Every 504 Plan Should Include These ADHD Accommodations

Many children with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD) struggle with impulsivity and self-control. If your child speaks out of turn at school:

• Seat him front and center, near the teacher, and away from distractions
• Discuss the behavior in private rather than calling him out in front of the class
• Have him sit next to a well-behaved role model
• Increase the distance between desks, if possible
• For younger students, mark an area with tape around the desk where they can move freely

ADHD also walks hand-in-hand with executive function deficits, which impact a student's ability to plan, execute, and complete his work. If your child's grades are suffering due to unfinished work:

• Allow extra time to complete assigned work
• Break long assignments into smaller segments, each with a deadline
• Shorten assignments or work periods
• Pair written instructions with oral instructions
• Set a timer for 10-minute intervals and have the student get up and show the teacher her work

If your child doesn’t participate, drifts off when taking notes, or turns in work with mistakes:

• Listen with a copy of the teacher's notes to which they can add
• Arrange to get additional notes from another designated student
• Have the teacher ask questions to encourage participation
• Enlist the student to help present the lesson
• Cue him to stay on task with a private signal — a gentle tap on the shoulder
• Schedule a five-minute period for him to check over work before turning in assignments

[Free Download: How to Create an IEP or 504 Plan for Your ADHD Child]

If your child is disrupting other students' learning:

• Ask the teacher to ignore minor inappropriate behavior
• Allow the student to use a pre-approved fidget
• Designate a place in advance where he or she can calm down or speak with the teacher privately
• Adjust assignments so that they are not too long or too hard
• Develop a behavior contract with the student and parents (share info about what works at home or vice versa)

If your child is inattentive:

• Have the teacher use clear verbal signals, such as “Freeze,” "This is important,” or “One, two, three… eyes on me”
• Allow the student to earn the right to daydream for 5-10 minutes after completing her assignment
• Use a flashlight or a laser pointer to illuminate objects or words to pay attention to
• Illustrate vocabulary words and science concepts with small drawings or stick figures

If your child taps his foot or pencil nervously in class or gets up out of his seat a lot:

• Allow him to run errands, to hand out papers to students, clean off bookshelves, or to stand at times while working
• Give him a fidget toy in class to increase concentration
• Slot in short exercise breaks between assignments
• Give him a standing desk or an air-filled rubber disk to sit on so he can wiggle around

If your child forgets to bring home homework assignments or books, return papers to school, or to put his name on his paper:

• Use an assignment notebook/student planner
• Allow students to dictate assignments into a Memo Minder, a small three-minute tape recorder, or their phone
• Allow students to take a photo their assignment using a phone, iPad, or ChromeBook
• Staple the teacher’s weekly lesson plan in the student’s planner
• Reduce the number of papers that are sent home to be signed
• Appoint monitors to make sure that students write down homework assignments
• Allow student to keep a second set of books at home

[Free Template: A Sample 504 Plan]

If your child has trouble with due dates and deadlines:

• Give advanced notice about upcoming projects and report
• Stand next to the student to make sure that the assigned task is begun quickly
• Present all assignments and due dates verbally and visually
• Use timers to mark transitions — putting materials away before starting a new subject or project

If your child is clueless about social cues, doesn’t work well with others, or isn’t respected by peers:

• Set up social-behavior goals with her and implement a reward program
• Request that the school establish a social skills group
• Encourage cooperative learning tasks
• Assign her special responsibilities or a leadership role
• Compliment positive behavior and work
• Acknowledge appropriate behavior and good work frequently

If your child is challenged by written assignments:

• Allow more time for written assignments and essay questions
• Shorten reports or assignments
• Allow students to print; don’t require cursive writing
• Allow the option of a recorded or oral report in lieu of writing
• Encourage students to use a computer for written work
• Allow the use of spell check and grammar check software

If your child does not finish math tests, is slow to finish homework, or has problems with multi-step problems:

• Photocopy pages for students so they do not have to rewrite math problems
• Keep sample math problems on the board
• Allow use of a calculator for class and homework
• Give review summaries for math exams
• Give extended time on tests

[Free Resource: A Sample Accommodations Request Letter]