8 Homework Strategies
Eight Homework Strategies for Parents of Children with Attention Disorders
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA, May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Until now, parents of children with attention problems -- especially children diagnosed with attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) -- had few resources to help them win the homework battle. Fortunately, practical help is now available. Thomas J. Power, Ph.D., psychologist and director of the Center for Management of ADHD at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and his colleagues have co-authored "Homework Success for Children with ADHD: A Family-School Intervention Program" (Guilford Press, 2001).
The first-of-its-kind book presents homework strategies intended to be taught in seven sessions by practitioners who work with families coping with ADHD. Based on the successful homework intervention model used at the Hospital's ADHD Center, these strategies range from setting realistic limits on the length of homework sessions to offering redeemable tokens for completed assignments. The tips have been shown to boost children's homework performance and also lower parent-child conflict stemming from homework stress.
Conventional homework strategies and commercial tutoring programs may not meet the specific needs of children with ADHD, according to Dr. Power. "These children tend to have problems with homework from start to finish," he says. "They fail to write down assignments, avoid work, are highly distracted, fidget and argue with parents. Homework sessions can stretch into tedious hours, cutting in on playtime and time parents need to spend with other siblings."
In the past, these children were often labeled "lazy" and their problems often blamed on poor parenting. However, children with ADHD generally are believed to have a neurologically based disorder and require more instruction and practice to keep pace in the classroom. They also need specific intervention techniques that improve their ability to focus on a task. "The Homework Success program is intended to help good parents make homework time better," says Dr. Power.
The strategies are aimed at grades 1 through 6. "Addressing homework problems in the early grades can help establish study skills and work habits that are fundamental to success throughout school," says Dr. Power. Being successful at homework boosts grades as well as self-esteem.
Strategies Backed by Empirical Evidence
In evaluations of families who attended all seven sessions of the Homework Success program at the Hospital's Center for Management of ADHD, the parents reported increased completion and accuracy rate in homework and less stress. "Improvement of homework has a ripple effect -- it can improve academic functioning, home-school communication, parent-child relationships and family functioning," says Dr. Power.
While the book is intended for use by practitioners working with families coping with ADHD and includes recruitment guidelines, handouts and monitoring checklists, the Homework Success strategies may be useful for all parents who experience homework struggles, especially if their child has a short attention span, says Dr. Power.
Eight Homework Strategies that Work
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Collaborate with the teacher. This is vital because teachers determine the amount and type of homework assigned. Also, teachers can provide immediate feedback for homework, which is an important strategy in improving performance. Furthermore, teachers can help children keep a homework assignment book. |
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Designate a distraction-free, well-organized location. TV or other attention distracters should be eliminated and the area should be stocked with paper and other supplies. A consistent homework time when the child is best able to pay attention should be set. |
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Set time limits. Kids with attention problems usually don't use their time well; they waste time and this drags out homework, leading to frustration and conflict, according to Dr. Power. Reducing time spent on homework to a maximum limit established through collaboration between parents and teachers - even if the work is not finished - helps the child to develop effective work habits, gives kids more free time and improves child-parent relationship. Also, by lowering the standards of success to more reasonable levels initially, the children experience higher rates of success and they eventually learn to manage their time more effectively. |
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Divide homework into manageable chunks. Generally, a reasonable time allotment for each unit of homework is about three times the child's grade level. A fourth grader, for example, might study math for 10 to 12 minutes, leading a parent to say, "let's work to complete the problems in this section in the next 10 minutes." |
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Negotiate realistic goals with appropriate rewards and penalties. involving children in determining exactly what is expected in terms of time, accuracy and completion of tasks is a key component of the Homework Success program. "Engaging children with ADHD in designing homework strategies helps them learn the value of setting appropriate goals, managing time wisely, and reinforcing performance that meets expected goals," says Dr. Power. |
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Consider token reinforcements. For children with ADHD, homework improvement is best achieved when parents provide positive reinforcement by paying attention and offering praise contingent upon hard work and productivity. Also, providing children with tokens or points that can be exchanged for tangible reinforcers such as privileges can strengthen the effectiveness of a positive reinforcement program. |
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Focus on positive behaviors. Positive reinforcement should be given four times more often than penalties. Fidgeting and arguing should be ignored for now. As the child completes more work with higher accuracy rates in less time, he or she will usually become more attentive and productive. |
Founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is ranked today as the best pediatric hospital in the
nation by a comprehensive Child Magazine survey. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of
pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children
worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country, ranking second in National Institutes of Health funding. In
addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 381-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children
and adolescents from before birth through age 19.
Note: Thomas J. Power, Ph.D., is director of the Center for Management of ADHD at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and associate professor of
school psychology in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Power is associate editor of School Psychology Review and
author of numerous journal articles and book chapters pertaining to ADHD. He is coauthor of "ADHD Rating Scale-IV: Checklists, Norms and Clinical
Interpretation" and "The Clinician's Practical Guide to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder."
CONTACT: Cynthia L. Atwood of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
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