Tuesday, December 15, 2015

USING COLORING FOR STUDENTS WITH ADHD



Disorderly Teaching - Using Coloring for Students with ADHD


Just a brief post today to tell you guys about the wonders of coloring, even in the high school classroom.

There's been tons of research done about the benefits of coloring (see links at the bottom of this post), but I'm writing from personal experience as a teacher.

One of the best discoveries we made in the last few years in our classroom was the power of coloring to settle students with ADHD. One of our students is a delight. He loves to learn, is first to class every day with a smile on his face, and encourages others. But some days his ADHD is so bad that he cannot function in class. I'm talking about a high school student climbing into boxes and meowing, jumping around the room, and generally creating havoc. He doesn't mean to be disruptive, but he literally cannot control his energy and impulses.

On those days, we pull out coloring books and small point markers. He will literally bound up, grab the supplies and hunker down in a corner. He can go for two hours (we're on block schedule), just sitting quietly, when moments before he was bouncing off the walls. It really brings out the magic of Magic Markers : p

We like the Creative Haven Coloring Books, because they have clean lines and good small details (from our experience, regular coloring pages with large shapes don't work). They're also cheap enough on Amazon to pick up several (see referral links below).

A must try for hyperactive students and those with ADHD. Coloring helps calm them down and bring them focus, even when nothing else seems to work!

Some students like more whimsical designs, but my first choice would be anything with symmetry or tessellations. Trying to match their colors to the symmetry or design helps give their mind something to focus on.

                             

I also recommend giving them markers. The bright, clear colors are more visually pleasing and satisfying than the uneven color of crayons or colored pencils. It also lets them focus on the color pattern, rather than getting frustrated with trying to get solid color fills. Make sure they have plenty of colors to choose from. We just give them a full marker bin so they have free choice.

A must try for hyperactive students and those with ADHD. Coloring helps calm them down and bring them focus, even when nothing else seems to work!

So, next time one of your students is driving you, the class, and themselves crazy, hand them something to color, then let me know how it worked!


For more information, check out these websites:

Coloring Isn't Just For Kids. It Can Actually Help Adults Combat Stress - Huffington Post

Why Adults Are Buying Coloring Books (for Themselves) - The New Yorker

Why Adults Are Going Back to Colouring Books - Psychologics