Gifted Students with ADHD: A Complicated Conundrum Susan Baum, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus College of New Rochelle Director of Professional Development Bridges Academy com

ADHD

Robin Williams 1952-actor, comedian, ADHD Early on, Williams applied his inexhaustible hyperactivity to many films

Students with ADD/ADHD Classic manifestations: Creative thinkers Difficulty sustaining attention especially in listening activities Difficulty completing written work, Physical restlessness or feelings of restlessness Impulsivity Difficulty following through on instructions from others (not due to oppositional behavior or failure of comprehension) Need to move to learn

IT’S COMPLICATED

COMORBIDITY: THERE IS AN INTERACTION BETWEEN GIFTEDNESS AND ADHD 1, OVEREXCITABILITIES 2. ROLE OF DRUGS, STIMULATION, AND THE CURRICULUM 3. HIGH ABILITIES IN SPATIAL AND KINESTHETIC INTELLIGENCES

Sensitivities of the High-Creative Dabrowski’s “Overexcitabilities” Psychomotor Intellectual Emotional Sensual Imaginational

Psychomotor A heightened physical energy that may be expressed as a love of movement, rapid speech, impulsiveness, and/or restlessness.

Sensual Heightened sensory awareness (e.g. touch, taste, smell). May be expressed as desire for comfort or a sharp sense of aesthetics.

Imaginational Vivid imagery, use of metaphor, visualizations, and inventiveness. M ay also include vivid dreams, fear of the unknown, poetic creativity, or love of fantasy.

Intellectual Persistence in asking probing questions, love of knowledge, discovery, theoretical analysis and synthesis, independence of thought, and the love of solving the problem.

The role of attention and curriculum

Where the learning breaks down Attention Novelty Intensity Personalized Relevance Symbol System (Multiple Intelligence) S e n s or y In p ut Auditory Visual Kinesthetic Working Memory Understanding Memory Expression  Application  Critical & creative thinking  Generalization

“HOW CAN WE HELP STUDENTS SIT STILL AND FOCUS?” The wrong question:

HOW LONG ARE YOUR STUDENTS SITTING? VERBAL FLUENCY ACTIVITY: ARE YOU READY? CIRCLE TIME? LISTENING? DOING SEATWORK?

Research says that sitting and listening and paying attention is developmental. The amount of minutes is related to age up to minutes and attention starts to drift if information is boring monotonous Digital kids listen faster 2E students especially those with ADHD think better when moving

Essential needs Novelty and appropriate challenge Unlimited use of technology for productivity and learning Active engagement through spatial, kinesthetic and emotional activity Use of movement in the curriculum Infusion of problem based inquiry learning as an outlet for curiosity and creativity Skills to organize and control emotions

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Unlimited use of technology Word processing Calculators Focus tool: back channeling, accelerated lecture Note-taking Web quests Voice thread Animoto Imovies Digital pen (records and writes) Xtranormal Inspiration

Incorporate movement into activities

Let’s Get Up and Move

Let’s Use Drama Gift giving Wonderful World of Words Character Interviews Lots more!!!!

Provide opportunities for movement within curriculum Distance = rate x time Opposite Board

Movement to support learning The walking lane Travel pair share Transition dancer-size

WHEEL OF CHOICE

Teach time and stress management, conflict resolution and anger management skills.

The pond problem:

TALENT CENTERED MODEL FOR 2E LEARNERS What do they need?

Talent Development Challenging Curriculum Physical Environmen t Differentiat ed Instruction Social & Emotional Support Targeted Remediation Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

Edward Hallowell (2005) I have learned first and foremost to look for interests, talents, strengths, shades of strengths or the mere suggestion of a talent. Knowing that a person builds a happy and successful life not on remediated weaknesses but on developed strengths, I have learned to place those strengths at the top of what matters Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

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