Six Proven Classroom Accommodations for ADHD and LD Students

According to an article on AdditudeMag.com, the following six accommodations are most effective for ADHD and/or LD children:

1. Seating the student near the teacher and away from doors and windows.
2. Allowing a student to tape-record assignments.
3. Providing the child with a note-taking partner.
4. Giving a lighter homework load.
5. Granting extra time for test-taking.
6. Letting the student run occasional errands for the teacher.

My eleven year old ADHD/LD son is currently using four of these accommodations.  He is seated close to the "core of instruction."  This has been an effective way to help keep him focused.  His teachers also give him a lighter homework load.  Instead of twenty spelling words each week, he has ten.  Instead of thirty math problems, he is only required to complete the even numbered ones.  This reduced homework has really helped ease his homework stress. 

He is also given extra time to take all of his tests.  He is usually taken to a separate room {along with a few of his classmates who also have ADHD/LD} to complete his tests.  This allows him to concentrate better as it is quieter.  The teacher or aide also reads each test aloud to him as reading is one of his learning disabilities.

Finally, the teachers are all kind enough to let my son run quick errands for them... taking the lunch count to the cafeteria, picking up copied material in the copy room, etc.  This allows him to use up some of his built up energy and also helps to increase his self-esteem as well.  He is most pleased that the teachers trust him enough to carry out their requests.

We have not tried using the other two accommodations, tape recording and a note-taking partner.  For now, each child in his class has an assignment notebook that they write their daily assignments in.  The teacher writes the assignments on the board and the students copy them into their notebook.  This has worked great at helping him get a Little more organized.  A note-taking partner isn't necessary at this stage either.  Since he is only in the fifth grade, there really is no note-taking yet.  This may be an option we use in the near future though.