Question
My 12-year-old son has dyslexia and ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder). He complains of being bored in school and hates doing any homework. The teacher says he is often “switched off” in the classroom, particularly during maths, Irish and English. She says he is very bright because he can make great contributions when discussing subjects he loves, such as history or science, though she does not have time to answer all his questions.
The psychologist who diagnosed him also assessed him as “twice exceptional” (children with exceptional ability but also a disability) and that he had high ability. I am worried that he is falling behind in school in the formal subjects and not reaching his full potential. How can I help him? Should I try to insist he does more homework? At the moment it feels like a real battle to get him to do any at all. Are there other ways to motivate him?
Answer
Many children with dyslexia or ADHD can struggle with formal learning in school and in the home. You are right to question continuing to do homework, especially if it has become an ongoing battle. Once homework becomes stressful, your son is not learning anything and such battles can turn him off education and damage his self-esteem.
As a result, it is important to take a step back and try to understand how he likes to learn and what motivates him. For example, traditional homework often involves lots of repetition such as doing similar maths problems over and over to ensure the concept is grasped. For ADHD, twice-exceptional children this could be off-putting – once they grasp a concept they might need increasing complexity to deepen their understanding or to see the concept applied in a new area that interests them so as to sustain their motivation. It is not that ADHD children are lazy or demotivated, it is just that their nervous system makes it difficult for them to learn when the material does not engage or interest them. Their mind can easily drift and day dream or attend to something else that is more engaging.
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The good news is that there is lot you can do to make learning more engaging for your son. Many writers use the acronym PINCH to describe different ways to motivate the ADHD mind that can be applied at home and in school:
Play Make learning fun and engaging by introducing games and play. For example, teach your son maths using a quiz or history through a whodunit story or science through mixing ingredients as you bake – whatever makes learning fun for your child.
Interest Follow your child’s curiosity in learning and answer the questions they ask. Use their passions and interests to expand their knowledge. Encourage reading about their favourite movie or think how you can incorporate problem-solving and maths into their beloved video games. Lots of twice-exceptional children love to learn about special subjects that are not part of the school curriculum such as neuroscience or coding (have a look at the curricula of the Centre for Talented Youth in DCU).
Novelty Novelty is a strong motivator for the ADHD mind. Rather than spending a long time on one subject, it can be better to spend short bursts punctuated by rewarding breaks and to change the subject often (especially as attention wanes). Also, introduce novelty by changing the learning method. Consider doing a “learn by doing” project or listening to a podcast instead of reading or learning/discussing subjects while walking outdoors or doing a field trip.
Competition or co-operation Sometimes competition can be really motivating for ADHD minds – “let’s see who can complete the sums in the fastest time” or “let’s see if you can beat your last score in this quiz”. Additionally, co-operating in a team and learning together can be really helpful for some ADHD children. While they can do the maths sums by themselves, having you nearby to listen or chat with them afterwards can sustain their attention.
Hurry Many ADHD children only do something when there is a pressure deadline – they might cram before an exam or not complete a task until the last minute. While this can be infuriating for some parents, you can make it work by agreeing interim deadlines with your child, such as completing one chapter by the weekend with a clear reward on finishing.
Additionally, identify your child’s sensory needs and how these interact with how they learn. In order to concentrate, some ADHD children need background music or to constantly fidget or move. Some need frequent movement breaks or learn best in alternative seating such as lying on a beanbag.
Supporting your child in school
Collaborate with the teacher to explore how your son’s learning can be better supported in the classroom. Identify first what is working, such as how he seems to learn better in interactive discussions (common for ADHD children). If he needs some extra attention, could the teacher put some time aside, as this would be highly motivating to him? When he is switched off, what strategies would help him reattend? Perhaps a short movement break or an interactive exercise could help. Given his diagnoses, your son should be entitled to resource teaching hours.
Perhaps he could be given some one-to-one time to support his learning challenges due to his dyslexia (his diagnosing psychologist might be able to make programme recommendations). Also, he could perhaps benefit from small group support and special project assignments to specifically challenge him in areas where he is academically strong.
- John Sharry is clinical director of the Parents Plus Charity and an adjunct professor at the UCD School of Psychology. He is author of several parenting books, including Positive Parenting and Parenting Teenagers. See solutiontalk.ie