A recent study indicates that ADHD students would greatly benefit from shouting their answers in class.
Durham University experts who analysed test results across more than 500 English schools found that, among children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), those who shouted out answers scored better results than their peers who remained quiet.
Louder youngsters were about nine months ahead of quieter classmates in reading and maths, researchers from Durham’s Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring discovered. The experts say their findings raise questions about how best to teach youngsters with ADHD.
Professor Peter Tymms, a renowned education expert and the report’s lead author, said: “Managing and responding to pupils’ different needs and abilities within a class is a challenge for teachers.
“We’re not suggesting that classrooms become free-for-all shouting matches but if this positive learning relationship can be harnessed, it could help teachers and learners.”
I really don’t know what to do with these findings. Whilst it is important to accommodate all students according to their learning styles, allowing some to shout could completely alter the tone and civil nature of one’s classroom. Although classrooms should never be treated like libraries, shouting students do have an effect on the way the rest of the class act.
There are times when studies recommend something and teachers are forced to either dismiss them, or in this case, try to find ways where it may work. For example, I wouldn’t be surprised if a study looking into whether or not an ADHD child learns better if they stand on a table, finds that there is a clear improvement when they do. But would a teacher ever consider allowing a student to stand on a table during the lesson? I think not.
As much as I am determined to cater for all children, there are some recommendations that are not easy to integrate into a classroom setting. This one is worth considering, but I’m not sure how I would go about implementing it without disrupting the rest of the class.
Tags: ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Classroom Management, Dr Christine Merrell, Durham University, Durham’s Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring, Education, English, Professor Peter Tymms
Topical Teaching 
February 3, 2012 at 12:41 am |
I agree with you here. What works in a study cannot always be used in the trenches.
I am not a teacher by degree, but I have taught Hebrew school for 10 years. I appreciate my kids enthusiasm when they have an answer but by the sixth or seventh grade, they should be able to have some self control that if they have an answer, they can enthusiastically raise their hands and then enthusiastically yell out the answer. But 21 kids all yelling an answer at once does not teach them listening skills. I teach my kids that more importantly than listening to me, they need to create a classroom environment where they must listen to each other.
I teach at a hard time of the day (4 – 5:15 pm) on Tuesday and Wednesdays, so I give my kids breaks by letting them stretch, play Simon Says (in Hebrew, of course) or have the choice of doing their work stretched out on the rug. Standing on the tables? Not a chance!
February 3, 2012 at 7:51 am |
Hmmm….Encourage light fingered children to steal, aggressive children to punch, foulmouthed children to swear….Studies can be set up to show anything you want in the short term. The problem with academic studies is that it is impossible to control all the variables. What you end up with is data. The data is then subject to interpretation.
One study I conducted was into the difference between teaching phonics and giving neurological exercises aimed at integrating the child’s dominant side (where there was mixed dominance of hand, foot and eye). The subjects were children who were significantly behind their class peers on a standardised reading test. Both subjects improved their reading age by about one year over a 6 month period. The study proved nothing about the difference in treatment and raised more questions for further study than answers.
Another study I did concerned students with mild intellectual disability. Were they better off in the mainstream or in a special class? The conclusion? Some were, some weren’t. Horses for courses. An unintended conclusion was that totalitarian solutions invariably help some students but disadvantage others.
No. I’m not about to let students shout answers. However, I think there is a place for teaching children to participate in a discussion in an orderly way without the necessity for putting up one’s hand. I can’t see any benefit in a free for all where students are allowed to yell out answers at will. Self control is a valuable asset in anyone.
February 4, 2012 at 3:35 am |
I wonder if the benefit has more to do with freeing up childrens’ ability to focus on content rather than expending energy on self regulation. Not to mention novelty, as you’d implied.
This is where breaking out into small groups, when possible, is so tremendously helpful to this population.
🙂
Rebecca
February 7, 2012 at 12:12 am |
Very true. Small groups would lend itself well.