment, while others have shown many of the symptoms that you had discussed in your research paper. I think you made a really important point that teachers need to recognize the tendencies of students who suffer from ADHD and that these students are actually not lazy or “bad kids.” I believe teachers can get easily upset when students are not following immediate directions or act impulsively. As you mentioned, these actions may not necessarily be how these students want to act. In my classroom I have many students who are reluctant to write and put their ideas down on paper because they find it extremely difficult to organize and transfer their ideas. Therefore, I think your screencast of Text2MindMap is awesome! I can easily learn and navigate the site in order to learn how to use it. I can also see how students would love to use this tool and be able to learn from it as well. This piece of technology would allow all students, especially students suffering from ADHD, a way to gather their ideas, group them together, make and observe connections, in a organized and colorful way!
Emily
Vinnie,
I really enjoyed reading your essay! I wrote an essay on ADHD and the benefits of the tool Kahoot! to engaging students with ADHD. Coming from another secondary educator’s perspective, I really appreciated what you said here: “I teach social studies to high school and I have found that creating a positive learning environment centered on the learner versus around the content is vital for success of students with learning disabilities. ”
You hit the nail on the head in that sentence. It is so easy to get frustrated with students who are afflicted by ADHD and similar disorders because of the amount of classroom disruption that can be caused. Maintaining a positive learning environment, where students can see that you are invested and excited about what you are teaching, makes it easier to engage students in that content. The fact of the matter is that students with these disabilities do not always have parents who are willing to take their children to the doctor about them. In that case, we have no choice but to do right by them and share our love for teaching and content.
Thanks for sharing!
Jamie