Many children with ADHD and autism have difficulty listening to and following instructions when they are not interested in a topic, are distracted in that moment or are genuinely confused. It’s important to provide them with clear instructions so that they can effectively process the information and complete their tasks.
When a child is able to finish the assigned work with minimal stress, it does the following for them:
- Reduces anxiety, confusion and overwhelm
- Improves their ability to focus and comprehend their work
- Supports their independence and executive functioning skills
The following 4 tips will provide you with the strategies you need to give clear and concise instructions so that your children will know exactly what’s expected of them and feel confident in their ability to follow the directions outlined.
Actionable Steps:
#1. Get Attention
Getting the attention of a child with ADHD and autism isn’t always easy. It requires a teacher or guardian to have patience and an understanding of the child to cater to their specific needs. The following strategies are affective when you need your child to listen to you.
🔹Minimize distractions by turning off any background noise, like music or asking the rest of the class to quiet down.
🔹Call your child by their name and make sure that they are actually looking at you before giving them instructions.
🔹If your child is not paying attention, gently put your hand on their shoulder.
🔹If they are still not listening, physically lower yourself so that you are at eye level with them and making eye contact with them. Ensure that they are comfortable with this because not all children with ADHD and autism are okay with eye contact.
🔹When you talk to your child, use a calm and clear tone. Speak slowly to ensure that your child has time to understand what’s being stated.
#2. Be Specific
Many children with ADHD and autism process language literally. It is therefore essential to avoid using vague language, such as, “clean up your room,” Instead, use simple and direct language and give them only one step to work on at a time. You can do this by saying, “put your clothes in the top drawer in your room.” This will ensure that your child knows exactly what they need to do.
Keep in mind that some children need time to process the information that was provided so give them a few seconds and then check for understanding.
#3. Use Visuals
Post up images of your schedule or of the parts of a task that need to be completed. When you’re explaining it to your children, point to each picture so that they can see exactly what they need to do.
If possible, provide, written steps for the tasks so that your child can read the instructions if they can’t remember it or if they forget what a specific picture means.
If you’d like a visual calendar for your home or your classroom, CLICK HERE or on the following image.
#4. Give Praise
Be patient and praise your child when they respond or follow through with a task. For example, “You did such a wonderful job coloring this butterfly. I love your choice of colors.” Don’t just leave it at “good job” as the child won’t know what they are being praised for.
Recap:
Let’s recap really quickly. Today, we looked at the following:
- The importance of giving clear instructions to your child.
- Four simple tips to give instructions to a child with ADHD and autism: get attention, be specific, use visuals, and give praise.
Free Resources:
For a taste of the resources that were mentioned in step two, check out the following resource in my FREE Education Resource Library.
Teach your little ones how to make good choices with the following FREE Resource:
Next Steps:
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I’ll see you next Friday at 5:30pm PST.
Until I see you next time, remember to create, experience & teach from the heart.
Take care,
Charlotte
Disclaimer: I’m a teacher and a parent. I’m not a medical professional, so please don’t take this as medical advice. The advice that I provide in my videos and online are strategies that I have used in my own class or at home that have worked beautifully.
