Many students with ADHD have significant difficulties with organization.

They are more likely to respond positively when teachers establish class routines and set procedures and maintain a well-organized learning environment.

Clear rules and advanced planning are keys to success for teachers of students with ADHD.


The following organizational supports are particularly useful. Students should be taught to use these tools through teacher modeling and guided practice with feedback before being expected to use them more independently.

Assignment Notebook: Provide the student with an assignment notebook to help
organize homework and seatwork.

Color-Coded Folders: Provide the student with color-coded folders to help
organize assignments for different academic subjects.

Families are invaluable resources for teachers.

Websites: A homework website that provides assignments for the week is very helpful to
parents and guardians of students with ADHD. Class news regarding projects and the
week’s instructional topics can also be posted.


Homework Hotline: A homework hotline that gives the assignments for the night and
also provides helpful suggestions for completing them can help families support their
children’s work completion.

The culture of the classroom can either support or create barriers to student success (Piffner,
2011).

Factors that foster attention, positive behavior, and academic and social success include
establishing positive relationships with students, adopting classroom management techniques,
and creating a physical arrangement that facilitates learning.

It is often a positive relationship with one teacher that facilitates school success for a student
with ADHD (Piffner, 2011).

When teachers connect with students and appreciate their unique skills and interests, students are more likely to strive for achievement and positively respond to classroom rules and procedures.


When using a proactive approach to classroom management, teachers support all students and
create conditions that prepare them for learning (Piffner, 2011).

Some strategies for positive management include clear directions, meaningful feedback, and opportunities for collaboration with peers. Here are some others.

Opportunities to Respond
Students with ADHD often have the most trouble attending during drill-and-practice assignments because of the repetitive nature of the tasks. Peer-mediated approaches such as those enumerated in the next screens are particularly effective for students with ADHD in such cases, because they increase students’ opportunities for engagement and active learning (Piffner, 2011).