Smart Fit Classroom Accommodations for ADHD Kids
- Beth Skaret
- Mar 23, 2019
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 8
Spring arrives, the snow melts, and special ed testing and reevaluations kick into high gear at school.
If you’re child is being tested for special education services (IEP) or to see if he / she qualifies for a 504, you probably have a lot of questions.
As I’ve been reading over some of the questions people email in and see what people are asking on the different ADHD and special education groups, I see a lot of confusion.
People are asking:
Should they bother with an evaluation?
Doesn’t their child automatically qualify for an IEP (Individual Education Plan) or 504 (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act)?
Who gets to decide what accommodations the child gets?
What rights do you have as a parent?
Bottom line...when your child is struggling in school, you just want to make it better.
If you have been asking some of these types of questions, I’ve got some answers for you. READ ON.
In case you are new to the Jesus Me & ADHD blog, here are some other popular posts for you to check out:
And don’t forget to grab a free copy of The ADHD Prayer Journal for Moms. It’s 30 days of blessings and prayers just for you.
Here we go.
So, your child is struggling with school and you think he / she needs to have some changes made in the classroom so they can do better?
Those changes are called either accommodations or modifications.
Smart Fit Accommodations for ADHD Kids: Accommodations vs. Modifications
Accommodations are things that change how your child accesses or demonstrates learning of the content.
It could be things like:
Audiobooks instead of reading paperback
Typing on a keyboard instead of handwriting a paper
Having a list of 10 spelling words instead of 20
Working in a small group instead of a whole group
Wearing headphones to block noise
Sitting on a different kind of chair or standing.
Using a larger pencil for better grip
Having extended time to complete assignments or tests
These types of changes still require the child to do the same content or reach the same benchmark as the rest of the class, but it gives them a little help to do it.
I, as a short person (5’2), like to think of it as needing a ladder to reach a shelf that most people can just reach from the floor.
We all have to get something off of the same shelf (content or benchmark) but I would need a little help in the form of a step ladder (accommodation) to do it.
Modifications are different.
Modifications actually change the content that a child has to learn.
Modifications would be things like:
Working on addition and subtraction when the rest of the class is doing multiplication and division.
Being exempt from having to complete certain projects or tests
Highlighting the “ow” patterns in a printed spelling list instead of having to memorize the spelling words.
Using a calculator on tests.
Smart Fit Accommodations for ADHD Kids: Who Qualifies?
Despite what some people might tell you, you don’t have to have an IEP to get accommodations.
If the truth is told, you don’t have to have a 504 either!
A classroom teacher can provide accommodations for anyone, so long as that child is able to demonstrate mastery of the required content.
For example: If your kid keeps failing a math test because he runs out of time to finish all 30 problems, but the ones he does - he gets correct….
The teacher can choose to grade on what he completed.
Your child has shown he knows how to do it… he just can’t do it fast. As long as the benchmark doesn’t require a certain rate of completion, the goal is met.
So, why don’t more teachers do this?
Unfortunately, it is probably because they don’t know that they can.
Some teachers will accommodate without being asked. They want the students to succeed, so they give them what they need to do it.
Other teachers feel that it is unfair to give certain kids an advantage - that is probably ignorance talking. (Unless it is a clear case of someone taking advantage when they are able to succeed but just choosing not to do it. )
Still other teachers just don’t want to bear the burden of having to decide which kids really need the extra help and which ones are just being lazy (I know that sounds bad, but it happens).
So...we turn to the evaluation process.
You can request a formal evaluation for your student to see if they will qualify for accommodations or modifications by means of a 504 plan or an IEP.
To read more about how to get an evaluation READ THIS
Students who qualify for an IEP or a 504 plan have a confirmed diagnosis AND have demonstrated that their disability is interfering with their ability to learn.
BE CLEAR ON THIS POINT: Having an ADHD diagnosis DOES NOT automatically qualify your child for an IEP or a 504 plan. That is NOT what the law says and schools are bound to the law.
To see the difference in what these two documents provide check out THIS CHART
Smart Fit Accommodations for ADHD Kids: What are Smart Fit Accommodations?
Remember, your child does not HAVE to have an IEP or 504 to get accommodations.
What they need is a smart advocate (like you!) to help them get what they need.
I have had this type of experience with my own daughter. She had a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD inattentive type, but did not qualify for an IEP.
I had to fight to get her the 504 (a story for another time), but in the meantime, I was able to get her some of the accommodations she needed by going directly to the teacher.
Most IEPs and 504 plans provide a lot of standard accommodations and very few modifications anyway (unless you are an experienced advocate).
Most teams don’t really know your child very well, so they grab a handful of accommodations that are typically used for ADHD and stick them in the plan.
They throw in things like:
Preferential seating (sit away from distractions)
Sensory breaks (allow them to move around more often)
Repetition of directions (reading directions more than once)
Visual aids (show, don’t just tell)
I don’t know about anyone else, but as far as I am concerned (as a teacher & a parent) , those things should just happen naturally.
Unfortunately, standard accommodations may not be very helpful for what your child needs. This is why it is so important for you to become your child’s best and strongest advocate.
In doing so, you can make sure they get the accommodations that are a smart fit.
The ones that will help them get the job done.
Smart Fit Accommodations look more like this:
Problem: Johnny almost never remembers to hand in his homework even though he does it.
Accommodation: Jonny will do his homework at school OR Johnny will do his homework on the computer and email it in.
Problem: Suzy is failing math because she is only able to complete half of the assignment even though she is working on it for 2 hours a night.
Accommodation: Suzy must only complete 25-50% of the total number of problems.
Problem: Bill is late to class every first and fourth period because he has trouble getting to his locker to switch books and then has to get to the other side of the building.
Accommodation: Bill is permitted to keep an extra set of books in the classroom so that he only has to transport his assignments (in 1 binder) from class to class.
Smart Fit Accommodations look specifically at the source of the problems that a student is facing and helps them to find an appropriate solution.
It doesn’t change the expectation of the content. It just makes it more accessible and easier to demonstrate.
Most teachers do not want kids to fail. It makes them look bad too.
If you can convince them that certain accommodations will improve your child’s performance, they will hop right on board.
All teachers need is to show that their students can understand and apply the content.
So do the leg work for them.
What will it take for your kid to be able to understand and show what they know?
You know your child better than anyone and you will be able to figure out what works faster than anyone else.
Once you have a plan, pitch it to the teacher.
READ more about how to talk to teachers HERE
If you would like some personalized help in figuring out what kinds of accommodations to request, please email me or set up a call HERE.
I’d love to hear about what you’re going through and see if there is anything I can help you accomplish.
Don’t forget to grab your Free Checklist:
What you NEED to Do to make sure your child has the best opportunity to succeed at school.
Like what you read here?
Check out the rest of my website and blog for more practical ideas to deal with daily ADHD issues and to find encouragement and support in this Journey: www.bethskaret.com
You are warmly invited to join us in our FREE Face Book group: The Jesus Me & ADHD Moms Fellowship. It is a group of Christian Moms of kids with ADHD who share, support and pray for each other as we journey through the daily struggles with ADHD.
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