Attention

=Jeff Assignment 3=

1. Teaching Children with Attention Deficit Disorder Kid Source Online http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/add.html

Description: This site is dedicated to breaking down techniques for recognizing and teaching students with ADHD. It defines ADHD and lists the symptoms that must be identified in order to diagnose a student with ADHD. The site also provides a detailed outline that teachers can use in order to help students who struggle with ADHD and their learning. For example, the site gives suggestions about how to create a learning environment where the ADHD student can be successful. It also lists techniques that teachers can use in order to better engage students as well as how to shape assignments that will help them be successful in your class. Finally, the site also addresses how to address students behaviors and how to constructively modify them so as not to be disruptive to your class, while at the same time maintaining the students self-esteem.

2. ADHD Basics LD Online http://www.ldonline.org/adhdbasics

Description: LD online is an excellent source for information about all types of learning disabilities. It provides information and guidance for teachers, parents, and students about how to identify, work with and support students coping with their individual LD. The link above brings you to their ADHD basics page, which has a series of articles that provide answers to the more frequently asked questions surrounding this controversial issue in education. As a new parent I was particularly interested in the article discussing Your ADHD Child and School. In this article the focus is on empowering the parents to be informed about the condition allowing parents to become strong advocates for their students in school. Another particular article of interest dealt with Adults with ADHD. After self-diagnosing myself and analyzing my behaviors, I felt thankful that I did fall into the category of being involved in frequent car accidents. Overall, I found the article and the site detailed, helpful and informative about ADHD and its effects on learning.

3. CHADD http://www.chadd.org/

Description: CHADD is another site dedicated to providing information on the subject of ADHD. It has links to the fundamental information about the condition but also has links to support services and conferences you apply and go to receive training. For me as an educator it is important to be given the opportunity to attend conferences or training. With better understanding and methods at my disposal I can apply these to the class for the benefit of not just those with ADHD but all my students. I have found that these techniques for students with poor attention help to engage all my students, each with a variety of learning styles.

4. New technology offers help for ADHD students http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=35899&CFID=20957868&CFTOKEN=30575483

Description: This article talks about an assistive technology called “Play Attention” designed to use students’ brain waves to interact with computer software. Simple stated by the company’s CEO, “What this does is make attention concrete," says Peter Freer, founder and CEO of Unique Logic and Technology, the solution's creator. "It takes [attention] out of the abstract realm. ... It's the first time in [users' lives] that they actually see an attentive state as it happens.” Imagine if you could create a piece of hardware that functions based on the students brain function. This is seems like science fiction but think of the future generations of the evolution of this hardware. Instead of using your brain to convey messages to the computer you reverse the process and transfer information from the computer to you brain.

5. Technology for Education http://www.tfeinc.com/shop/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=2

Description: This is a commercial site that provides a catalogue of computer software packages that focus on improving students’ attention. The software targets the audio and visual difficulties that students have with attention and gives them some drill and practice on how to focus these skills within the computer game format the software advertises. Personally, I am always very skeptical about these programs that claim they help to improve a certain skill but do not seem to have any hard data that support the effectiveness. Like any new educational tool I purchase it can be a hit or miss experience.

The Best Software and Gadgets for ADHD Students http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/6585.html

Description: This article includes a series of links describing different “Software and Gadgets” that will help engage students with deficits in attention. There are two things I found useful about this site. First, it breaks down the different gadgets into subject matter (i.e. Reading, Math, Writing, etc.) Second, and probably most useful, are the comments section, giving people the opportunity to critique these assistive technologies and how effective they found them. Though, again, very commercial in nature it is a good resource for ideas about what technologies you might be able to use in the setting of your classroom.