Various Methods of Assessing ADHD Symptoms and Their Impact on Special Needs Educators
23rd April 2020
It is essential for every educator to cater to the development of the students, whether they are adults or children in terms of their abilities to understand whatever is being taught in the class. In this respect, an educator, especially the one who deals with students who have special needs, can look forward to implement a few methods that can be beneficial for them in order to identify the students who have ADHD. In the following lines, we will look into how the implementation of these methods can help the learners of the comprehensive online shadow teacher training courses can help in the assessment of the ADHD symptoms, which eventually can be helpful in the identification of the students with special needs.
In this respect, however, the learner of an online shadow teacher training course needs to keep in mind that the symptoms of ADHD, such as concentration problems and hyperactivity, can get confused with other disorders and medical problems, including that of learning disabilities and emotional issues, which need totally different treatments. Just because it seems like ADHD does not mean it is, and this is where the methods for a thorough assessment of the symptoms of ADHD is important.
ADHD varies from person to person, so there are a number of criteria to help the educators identify the students with the symptoms. In this regard, as a parent, it is important to be open and honest with the educators and the institution who are responsible for the evaluation so that the educators can reach the most accurate conclusion about whether the students have symptoms of ADHD or not, which is of utmost importance for the future special needs educators who are currently pursuing an online shadow teacher training course.
To be identified with ADHD, a particular student must display a few strong ADHD hallmark symptoms, namely hyperactivity, impulsivity, or inattention. The teaching professional in charge of his/her studies should be assessing the problem with the prevalence of the following factors.
1. The severity of the symptoms
A teacher needs to understand how severe or deep rooted the symptoms of ADHD are in a student. This is needed for the educator to understand as he/she will be able to provide the right kind of education to the student given the severity of the ADHD symptoms present in that particular student.
2. The starting of the symptoms
It is essential for the educator to understand the starting point or the age level at which the student started to have the symptoms of ADHD in him/her. This also helps an educator to assess the situation beforehand and assist the student right way.
3. The appearance of the symptoms
The educator needs to understand after due consultation with the parents and the students where and when do the symptoms occur. This is something which needs to be assessed so that the educator can plan his/her actions for the student with ADHD well in advance and develop lesson plans adequately.
There are a number of symptoms of ADHD and it is important for the learners of the comprehensive online shadow teacher training courses to be able to assess them properly and keep a keen eye on the students and educate them accordingly when they start teaching in the future. In the following lines, we will have a look at some of them.
A student, especially a child, is expected to be diagnosed with ADHD once when he/she
- Often fails to provide close attention to detail or makes mistakes
- Often has difficulty obtaining attention while completing tasks or partaking in activities
- Often does not seem to pay attention to when spoken to directly
- Often does not follow through with instructions and fails to understand how to finish schoolwork or workplace duties
- Often has difficulty while organizing tasks and activities
- Often avoids, dislikes or is reluctant to engage in activities that require sustained mental effort and concentration
- Loses materials necessary for various types of tasks or activities
- Is easily distracted by external stimuli
- Is often forgetful while doing daily activities
- Often fidgets with or plays and taps hands and feet, or squirms in seat
- Often leaves seat in situations when he/she is expected to remainseated
- Often unable to play or engage in leisure activities all on his/her own
- Often runs and climbs in inappropriate situations or feel restless
- Is often “on the go,” acting as if he/she is “driven by a motor”
- Often blurts out answers even before a question is completed
- Often has difficulty to wait for their turn
- Often interrupts other kids or people or intrudes on them
- Often speaks excessively
All the aforementioned symptoms could be the sign of student having ADHD and the educators, especially those who are currently pursuing a course in online shadow teacher training need to be aware of these symptoms. This not only helps in the delivery of proper education to the students with ADHD when the newly trained teachers start their career, it also helps in the development of the overall teaching-learning procedure.
