Working with ADD Adult Learners
We’re prepping to step out into uncharted waters, and so I thought I’d post this out and see who’s reading still - and tap into your networked intel.
My small company has started working with an adult student with ADD, and I’d like to toss out some ideas that I got from research I’ve been doing on the matter. Please tell me what you think, and if you have other ideas on the matter - do chime in on the comments. Thank you!
Source:http://www.livingwithadd.com/
Traits that could work in our favor:
1. ADD does not mean "unable to learn." It means teachers must find a way in and reach the student.
2. Teachers should look for ways to take advantage of and unleash creativity. I’ve interviewed this student and spoken to him several times. His office has many small statues of famous musicians, cool jazz instruments, and - changing topic - sports items. (He’s an intense soccer fan.) Having read the bit on livingwithadd.com, the creativity part seems to make some sense here.
3. Gut feelings and Intuition - how could teachers tap into this? From what I’ve heard about the ADD client we want to work with, he has a reputation of operating from the gut. I wonder how/if this could be tapped in the ESL classroom. Perhaps trying to anticipate how grammar will work?
4. Holding interest is a big battle we must win. Learning a language is a long term quest - and a successful teacher working with an ADD student will need to learn how to market their stuff REALLY, REALLY well. And on a regular basis. I’ve heard this student say - on several occasions - that he’s just not good at learning languages. Perhaps what he’s really saying is that he’s just not been engaged in the right way?
5. Class material must be deemed important by the student to be paid attention to. The guy’s office is —well, it looks like a small bomb went off. Piles of stuff everywhere. EVERYWHERE. What does that look like in the ESL classroom? Is there something here against strict classroom rules or learning pathways? Should there be more freedom instead? More - wandering?
6. Time not mattering much. That’s bad news. This guy notoriously arrives late for class - or sometimes doesn’t show at all. Could this be that his concept of time has been altered for the moment? What does this mean for typical classrooms? How long could he hang in there and focus? Would short, high concentrated bursts throughout the day work better?
7. Very important: help create a strong sense of accomplishment - and on a regular basis. Create short work projects with clear objectives, and then help student realize that they have actually accomplished that task with they finish. Create clearn starting and ending markers.
Those are some of my thoughts…what do you think?
Hmmn. Are you teaching him 1:1? If not and his ADD is severe I think you are in for a struggle. If he is working 1:1 then it will be a hassle and quite an interesting experience. If you can find something that interests him he will likely be very focused for quite a while - then suddenly lose it. Don’t have much of a fixed plan - more of a menu of ideas and don’t be upset if he just won’t do some stuff. Don’t try to reason with him and explain why he has to do XYZ - just have a lot of useful exercises.
I have taught a few mildly ‘ADD’ or ‘Auspergers’ people in classes, and known a few socially.
The main issue with ADD is a total lack of social skills and empathy. This would make group work a real nuisance. One place I worked at had a long term Japanese student with ADD…if she didn’t want to do the activity she was capable of just opening her (electronic) dictionary and looking up irrelevant words for 20 minutes at a time!
You have obviously thought this over and have the main points covered - just put on your thickest skin and make sure he pays for all classes, regardless of whether he is late, leaves early or cancels.
Comment by Andy Mallory — March 24, 2009 @ 8:09 pm
Hi Andy,
Thanks a million for your thoughts - I really appreciate that you took some time to share your experiences with me. The class will be 1:1 - so I think that would be to our advantage. I really enjoyed your idea of having a “menu” of work to do. I think that’s a great place to start. (Allow freedom to find just the right flavor of work.) This idea of having a sort of buffet style class rings true for me with this guy.
So thank you very much for your thoughts Andy- You helped confirm a direction I was thinking about moving in.
Comment by Aaron Nelson — March 25, 2009 @ 9:11 am
No experience with this, I’m afraid. My question would be whether reproducing the messy style of his office in the teaching style (lots of post it notes instead of a notebook, very spidery mind maps etc) would suit him or just be more of a bad learning style he could do without???
Comment by Alex Case — April 18, 2009 @ 9:42 am
I am an adult with ADHD, and I find your post quite interesting and informative. One comment I would like to make is that one way that I am able to learn is onlin, because I am able to maintain constant interaction. As long as I am able to receive informaton, preferably through audio as well as written, and I am able to do something with it immediately, my attention remains focused on what I am learning. Small groups are an easy way to maintain people engaged on the task, but the class must be always interactive.
Comment by Marcela Salido — June 8, 2010 @ 8:42 am