Professor of Psychiatry at the Arabian Gulf University, Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dr. Ahmed Mal Allah Al-Ansari, the necessity of adapting the classroom environment and teaching methods to meet the special needs of children who suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He explained during a workshop organized by the Arabian Gulf University Center for Community Service, Consultation, Training and Continuing Education on “Classroom Treatment for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” that the classroom environment must be more inclusive, and that these children face difficulties in focusing, organizing, controlling impulses, and staying in one place for a long time, which requires classroom treatment to support their learning and behavioral and social development.
Dr. noted. Al-Ansari stressed the importance of educating teachers and all those concerned with everything related to ADHD, to help them understand the child’s behavior and not consider it misbehavior, in order to enhance the positive relationship between the teacher and the child, which forms the basis for successful intervention.
He said: “In order to create an appropriate classroom environment for students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, sources of distraction within the classroom must be reduced, such as the student sitting away from windows or doors, while keeping him close to the teacher to facilitate guidance and follow-up.” Pointing out the importance of using visual and audio cues that help organize movement between daily activities.
He added: “It is important to divide long tasks into short, interconnected steps, and use visual tables or picture cards to illustrate the sequence of the school day,” noting the need to provide instructions clearly, step by step, with repetition and emphasis to ensure complete understanding.
Regarding time management, he pointed out that “using visual timers contributes to enhancing the child’s awareness of the passage of time, while making sure to provide short rest periods during lengthy tasks to renew focus and energy.” He also said: “We focus on positive reinforcement, by providing immediate rewards as a means of motivating positive behaviors, whether through a star, sticker, or verbal encouragement. We also use reinforcement schedules, such as the star schedule, to support these behaviors.”
He stated, “If inappropriate behavior appears, we prefer to ignore simple, harmless behavior, while applying clear, logical consequences without shouting or threatening.” Stressing that “a consistent and clear routine greatly helps children with ADHD feel safe and clear.”
In the same context, he stressed the importance of the social aspect, saying: “We work to strengthen positive relationships within the classroom, by encouraging cooperative play, teaching conflict resolution skills directly, in addition to monitoring the child’s interaction to ensure that he is not exposed to isolation or bullying,” pointing to the necessity of partnership with the family and specialists, saying: “Continuous cooperation with parents and psychologists is extremely important. We are keen to hold periodic meetings to monitor the child’s progress, and we may sometimes resort to external therapeutic interventions, whether pharmaceutical or behavioral, depending on what “The situation requires it.”
More than 80 participants, including teachers, psychologists, educational specialists, and school administration from all private schools in the Kingdom of Bahrain, participated in the workshop. The workshop reviewed the basics of classroom treatment, management, the participation of the home and senior management in the work plan, calculating how to use reinforcements in an effective manner, and organizing the classroom and school environment in general.
The workshop aimed to improve the skills and capabilities of workers in schools and rehabilitation centers, especially those who have a direct relationship with children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and those interested in the subject from specialists and school administration.
