Learning Difficulties Programs for Children With ADHD - Research Paper Example

 The Importance of Learning Difficulties Programs (LDPs) to Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Abstract There are not enough studies present that show the effectiveness of Learning Difficulties Programs (LDPs) on the academic performance of children suffering from ADHD. Even much less have been done in the Saudi Arabian community where, often, not only the teachers but also the parents are unaware of the effects of ADHD on their children’s academic performance. The current research aims to investigate the effectiveness of LDPs on the academic performance of such children. The research will be conducted through observing and interviewing 3 children suffering from ADHD, with mild and/or moderate ADHD symptoms, at a Saudi school during and after their classes, as well as interviewing their parents and teachers. A few questions that have been laid out will be attempted to be answered and, consequently, recommendations will be made for appropriate changes to be made in the Saudi Arabian school curriculum to make room for such children and their academic needs, as well as provide a way for introduction of programs that would help these children do better academically. The Importance of Learning Difficulties Programs (LDPs) for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) The problem of ADHD is one of the first issues that cause debates in seminars and conferences generally in the world and, particularly, in the Arab world; it is perhaps an issue that is confusing many teachers, researchers and parents, especially regarding how to deal with the symptoms of this disorder. ADHD affects the children all around, leaving negative effects on their educational, social and emotional life. Through the researcher’s experience as a supervisor of the learning difficulties programmes in the Al-Qassim region in Saudi Arabia, she found that the presence of learning difficulties programs (LDPs) in public schools is important because of its clearly positive impact on students with learning difficulties; a finding that was ascertained through monthly checks of their academic level. Through her work, she also discovered that many schools refused to accept children with ADHD because of their academic underachievement in addition to their behavioural issues. The main reason for this being that most of these schools lack awareness regarding this disorder; teachers have little knowledge concerning manifestations of this disorder, and how to deal with it. Moreover, many Saudi parents do not understand the nature of their children’s problems. These problems begin with the fact that there are no specific services provided to this group. It was observed that it would be good to place such children (i.e. children suffering from ADHD) in LDPs, especially the high percentage that has learning difficulties (LDs). Despite the fact that these programs are beneficial for children with LDs, there were no clear results present in terms of the importance of these programmes for students with behavioural disorders, particularly ADHD. This shows that research is needed in this area, more specifically, a study into the effectiveness of LDPs on the academic skills of those having behavioural problems. 2. The purpose of the research: It seems that the focus of the academic world is still on the theoretical aspects of ADHD, while parents, teachers and other people working with children who have ADHD are in dire need of practical applications that would help them in dealing with the problem of those children. The study strives to illuminate the importance of LDPs in helping children with ADHD, as well as their parents and schools, by improving the performance of the students academically, as well as generally. It is all the more important for a community like the Saudi one, as it lacks specific services for such children. It is observed that such programmes can not only provide individual academic plans (IEP) for ADHD children, but also benefit them otherwise: these programs can also educate regular teachers, directors of schools, and parents about ADHD by teaching them what strategies and methods to use to handle the disorganisation and disruption caused by children with ADHD in the classroom or at home. Especially if it is known that, because of the variety of difficulties associated with ADHD, children may need specialised services, LDPs can help form a team of workers, which is crucial in facing the difficulties involved in managing such children (Hornby, Atkinson & Howard, 1997). This paper suggests that there is a need to apply the research to help highlight the feasibility of these programs for children with ADHD. 3. Literature review: ADHD The term ADHD is usually associated with children who have attention problems, or are generally impulsive or excessively active (Lloyd, Stead & Cohen, 2006). ADHD, as defined by Russell Barkley, is “a developmental failure in the brain circuitry that underlies inhibition and self control” (as cited in Lloyd et al., 2006). Barkley states that children with ADHD normally come from diverse backgrounds, moreover, the level, starting age, and “cross-situational pervasiveness” of their symptoms also vary considerably, as well as the extent of the occurrence of the ADHD related disorders (Barkley, 2006). ADHD symptoms normally manifest before the child is seven and they cause problems not only in the school and work life of the patient, but also in home (Lloyd et al., 2006). ADHD is one of the most dominant childhood psychiatric disorders, and it is one of the leading causes behind children being sent to medical and/or mental-health experts (Barkley, 2006). The causes of ADHD: The term Hyperactivity was first used around 1900 and, at first, was thought to be caused by brain damage, however, later deficient brain mechanisms were considered to be the most likely reason (Barkley, 2006). Poor attention and poor impulse control were seen as important factors to indicate hyperactivity in children in 1970s (Hornby et al., 1997). Later, other factors, which included the diet of the children as well as the behavioural management of their parents, were also considered as causes of ADHD (Barkley, 2006). However, as pointed out by Barkley (as cited in Hornby et al., 1997), by the end of the 1980s it was established that ADHD is caused due to a biological and/or hereditary tendency in the children. Does ADHD exist or not? The term attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has elicited much criticism and debate. Perhaps the most important debate is whether ADHD is a disorder that really exists or not. Since the 1960s, a lot of research has been done on ADHD, whether it is drug treatment or neuroscience studies or pharmacological experiments (Lloyd et al., 2006). Despite that, there are those who reject the whole concept that children with ADHD need to be treated; such opponents lay out that if no abnormality can be found in the child’s tests (like physical exams, lab tests, X-rays etc.), then the child is normal (Lloyd et al., 2006). According to Barkley & 20 coendorsers, (2004) the truth in the presentation of ADHD as a disorder is based on solid, scientific ground, and any debate in this regard does not exist in the scientific community, but only in some areas of popular media. Also, according to Lloyd et al. (2006) irrefutable proof as to the existence of ADHD can be found in the countless activities that are conducted to cope with ADHD in all spheres of life. Treatments: The treatment provided for ADHD changed with time, depending on the development in the knowledge regarding ADHD. Consequently, the treatments ranged from placing the child with ADHD in a classroom with minimal stimulation to placing adults in special residential areas, as well as various forms of medication and psychotherapy. Moreover, alternative approaches have also been used to deal with ADHD, more during the time when it was thought that diet and other environmental factors could cause the disorder. Multiple methods approach has also been used to treat severe ADHD. Many studies have been conducted to find the effectiveness of such treatments, with the result that some of these treatments have been criticised. In terms of drug treatments, for example, there has been criticism not only because of the ethical issues and concerns that surround it, which include giving medication to children at an early age, sometimes even before they start speaking or walking, and/or without conducting a physical examination that indicates ADHD in the child. It is also criticised because studies show that it has no effect on academic performance. One such study showed that drugs may amend the cognitive difficulties of ADHD patients, but still do not necessarily normalise cognition (Gualtieri, 2008). As Advokat (2009) pointed out, even though drugs overcome the attention and concentration deficit problems, they have not proven to improve academic and/or occupational performance. Researchers are more likely, now, to study, and recommend, the use of a blend of treatments, Power et al. (as cited in Sherman, Rasmussen & Baydala, 2008) pointed out, teachers took a favourable view on medication when it was coupled with a behavioural intervention approach. In this regard, a study undertaken by Tamm and Carlson, in 2007, demonstrated that a combination of medication and contingency strategies (reward or response cost) was more effective than either of them was alone. However, the positive effect of coupling medication with contingency strategies on academic tasks is still an assumption; all the above studies proved the effectiveness of drug and behavioural strategies in controlling the activities of children with ADHD, but not in improving their academic performance. Here, a question should be posed: why are there is no interest regarding the academic intervention for such children; in terms of discovering the importance of academic tutoring, not many studies were conducted. Although Rabiner & Malone (2004), in their study, showed that academic tutoring did not improve the academic performance of children suffering from ADHD, they stressed on the need for having effective academic interventions for such children, especially those among them who face reading difficulties. In this regard, Gualtieri (2008) concluded in his study that some ADHD patients may require additional educational assistance, even in the face of successful medication treatment. 4. Significance of the current research: Many studies have been presented above which have studied ADHD through many angles and which have been conducted to find the effectiveness of various treatments such as medication, behavioural interventions, to improve and/or modify the behaviour of children suffering from ADHD. These studies have shown that the treatments have been successful in that, however, their effectiveness in improving the academic performance of children who suffer from ADHD remains unproven, and there is not enough work done in this regard, causing such children to still face problems in their academic life. This lack in pertinent studies regarding the effectiveness of tutoring makes the present research quite significant and, in turn, important. 5. Aims &Objectives The overall aim of this study is to evaluate the importance of having LDPs for children with ADHD with regard to an improvement in their academic level as well as other academic related matters. The detailed objectives are as listed below: 1- To identify barriers to learning of children who are suffering from ADHD in order to help them cope with the national curriculum. 2- To investigate the problems facing special education teachers, through their work with students with ADHD. 3- To identify ways by which these problems can be solved, ensuring that the student is not affected adversely in the process. 4- To consider other factors that may contribute to the improvement of the student's academic performance. Research questions: The question that this research aims to answer will include the following: 1- To what extent do learning difficulties programs support children who are suffering from ADHD to help them cope with the national curriculum? 2- What kinds of problems are faced by special education teachers when they apply this program to children with ADHD? 3- How can special education teachers solve these problems? 4- How can special education teachers develop ways of working that will contribute to the improvement of the student's academic performance? 6. Methodology and tools: The researcher will conduct an investigation which will take the form of a case study of 3 students. The case study is considered to be the best way to collect information about the students and their problems etc. The methodology the research will utilise is qualitative, and it will involve the use of such tools as interviews, observation and a review of the students’ school documents. Then, an attempt will be made to answer the research’s questions through an in-depth analysis of the results obtained through the case study. A. The sample:  The following criteria for the selection sample will be considered:    1- The 3 students will be between 7-12 years old, because primary school students are usually between 7 to 12 years old. 2- The 3 students will have mild to moderate ADHD, which will be ascertained from the diagnosis/case history of the students. The reason for eliminating children with severe ADHD from the list is because such children are not enrolled in regular primary schools. 3- The child should be taught the regular curriculum in order to measure the progress. 4- All the students in the sample will be female; this is due to the education system in Saudi Arabia, which is based on single sex education; access will be allowed to girls’ schools only. 5- An IEP will be proposed by a teacher who specialises in special education. B. The Methods (tools): 1) Observation: Observation will be used as a method for collecting data throughout the study. The observations made will be noted down on paper. Also, the observation will be conducted when the students are in the class as well as when the students are taking their IEP sessions. 2) Interview: Parents, teachers and school directors will be interviewed; the interviews will be recorded on audio. The Interviews shall consist of questions regarding the number of IEP sessions, the exact time for each session, whether students attend meetings with the support services such as physiologist or speech therapist etc., if the students are on Ritalin or any similar medication, and the extent of parents’ involvement in their child’s treatment. The aim of this method is to obtain fair information; however, sometimes there is a chance of a bias being created. Such a bias can be caused by the interviewee in an effort to placate/please the interviewer, by some antagonism that may arise between the interviewer and the interviewee, or even by the interviewer him/herself when s/he tries to seek only those answers that support his/her claims (Borg & Gall, 1989). Such a bias in the data affects the whole research, and steps shall be taken to avoid it, and cause the research to come out as fair and unbiased as possible. 7. Potential Issues of Access and Ethics Obtaining permission before carrying out the research is essentially required. The permission will be initially sought from The Ethics Committee at the University of Glasgow; if the permission is granted, the Director of the Special Education Department and the Director of the General Administration of Education in the city of Buridah, Saudi Arabia will be contacted to seek permission to gain access to students and teaching staff, as the research will be undertaken in general education schools. Issues of confidentiality and privacy should be taken into account; the participants will be assigned pseudonyms and will be assured that all information they provide will remain confidential, and their names will not be mentioned anywhere. Also, especially in recorded interviews, all identifying factors will be removed. As is pointed out by various researches, it is crucial for the research to protect the privacy of the participants (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2003). As the research involves children, adequate care should be taken regarding how to involve them in the research as well as ascertaining that permission is obtained from the correct sources to include them in the research. Therefore, getting the informed consent of those who are going to be interviewed, questioned and observed is just as imperative as getting such a consent from the appropriate authorities such as parents of students, teachers of the student, and school directors. 8. Dissemination: The publication of the current research is important to spread awareness among members of society such as people working in the field of special education, general education and families with children who suffer from ADHD. As the researcher works in the special education department in Buridah city, in the Al Qassim region of Saudi Arabia, this research will be published and distributed among the schools therein. In addition, it will be given to the General administration of Special Education in the capital city of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, in order to send it to the departments of special education in other regions in the country as well, so as to identify the extent of the importance of LDPs for children with ADHD. Moreover, it will be presented to the guardians of the International Conference of Learning Difficulties which is held annually in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 9. Conclusion: The intention of this proposed research is to investigate the extent of the effectiveness of LDPs for children with ADHD. The importance of the conduction of such research lies on the impact of its results. If it proves the importance of LDPs for children with ADHD, many public schools will initiate such programmes and, consequently, children with ADHD will have the opportunity to benefit from them. Moreover, Saudi educational policy making and educational practices could be influenced to make adjustments to the curriculum and its related issues for this specific group of children. If the results show that there is a need for such services to be provided in the schools, the Saudi educational policy makers will also learn about it and try to fill the gap which currently exists in Saudi educational system in this regard. References Advokat, C. (2009). What exactly are the benefits of stimulants for ADHD? Journal of Attention Disorders, 12(6), 495-498. Barkley, R. A. and 20 Coendorsers. (2004). Critique or misrepresentation? A reply to Timimi et al. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 7(1), 65-69. Barkley, R. (2006). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (3rd Ed.). New York, NY: The Guilford Press. Borg, W., & Gall, M. (1989). Educational research: An introduction. (5th Ed.). New York, NY: Longmans. Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K (2003) Research methods in education. London: Routledge Falmer. Gualtieri, C. (2008). Medications do not necessarily normalize cognition in ADHD patients. Journal of Attention Disorders, 11(4), 459-469. Hornby, G. Atkinson, M. & Howard, J. (1997). Controversial issues in special education. London: David Fulton. Lloyd, G. Stead, J. & Cohen, D. (Eds.). (2006). Critical new perspectives on ADHD. New York, NY: Routledge Rabiner, D. & Malone, P. (2004). The impact of tutoring on early reading achievement for children with and without attention problems. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 32(3), 273–284. Sherman, J. Rasmussen, C. & Baydala, L. (2008). The impact of teacher factors on achievement and behavioural outcomes of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A review of the literature. Educational Research, 50(4), 347-360. Tamm, L. & Carlson, C. (2007). Task demands interact with the single and combined effects of medication and contingencies on children with ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 10(4), 372-380. Read More