Tips for Teaching Kids who have ADHD and ADD
Many parents have asked for our help and advise on teaching their children who unfortunately suffer from ADD and ADHD. We thought perhaps other instructors will face this situation, so if you read the following page perhaps it will help a little!
One important thing to find out is whether the child really wants to study a martial art. We say this because some parents will put their ADD or ADHD child into martial arts classes in the hope that the “discipline” will help with their behavior issues. This is a good idea if the child is genuinely interested.
These kids often do MUCH BETTER in martial arts. It is far easier for them to stay focused as there is always something going on. They need to feel good about themselves, and what they are doing, so it is best to use positive reinforcement rather than put them in situations where they are bound to get out of control and “fail”. These children do better when moving from one activity to another rather than staying on any one drill, or exercise, for too long.
Children with ADHD and ADD are usually very bright but sometimes with low self esteem. They are good learners and are often talented but because they become over excited and act out, they tend to put themselves in the position of being reprimanded. This does them no good. You want this child to achieve but you also can’t have one person disrupting the entire class.
You can approach the situation in ways that will be good for everyone. We have several young children with ADHD in our classes. When they make improvements I present them with a “Certificate of Improvement” and hand it to them in front of the class. They are always very pleased.
Their difficulty in staying focused is something to watch out for when you allow them to take part in sparring. The fact that they have difficulty staying focused, and the fact that their minds just fly from one thing to another can result in their injuring someone or in getting injured themselves. So vigilance is of the utmost importance.
