Tips and Tricks for English Learners with ADHD

In aiding learners with ADHD, it is important to bear in mind that profiles vary. Dr Choi Pui Meng, senior educational psychologist with the Ministry of Education highlights impulsivity - impatience and action without foresight - as the core target concern because it underlies the other areas of difficulty. 

Effective strategies target the three defining symptoms of ADHD: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Here are some:

1. Limit Distractions

In English Tuition classes, uncluttered and simple work spaces improve focus so put away unnecessary stationery and furniture. Eliminate ambient noise and access to electronic devices. A child should also be seated away from doors or windows to minimise external sources of distraction.

2. Use Visual and Audio Cues Selectively

Children with ADHD often fail to give close attention to key details or make careless mistakes. In verbal instruction, use pauses and alterations in tone or speed for emphasis. Instead of directives, gently guide learners to the next step in a task or in error analysis using concise questions (e.g., “what’s missing here?” or “what’s next?”).

In written material, bold and coloured text may improve attention to main points. Research also indicates the value of copying tasks to correct persistent word-spelling errors. After a copying task, a child with ADHD may be encouraged to use a highlighter to identify accents and duplicates, particularly in orthographically complex words. In one study, following the addition of colour to non-phonetically spelled words, students with ADHD even outperformed peers without ADHD and who were otherwise matched for ability.

3. Movement Breaks and Fidget Tools

To combat hyperactivity, give children with ADHD opportunities to move at regular intervals. Breaks could be framed as rewards for completing chunks of a longer task.

Set a timer to keep breaks and task segments in check. For younger learners, consider adapting techniques from the evidence-based Total Physical Response method, such as the use of funny Simon-Says-style commands. These encourage the release of tension, allow students to refocus between tasks and provide fun practice in strengthening patience and attentiveness.

Fidget tools such as spinners, Koosh Balls and squishy toys may also be helpful. They offer a quiet and inconspicuous alternative to noisy and disruptive movement like pen-clicking or rocking in a chair.

4. Self-Monitoring Procedures

Task checklists offer children with ADHD a visual guide of expectations. Children can be taught self-instructional questioning strategies (e.g., “what is my problem?”, “what is my plan?”, “am I following my plan?” and “how did I do?”).

One study indicated that productivity and accuracy increased three-fold when a mirror was placed such that a child could view himself as he works. In fact, this task persistence strategy was found to impact children with ADHD more than those without ADHD precisely because they were more likely to look at the mirror out of distractedness. In reinforcing positive behavior, self-administering a reward (e.g., stickers or stars) or self-evaluating has been found to positively impact on-task attention, accuracy and boost motivation so that more practice problems are attempted.

5. Reading Comprehension Tips

Children with ADHD have more difficulty recalling the central ideas in a passage, which impairs the quality of their reading comprehension. They struggle with sustaining the attention to connect ideas in a longer text and to form a coherent mental representation.

To encourage focus, a child may use a ruler or bookmark to slide down the page as each line is read. Subvocalising – reading aloud but softly – can also allow children with ADHD to follow textual details more closely. The auditory input helps the child to recognise the meaning of words or phrases more easily and better retain what is read. This also reduces the cognitive load and challenge of the task.

Parents may use think-alouds in shared reading and discussion activities (e.g., “why did the kids in the story act like that?” or “how did that make the girl feel?”). Think-alouds hone a child’s ability to monitor his or her comprehension and can be highly enjoyable and effective when practised in the casual setting of the family home. This complements the active reading strategies used in Primary English Enrichment lessons at Write Edge. In active reading, students are guided to identify and underline key words and signposts, annotate in the margins to summarise main ideas, raise critical-thinking questions and track an argument or plot. We offer the primary English comprehension to students who lack understanding of words, letters, and sentence structure.

ADHD students benefit from the social learning in whole-class discussions or tuition, where teacher and peers model how they make sense of a passage. Regular practice with explicit guidance and support ensures that these skills become reflexive.

Remember that the key to successfully executing these strategies is perseverance. Stay positive!