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Dear [member_name_first],
April is National Poetry Month established by the Academy
of American Poets in 1996 to bring attention to this
literary art form. Help your students celebrate by
introducing them to great poets from
Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost
to Walt Whitman and William Shakespeare. A number of
creative learning activity ideas for
students PreK to 8th grade can be found on the Scholastic
website. You can also find a
list of Recommended poetry books for kids of all
ages on the Reading
Rockets website. You could also
teach students about different types of poetry
from Haiku and Limerick to Rhyme and Metaphor unit
poems on the Teacher Vision
website as well as a list of
student activities and craft projects you can use
in your classroom to enhance student's appreciation
of poetry. And finally, check out the Poetry Express
website, full of terrific information
all about poetry.
Strategies
for Teaching Youth with ADD and ADHD
Dr. Tom McIntyre
 The
research literature has identified classroom characteristics
that promote success for students with ADD and ADHD.
Predictability, structure, short working periods,
a small teacher-to-pupil ratio, individualized instruction,
an interesting curriculum, and lots of positive reinforcement
are all important to student progress. Researchers
have also identified optimal teacher characteristics.
They include positive academic expectations, personal
warmth, patience, humor, consistency, firmness, frequent
monitoring of student work, and knowledge of behavior
management strategies. Below,
you will find specific strategies for accomplishing
different goals.
Behavior
Management Strategies
• Develop
good rapport with the student. ADD/ADHD youngsters
are more likely to respond to emotional connections
than contingent consequences.
• Ignore
as much of the negative behavior as possible.
• If
you get a lot of defiant or oppositional behavior,
review how often you say negative things and give
commands to the youngster. Kids who hear too many
negatives and commands will shut off the person they
come from. Get positive, encourage the youngster,
focus on progress (however small), etc.
• Give
your attention to appropriate behaviors.
• Prompt
the correct behavior and verbally reinforce it frequently.
• Provide
opportunities for physical movement (e.g., erasing
the blackboard, running errands, distributing and
collecting materials), and build physical activities
into the daily schedule.
• Encourage
parents to build physical activity into the youngster's
out-of-school schedule. If social rewards/reinforcement
is insufficient to bring about the desired behavior,
pair social recognition with earned activities or
tangible reinforcers.
• Use
progress charts and other visual records of behavior
to encourage more appropriate behavior. Use colorful
charts and cards to motivate the youngster and recognize
effort.
• Move
nearer to the student when s/he becomes restless.
Offer verbal encouragement or touch. When misbehavior
occurs (or threatens to occur),
move closer and soften your voice.
• Assign
a capable "study buddy" who can remind and
assist the active or disorganized
student.
• Assign
duties that require self-control (e.g., line leader,
materials distributor). Prepare the youngster for
the duty, encourage him/her, and reinforce him/her
during and after that activity/task.
• Implement
differential reinforcement procedures (see Dr. Mac's
home page--url below).
• Teach
self management of behavior
Click
here
to read the full text of this article
(word format).
Visit Dr. McIntyre's website: www.behavioradvisor.com
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