Remember Not to Forget
A working memory deficit could explain his difficulty working out math problems in his head or with reading retention. Take this self-test.
Improve working memory in children with ADHD by using these 10 exercises that lighten the mental load by externalizing reminders.
Learn faster. Retain more. Perform better on tests. Yes, really. With these research-based techniques for studying with ADHD .
Educators must do more to support students with learning differences for whom working memory is an area of need. The following are a few strategies and pointers for educators.
Research shows that students with ADHD don’t need to study harder or longer to conquer exams — they just need to study differently. Here’s how.
Weak working memory impairs a child’s ability to follow multi-step directions, tap into old information, or quickly recall lessons. These 15 exercises and strategies can help.
Verbal and non-verbal working memory are two essential batteries powering what Dr. Russell Barkley calls your brain’s GPS system — the one that keeps you on track, on time, and in control. Learn how to keep them charged.
Build Self-Confidence at School
Responding to bad behavior with neurotypical parenting techniques is counterproductive because it ignores the root problem. Here is a better way.
When teens with ADHD feel less than adequate, parents should use these strategies to help them bolster their self confidence, make healthy choices, and develop a positive perspective on the future. Here’s how.
Daily challenges and corrections at school can demoralize a child and trample her confidence. How to end the cycle.
These ADHD teaching strategies will help all students — but especially those with ADD — learn to the best of their ability in any classroom. Get started.
No child with ADHD can succeed at school if he believes he is less smart or less capable than his peers. Here is a better way.
Many children with ADHD, battered by daily criticisms and admonitions, have low self-esteem as early as second grade. Make a powerful difference with these reframing strategies.
Chronic stress at school can make kids (particularly those with ADHD or LD) dread going — and change their brains for the worse. Learn more.
Organize & Manage Time
The most critical tool for building these executive functions? The right planner. Here it is.
Want to make sure that your child gets his homework done every night — and learns about planning and how to prioritize? Teach them to use a homework planner.
11 tips for cementing your family’s routine.
Here, learn how to use calendars and clocks to teach your child the value of strong priorities and to help him be on time more often.
Paper planners outperform digital ones for ADHD brains. Here is what makes a great planner.
Chaotic desk? Forgotten homework? Missed deadlines? Your child needs these ADHD organizing tips.
Reliable schedules for mornings, after school, and bedtime make a tremendous difference in setting expectations, building good habits, and improving ADD-related behavior. Learn more.
Resist Distractions and Focus
dopamine menu lists an assortment of pleasurable, healthy activities — from appetizers like yoga poses to main courses like a HIIT class to sides like white noise — from which ADHD brains can choose when they need stimulation. Learn more.
Research shows that physical activity — even a little foot-tapping or gum chewing — increases levels of the neurotransmitters in the brain that control focus and attention. Learn more.
“Procrastivity” is a self-defeating ADHD time-management habit can be helped by cognitive behavioral therapy approaches that teach patients how to prioritize tasks. Learn more here.
You can’t train away executive dysfunction. But you can more consistently get things done by creating systems in your life that support these brain processes. Get started here.
Soothing, effective fidgets for students with ADHD who focus best when they are chewing, squeezing, picking, or — yes — spinning. See our picks here.
Children with ADHD experience a lower level of brain arousal, which means they are easily distracted by internal and external stimuli. Use these school and home strategies to improve focus and comprehension.
For inconsistent focus, use these teacher-approved accommodations to put some real muscle behind his 504 Plan and put the attention back on learning. Get started.
Control Impulses and Behavior
Back-to-school supplies for students with ADHD — from erasable pens and highlighter tape to wiggle seat cushions, and more — that improve focus, organization, and classroom engagement. See the list.
Educators share their top tips for developing stronger executive function skills and independence in students with ADHD and learning differences here.
The Good Behavior Game is one of many classroom behavior interventions — backed by research — that inspires better behavior from students with and without ADHD. Here is how to play.
Is your child experiencing behavior problems at school? Use this step-by-step guide.
Time-outs and lectures won’t magically cure the impulsive tendencies of kids with ADHD. But these real-world tips for teachers and parents just might.
Lack of impulse control may be the most difficult ADHD symptom to change. Medication can help, but kids also need effective behavior management strategies in place — clear expectations, positive incentives, and predictable consequences — if they are to learn to regulate their behavior. Get started here.
Teach students to regulate their emotions with these ADHD strategies.
Forge Stronger Executive Functions
Executive function deficits may look like absentmindedness or forgetfulness. Learn more.
Learn about your child’s seven executive functions — and how to boost them.
“Executive dysfunction is ubiquitous in children with ADHD, which helps to explain why so many students with attention deficit are reprimanded for forgotten homework, disorganized projects, running out of time on tests, and more.” Learn more.
Martial arts help build self-control, discipline, and persistence. Learn how.
Symptoms of inattentive ADHD are often mistaken for apathy or laziness. Learn the truth.
ADHD intentions don’t always translate into action. Learn how to align them here.
90% of kids with ADHD have an executive function deficit. Learn how to strengthen executive functions here.