John’s profile

• ADHD with anger management issues. (Behavioral assessment done but parent do not believe results.)

• “Unexplained disruptive behavior”– Fights– Take other’s things without permission– Does not listen to instructions (other teachers’

feedback.)• Protective parents with higher social-economic

status who are possibly in self-denial.

Sean

Current provisions

• Counselor talked to John and observed his behavior in class. No other actions taken.

• No evidence of differentiated treatment.• Classmates only tolerated him. • Seated in the left-middle of the class. • Overall, very little provisions made for him

was seen.

Sean

Hi, I’m John. Every teacher’s

worst nightmare!

Sean

Sean

Analysis of current provisions - STICE

• Counselor is one of the key collaborators; talks to him but fails to give relevant coping strategies that teacher can use in class to reinforce what they agree on

• Insufficient – includes working with parents, teachers and other peers

Dawn

Recommendations for Collaboration

1 Home-School2 Within School3 External Agencies

Dawn

Home-School Collaboration

• Know John’s home situation

• Help John’s parents know what your trying to achieve i.e. succeed in school

• Develop strategies that both parent and teacher can work together to change behavior

Dawn

Within School

• Other teachers• Other professionals (AEDs, councilors,

psychologist)

• John’s peers

Dawn

External Organizations

• Parent-support group• Professional help (social worker, psychologist)

Dawn

Ezran

John’s Current Situation in class

• Seating position in the middle of the classroom

• Behavior1. Does not listen to instructions.2. Anger management Issue

Ezran

Ezran

Steele’s Function of Classroom Environment

Security & Shelter• Provide physical & psychological safety.

• Physical: freedom from intrusion or interference. (open space)

• Psychological: 1) Seat in front of the classroom and away from potential distractions such as noise or students’ commotion.

2) Provide a private corner for John to have a ‘time-out’.

Ezran

Steele’s Function of Classroom Environment

Task Instrumentality• Set simple & clear ground rules for everyone and explicitly explain to John.

(Maintain eye contact & have patience in explaining to John) .

• Break up task into manageable task for John and provide guidance.

(Possible disruptive behavior if task is challenging to do)

Ezran

Steele’s Function of Classroom Environment

Social Contact• Different seating arrangement gives different levels of interaction .

• Design seating arrangement for students to have clear view of instructional presentations.

• Arrange desks in rows to help students to be more focused on individual assignments. (Bonus & Riordan, 1998; Wheldall & Lam, 1987)

• Cluster arrangement effective for group work.

Ezran

STICE’S MODEL:MANAGING INSTRUCTIONS

Alvin

Differentiation…

• “Differentiated instruction is a teaching philosophy based on the premise that teachers should adapt instruction to student differences. Rather than marching students through the curriculum lockstep, teachers should modify their instruction to meet students’ varying readiness levels, learning preferences, and interests. Therefore, the teacher proactively plans a variety of ways to ‘get at’ and express learning” - Carol Ann Tomlinson

Alvin

What’s done is insufficient…

• Mainly boring chalk-and-talk teacher exposition involving solely textbook and workbook practices– faster and easier to teach, can finish curriculum faster but…– does not engage students effectively

• No fixed buddy/buddies assigned… usually on a random ad hoc basis– ‘buddy’ does not know how John works… no long term chemistry,

responsibility and empowerment

Alvin

What’s done is insufficient…

• Minimal group work and class activity– less noise generation and planning involved but…– reduced opportunities for John to learn to work with

classmates, and for them in turn to understand and work around his learning needs

Alvin

Input…

• vary the modes of teaching, present more stimulating and interesting materials, use role-plays, experiments and hands-on activities etc

• boosting interest of the lesson, especially so for ADHD kids

Alvin

Input…• Give instructions very carefully... maintain eye

contact, avoid multiple and complex instructions, and make sure John understands before proceeding with the task.

• If need to, get John to repeat the instructions. • Provide clear, visually uncluttered worksheets

Alvin

Level of support…• peer-tutoring and buddies... helps John stay on-

task... Buddies act as a nanny and helper...need for the pre-existence of a supportive classroom culture first

• use of assignment notebooks and colour-coded files to help John organise homework etc, with frequent monitoring by the teacher (and parents)

Alvin

Output…• Provide him with other opportunities, methods,

or test formats to demonstrate his knowledge e.g. allowing John to provide verbal response instead of answering in writing, as the latter may prove too time consuming and tedious for him

Alvin

Participation…• students with ADHD generally lose interest when they

are not actively involved• support and encourage John to participate in class• Provide John with private, discreet cues to stay on

task and advance warning that he will be called upon shortly. At all times, avoid the use of sarcasm and criticism.

Alvin

Cooperative Learning…• a strategy to foster greater interdependence, appreciation and

tolerance of differences• Use strategies such as Think-Pair-Share where teachers ask

students to think about a topic, pair with a partner to discuss it, and share ideas with the group. (Slavin, 2002).

• peer support (or pressure) helps keep John on task and in focus

• it also provides him with a platform to learn and exercise his social skills with his peers, and learn important skills like turn-taking, respect for others, conflict negotiation etc

Alvin

Managing Behavior

Jacintha

According to Graham (2006), suppressing the behaviours through medication may achieve a more orderly classroom but may result in the child never getting the support and understanding they really need. There are simple and straightforward strategies that a teacher can implement in a classroom to help students with ADHD.

Jacintha

Current Provisions• Miss Koh

– Surrounds John with good role models

– Provides opportunities for breaks, such as running errands for her

– Praise compliant behaviour and provide immediate feedback

– Class routines are in placed

• Because of his impulsive behavior and aggression tendencies, the counselor has counseled John and observed his behavior in class.– It was not on a regular basis, so

there isn’t much constructive feedback

Jacintha

Recommendations

• Be more proactive to prevent behavior outbursts– Write a behavior contract with him– Self-monitoring of behavior– Provide brief training in anger control, such as the

‘Stop-Think-Do’ method– A-B-C method (Quiet/secret signal)

Jacintha

A-B-C Model

Jacintha

Self-Esteem

• Describes a person’s overall sense of self-worth

• Students with special needs often feel frustration, hopelessness

Roy

What the school has done

• Provide individualized counseling• Passive and reactive approach is taken• Counseling can teach John skills to work with

others and gain acceptance• Recommendation: Take an active stance to

help John

Roy

Focus on strengths

• Create opportunities for John to succeed

• Reward John for completing small tasks• Positive reinforcement• Tangible or intangible• Teacher repeatedly asks John what he

has done right

Roy

Feedback and Encouragement

• Encourage John when he does something right

• Taking perspective of others

• Discuss what John could have done differently

Roy

Individualized Goal-Setting

• Set goals for John• Reference to performance previously• Boosts self-esteem when targets are achieved

Roy

Solutions• Classroom environment

– Special time-out corner – Put in front of the class, near teacher’s desk.

• Instructions (differentiated)– sing visual cues, a bite sizes and strangled timing– the reward-punishment approach – Peer support and positive role model

• Teacher– Work with other stakeholders and all communicate same

expectations

Sean

• Violent tendencies (???)– Special time-out corner – the reward-punishment approach– Physical proximity to teacher.

Sean

Long term plans.

1. Still have to involve family and after-school car-givers. (if any)

2. Continue on the solutions and refine along the way. 3. Use LDS money to redecorate the classroom into more

‘friendly colors.’4. Teach the class about people being different and how

we should behave and take care of them.5. Role modeling. Never appear aggressive.6. Inform other subject teachers of you actions and

share.

Sean

“Teacher is the driving force for the changes needed.”

Sean

“The teacher is the driving force

for the changes needed.”