Impulsivity

Your child may:

• Say rude, offensive, or insensitive comments

• Interrupt others

• Have trouble waiting turn and sharing

• Say first thing on their mind

• Raise hand before questions are finished

• Start working before told to or before directions are given

• Unable to control their immediate reactions or think before they act

• Often blurt out inappropriate or odd comments

• Show their emotions without restraint

• Act without considering the consequences

• Appear insensitive and oblivious to others feelings

• Find it hard to wait for things they want, or to take their turn in games

• Moves around a lot

• Fidgety

• Have trouble keeping hands to self

• Frequently hit, push, and make physical contact with others

• Frequently say mean things to others or swear

• Have trouble waiting in line and transitioning

• Have trouble waiting for explanations or corrections

• Frequently give wrong or short sighted answers

• Appear “squirrely”

Break Down Directions

• Re-read directions to your child one part, section, or task at a time

• Simplify your language

• Be very concise and clear

• After explaining one part or re-reading one section of the directions, show your child and point to what you are talking about on the page

• Have your child repeat and explain each part of the directions back to you and then all the directions after they have all been gone over

• After explaining the directions fully, do one or several problems or items with your child

• Allow a break after your child completes a portion of the work

Individual Work Space

• If you have study carrels or dividers, you may use these to create a work space for your child

• Setting up books or strategically positioning your child near or around objects in the room can act as natural dividers, like tables, shelves, walls, etc.

• Your child may do well with sound isolating earphones to block out sound in addition to an individual work space

Structured Routines & Visual Schedules

• You can write your schedule on the board daily, crossing off events as they occur

• You can provide your child with an individual schedule on their desk daily, having them cross off events as they occur

• The schedule can include pictures as well as words

• You can also add a timer for each topic, providing student with a time frame for each subject

• A routine wheel can be utilized whereby the days routine is represented on pie sections of the wheel, and a spinning arm in the center is turned to point to the current event or task in the routine

• Engage your child in keeping track of where they and the class are in the daily routine

• Ask your child what is next in the routine and remind them when a period is ending soon

• Colors, shapes, and other similar things can be used to symbolize the various parts of the routine, for example, yellow card is reading period, red card is history period, etc

• Visual Schedule Template 1

• Visual Schedule Template 2

Stand While Working

• Simply provide your child an area where they can stand up and move around a little. Allow your child to use a high flat surface to do their work on, like a speaking podium.

• Allow your child to stand next to their desks while continuing to work

• Tell your child they are allowed to work at their desks standing or with one leg resting on their chair, but they must continue working

• Make sure to set boundaries, for example, tell your child they can stand to work at their desks, but must remain within reach of their desk or within one step

• Your child does not need to use their desk top to work on, for example, if they are reading they can hold their book, but make sure to enforce a distance boundary like above to prevent wandering

• To allow for additional movement, try having your child do a problem, item, or question while standing at their desk, then give a signal to have students walk to a new desk to do the next problem or item. Continue to do this throughout the assignment to keep your child moving, alert, and focused

• With children that have ADHD or are hyperactive, don’t be too strict with regard to their level of movement and activity while they work next to their desk. For example, if the child paces a few steps back and forth near their desk in between completing problems or hops a little while working, this is okay and probably helping the student to focus better.

Stress Ball Or Fidget

• Explain to your child in private that they will receive a stress ball or fidget to use when they are unfocused, nervous, anxious, feeling fidgety, hyper, etc

• Tell your child this will help them to focus better or get through feelings of anxiety or nervousness

• Tell your child the appropriate and inappropriate uses of the stress ball and fidget

• You may either allow your child to keep the item in their desk or keep it in a certain spot where they can retrieve it from when needed or as part of a routine, for example, in the morning and afternoon

• For children that tend to drop the stress ball or fidget a lot, try tying a thread or some yarn to the item and then to the desk or student’s wrist

Take A Break

• Make a laminated card with the word “BREAK” on it and keep it in a spot where your child can access it

• Provide your child with hand held timer setting the timer for no longer than five minutes (or keep timer in the break location)

• Identify a safe and non-disruptive area to go

• Your child returns to their workspace when timer goes off

• Thank your child for leaving and returning so cooperatively. Give encouragement to student upon return.

• Explain the process to the your child and have them practice it before implementation

• Either the child or parent/caregiver may initiate a break, though it is best when the child can identify the need for and take breaks appropriately

• If your child abuses the break card intervention, set limits on the frequency of use to deter this such as allowing one 5 minute break before lunch and after lunch

• GoNoodle