Presentation by Paula Flynn, School of Education, Trinity College "Are we listening to children with ADHD" to HADD Information Evening 21 September 2011 as part of ADHD Awareness Week 2011

1. ARE WE LISTENING TO CHILDREN WITH ADHD?Paula FlynnSchool of EducationTrinity College Dublin ADHD AWARENESS WEEK HADD Information Evening 20th September 2011

2. I’m going to lose my temper in a minute. I would rather have ADHD than be normal. Pig head. I’m hoping that the positive side of their ADHD is going to take them forward. I wouldn’t want to um not have it, cause it’s just the way I am. I wouldn’t be me

3. I’m Me Inclusive Methods in Mainstream Education

4. OVERVIEW The importance of listening authentically to the voice of the child with ADHD Contextual framework of study Interventions that were generated from a small scale pupil voice project Emergent themes from preliminary analysis Implications

5. PUPIL VOICE UNCRC 1989 (Article 12) NATIONAL CHILDREN’S STRATEGY 2000 Aims Three national goals Pupil Voice Research: Consultation, Participation, Authentic Listening, Transformation (Rudduck and McIntyre, 2007) Those who shout the loudest....(Tangen 2009)

6. CONTEXT Inclusion Challenging Behaviour, Disaffection, Social Exclusion Social, Emotional and/or Behavioural Difficulties

8. Students with EBD may have conditions such as

9. Neurosis,

10. childhood psychosis,

11. ADD, ADHD,

12. Oppositional Defiant Disorder

13. Conduct Disorder(Special Education Support Services)

14. STUDENTS WITH SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND/OR BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES A student with such difficulties will present with varying degrees of behaviours that impinge on their learning and/or social development. At times their behaviour may also impact on the learning of others in the classroom.

16. isolated

17. disruptive

18. disturbing

19. being hyperactive

20. lacking concentration

21. having immature social skills

22. presenting challenging behaviours arising from other complex special needs

23. emotional disorders

24. conduct disorders

25. hyperkinetic disorders

26. attention deficit disorder ADD

27. attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]

28. Children and young people whose behavioural difficulties may be less obvious, for example:

29. those with anxiety

30. who self-harm

31. have school phobia

32. depression

34. Objectives of I’m Me To give voice to a group of children within mainstream education who often find themselves at risk of exclusion from school To provide opportunities for them to become ‘active agents’ in the pursuit of appropriate, beneficial and realistic methods to facilitate genuine inclusion for them in mainstream schools To determine the impact on the pupils and their school community when participants were given the opportunity to positively transform their experience of school

35. PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS 17 (48%) with assessment of ADHD (5 primary, 12 post primary) 1 co-existent Conduct Disorder 6 co-existent Oppositional Defiant Disorder 8 co-existent Learning Difficulties 15 on medication 2 children with full time SNA support

36. STRUCTURE OF I’m Me First contact and preliminary interviews with students 2008 – 2009 Consent forms from students Conclusion of programme in schools 2010 – 2011 Focus group meetings with students to conduct preliminary analysis and validate findings from January to June 2011

38. SOME REASONS FOR CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR Encountering obstacles to learning or feeling ‘different’ can lead to frustration, low self esteem, resentment and even anger........any one of these emotions can manifest itself in either episodes of or recurring challenging behaviour. Some students would rather get into trouble for bad behaviour than feel ashamed or embarrassed in front of their peers if they can’t contribute to or engage in learning that is taking place (Distractionary tactics) (IMME Programme, Flynn)

39. IMPLICATIONS The importance of ‘listening’ to children and acknowledging that they are ‘experts’ on their own experiences The necessity for a ‘bottom up’ approach to problem solving or eliciting views from students requires a ‘top down’ response’ Consulting pupils does not equate to relinquishing ‘power’ and control in the classroom – but a change in ‘power dynamics’

40. USEFUL RESOURCES www.hadd.ie www.adhdandyou.ie

41. REFERENCES Cooper, P. 2008 Nurturing Attachment to School: Contemporary Perspectives on Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. Pastoral Care in Education, 28. Davies, J. 2005 ‘Voices from the Margins: Perceptions of Pupils with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties about their Educational Experience’ in Clough, P. et al (eds) Handbook of Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, London: Sage Flynn, P. Shevlin, M. Lodge, A. 2011 ‘Are you listening? I’m Me. Reach Vol 25, Issue 1 National Behaviour Support Service, 2010 Behaviour Support Classrooms: A Research Study of 36 Behaviour Support Classrooms Dublin: NBSS. National Children’s Strategy, 2000 Our Children - Their Lives Dublin: Stationery Office.

42. National Educational Psychological Service, 2010 Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties: A Continuum of Support Dublin: Stationary Office. Robinson, C. & Taylor, C. 2007.Theorizing Student Voice: Values and Perspectives. Improving Schools, 10. Rudduck, J. & McIntyre, D. 2007.Improving Learning through Consulting Pupils, London: Routledge. Sellman, E. 2009 Lessons Learned: Student Voice at a School for Pupils Experiencing Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 14. Shevlin, M. & Flynn, P. 2011 ‘Leadership for Special Educational Needs’ In O'Sullivan, H. & West-Burnham, J. (eds) Leading and Managing Schools. London: Sage. Smith, D. J. 2006 School Experience and Delinquency at ages 13 to 16, Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, Centre for Law and Society. Tangen, R. 2009 Conceptualising Quality of School Life from Pupils' Perspective: A Four Dimensional Model. International Journal of Inclusive Education. United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, New York: UN.