ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

By: Annalisa Mazzarello, Paige Kellner,
Jillian Singer, & Alessia Zaino
What is ADHD?
● Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
● May show signs in one or all categories -- Executive function.
○ May be easily distracted and have trouble focusing (inattentive) [ADD]
○ Fidgetty, restless, or easily bored (hyperactive)
○ Acting before they think (impulsive)
● Diagnosed by a doctor
● Cause? Lifelong condition.
○ Neurobiological disorder that is noticed in preschool or early grades.
○ High familial and has a genetic basis
● Treatment: medicine, behavior therapy, parent coaching, school support
● Be involved
What is it like to
live with ADHD?
Case Study - Tyson Andrews, 9 years old, ADHD
Name: Tyson Andrews
Age: 9 years old
Gender: Boy
Medicated: Yes
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Grade: 3
School: Riverdale Public School
Family: Mom, Dad, and sister Maddie (11 years old)
Friends: 2 good friends - John & Liam
Socio-economic Status: Upper Middle Class
Connection to Community: Plays hockey
A typical school day for Tyson Andrews
● Wakes up at 6am, eats breakfast, and is given his medication
● Gets dropped off at before care at his school at 7am, school starts at 8:30am
● Typically is tired and has low energy in the morning
● First two blocks of the day is Math and Language, Last two blocks is Science, Health/ Gym,
and French
● As the day progresses, Tyson’s medication wears off, resulting in disruptful behaviour and a
lack of attention
● Struggles to pay attention, appears to not be listening, has trouble starting tasks he is not
interested in & appears to be easily distracted or forgetful
● Two body breaks each day with an EA. Tyson gets to choose from the following: sensory
room, body exercises, read a book, do a puzzle, or draw
● Most days Tyson’s behaviour results in disruption of the class - i.e. making loud noises,
throwing books on the floor, not doing any class work
● Tyson goes home and spends his night watching TV, drawing, or playing lego. He is given
medication before bed which results in him staying up until 10pm each night.
Individual Education Plan
Ministry Legislation

● Charter of Rights and Freedoms

● Special Education in Ontario

● Caring and Safe Schools in Ontario

● Growing Success - Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario

Schools

● Supporting Minds - An Educator’s Guide to Promoting Students’ Mental

Health and Well-Being
 Universal Design & Differentiated Instruction

While Universal Design for Learning provides the teacher with broad principles
for planning, differentiated instruction allows teachers to address specific skills
and difficulties (Ontario, 2013).

To differentiate instruction is to recognize students’ varying levels of

background knowledge, readiness to learn, language ability, learning
preferences, interests, and to react responsively (Ontario, 2013).
 Universal Design for Learning & Differentiated Instruction
used in Phys. Ed. Lesson
Tyson in Phys. Ed. Class:
● Ask to help set up the gym activity
● Learns best when he sees the activity modelled for him
● Volunteer Tyson to model the activity with other students and/or the
teacher
● Instructions should be repeated and simplified
● Ask to repeat back the instructions
● Set Tyson up for challenges to keep him focused
● Incorporate physical activity that requires concentration and sequencing of
behaviours as warm-up and/or cool-down
● Partner with a positive peer role model for cooperative activities
● Teacher uses close proximity and eye contact to decrease behaviour
● Utilize bright and textured balls and equipment to hold attention
 Teacher Resource - Meditative Mindfulness for ADHD
The purpose of this resource is to equip students diagnosed with ADHD with the
skills to improve emotional regulation and behaviour.
Breathing Exercise
Four-Square Breathing
Place one hand on your chest and the
other on your belly.
Inhale deeply through your nose for
a count of four, making sure your
belly is expanding and not your
chest. Exhale through your mouth for
a count of four.
Continue this breathing cycle for a
few minutes.
Students can use this technique when
they want to feel calm and focused.
Movement Exercise
Holding the Heat
When you are mad and want to calm down, start by
standing still and taking three mindful me breaths. Rub
your hands together until you feel heat. Then hold your
palms in front of you and imagine you are holding a ball
of this heat. The ball is the energy of your anger.

Breathe in, pull your hands apart,and imagine the ball

expanding. Breathe out and see it contract. Your hands
move in and out as you breathe. You can rub your hands
together again when you want to feel more heat. Shake
out your hands to release any leftover tension.

By now, some of the student’s emotional energy may have

dispersed, and they may feel calmer or more willing to talk
about their anger with someone they trust.
Mindfulness Exercise