Caitlyn Hellard

What is ADHD? ADHD stands for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. It’s a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects both children and adults. 

What causes ADHD? There isn’t one single cause for ADHD. It can be genetic or it can be caused by environmental factors. If you notice a child with these symptoms, maybe think about having them diagnosed by a doctor.

What are the effects of ADHD? The effects of ADHD can vary from person to person. In children some common effects include often having trouble paying attention, sitting still, or finishing tasks and controlling impulse behaviours.

Misconceptions about ADHD: 

- "Reading difficulties and ADHD tend to occur together, but they are not the same thing."

- "The term ADD is no longer used, and everyone with this disorder now falls under the catch-all category of ADHD."

https://www.readingrockets.org/helping-all-readers/neurodiversity-and-children-learning-differences/children-adhd#symptoms-of-adhd

Signs & Symptoms of ADHD: There are many symptoms and signs that a child may have ADHD. For example, difficulty holding attention to tasks or activities, failing to pay close attention to details, has trouble organizing tasks or activities, is easily distracted, forgetting daily activities, standing up or leaving a seat when they are expected to sit, talking excessively, blurting out the answer to things, trouble waiting their turn. These are all common symptoms of ADHD.

Some Classroom Strategies, Tips & Tools: For readers with ADHD, it’s a good idea to have a comfortable and quiet place in the classroom for reading. Also, giving students body breaks like stretching or walking around can help with ADHD. 

Brain-based learning strategies focus on how the brain processes, stores, and retrieves information. These approaches help all students—especially those who struggle with memory, attention, or processing—by making learning more efficient, engaging, and accessible.

What causes?

​​Students may face learning challenges when working memory capacity is limited, when too much information is presented at once (high cognitive load), or when they don’t get opportunities to actively retrieve what they’ve learned. Developmental differences, stress, distractions, or unclear instruction can all make it harder for the brain to process and retain information.

What are the effects?

When these challenges aren’t addressed, students may forget key steps, become overwhelmed, lose confidence, and disengage from learning. Conversely, using brain-based strategies improves focus, long-term memory, motivation, and overall academic success for diverse learners.

Misconceptions:

“Memory can’t be improved.” → In reality, memory skills can be strengthened through explicit strategy instruction.

“More content = more learning.” → Overloading students actually hinders understanding.

“Reviewing notes is enough.” → Passive review is less effective than active retrieval.

“All students learn the same way.” → Students have different cognitive strengths and needs that require varied approaches.

Signs & Symptoms:

Difficulty following multi-step directions

Forgetting recently learned material

Losing track of where they are in a task

Appearing distracted or overwhelmed

Relying heavily on teacher reminders or visual cues

Some Classroom Strategies, Tips & Tools:

Working Memory Supports (Efremkin, 2025): Chunk information, use visuals, build routines, and teach memory tricks like visualization.

Retrieval Practice (Magnan, 2025): Use short recall tasks, exit tickets, or “brain dumps” to strengthen memory over time.

Reducing Cognitive Load (Kelleher, 2022): Simplify directions, model thinking, scaffold tasks, and remove unnecessary distractions.

Universal Tools: Graphic organizers, anchor charts, verbal rehearsal, spaced review, and reflection journals.