ADD Student

Group projects are often used in school and the workplace because they have a lot of potential in terms of learning and accomplishment.

ADD Students, however, may not do so well in group project situations.

A group project’s dynamics include a social atmosphere; its members need to learn to communicate and work with one another effectively in order to get the job done. Also, group projects tend to be fairly large projects that require many small tasks to be completed and melded into the whole.

Kids with ADHD (adults too) often have poor social skills. They don’t pick up on subtle signals that others take for granted. They may interrupt, contribute to the conversation in seemingly irrelevant ways, or stop paying attention.

Unlike teachers, your child’s peers have no tools to help them understand and deal with ADHD. When an ADD child is put into a group project situation, it can often turn into a frustrating experience for everyone involved.

The groups members may not feel as though the ADD student is pulling his or her weight, become frustrated with forgetfulness and missed deadlines. Often the answer the group comes up with is to exclude the ADD student from the actual work.

In that case, no one really wins.

As a parent, there are some things that you can do to make group projects a positive learning experience for your ADD student.

Talk to the teacher at the beginning of the year, or as soon as the project is announced. Get as much information as you can about the project so that you will be better informed and more able to help your child with their part of the assignment.

Think about your child’s strengths. What are some of the things that they do well and enjoy doing? Can you utilize those skills in the group project?

For instance, maybe your child is fantastic at researching things online. Give them a subject and they will track down all kinds of resources online. Maybe that could be a big part of their contribution to the project.

Talk to your child, giving them an idea of what to expect in a group situation and how they are expected to behave. Knowing what to expect ahead of time helps those of us with ADHD know how to act.

Offer your home as a gathering place for the group to get together. This way you can observe group dynamics and step in to help work things out if needed.

Group projects, whether you like them or not, are an established way of doing business these days. Helping your child learn to navigate their way will serve them for the rest of their lives.