This is not a task to be taken lightly. Improving the attention span of an ADHD child will entail both time and patience.

The attention span of this child will be extremely good for things that he/she is very interested in. The ADHD child will hyper-focus on an activity that involves his/her particular interest. If possible, his/her interest should be interjected into the learning process. However, that technique is not always feasible so the need to focus on other methods is needed.

Follow up:

Create homework and lessons that are intrinsically stimulating and not necessarily easy. In order to achieve this method, there are several methods to use. Build stimulus into your methods, intersperse high and low interest activities, and periodically intersperse listening with hands-on activities. Use plenty of visuals such as maps, interesting pictures (National Geographic is a wonderful source of maps and pictures), and the computer. Multi-media teaching aids on the computer are very suitable for the ADHD child. Mnemonic learning strategies seem to attract the ADHD student as it gives the illusion of playing a game. Games, competitions, and summarizing data keep this child on task well. Basically the student needs to feel “alive” and part of the learning structure.

Circle wheels for learning new words, and a sliding rule for phonics are useful as they move and can be very colorful and tend to arouse the child’s interest and strengthen the attention span. Here again the computer adds multiple-media that is colorful, fast and interesting. Spend time putting puzzles together. Challenge the child to put a puzzle together without looking at the picture. Building models together offer an interesting aspect that covers many of the building needs of the child. Organization is needed to assemble the necessary tools and parts into categories. Working together with the child makes him/her feel secure and able to work through the process. It is very important to take time-out when the child begins to feel stressed in the situation.

Sensory integration involves muscle movements that are beneficial to the ADHD child thus helping him/her improve motor coordination, organization of movement and learning activities, over/under activity, over/under-sensitivity to touch, sounds, movement and delays in speech, language and academic achievement. Also allow the student time for plenty of play-time to lose extra hyperactivity impulses. Add proper nutrition and the proper amount of rest to create a wholesome physical atmosphere for the child.

Above all, try to teach your ADHD child how to relax. Any number of progressive relaxation techniques may be used. Listen to music which involves his/her advanced right side of the brain. Allow time for play both physical and mental. Don’t be afraid to try mediation, or tai chi. This encourages relaxation responses by allowing the brain to function more fully and thus improve concentration and attention.

Interactive Metronome Therapy is also an option available for helping a child with ADHD to increase their ability to attend and focus.