Running Wild (ADHD in the Gym)

Running around is something that we see happening all the time in the gym. However, we do not realize how important running around and being active is for children. I mean as children grow they are always learning and exploring. At the same time they need to be able to let out their energy by playing and being active, and by being active we are helping to develop the whole child.

This is why physical education classes are more important than ever for students of all ages, as in our modern society children often spend more time on electronic devices then time spent playing. This is why it is great that they have made physical education mandatory for Kindergarten to Grade 12 as it has become quite the important class in helping out with the health of our future adults.

Though some students need this freedom to run and be active that a gym class brings more than others. Those with ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may appear to be hyper in the classroom and may be seen moving around or fidgeting when they should be listing to the teacher or working silently. They can often be considered difficult to handle and are often judged as those who cannot listen and pay attention.

The thing is they are like this because they often are in need of more physical activity to help them release this energy that they have. This is why Physical education class can be so important to them.

I did some research on this topic of students with ADHA and one article that I came across was Practical Strategies for Teaching Students with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in General Physical Education Classrooms by Christopher Mulrine and Ismael Flores-Marti. In this article they discussed the benefits of physical activity for students with ADHD and some strategies on how to make sure to include those with ADHD into the physical education class.

One piece of information that I took away from this article was what kind of exercise can be highly beneficial to those students with ADHD. Mulrine and Flores-Marti stated that “sports such as martial arts, ballet, yoga, dance, or any physical activity that requires deep concentration, memorization, and sequencing of behaviours can help a person with ADHD focus their attention.” (p. 27, 2014). I felt that this was quite important information to have as a future physical education teacher myself to know what types of activities to put into place to help those with ADHD succeed in the gym.

Some other ideas discussed in this article include the use of collaborative partnerships between the physical education teacher and the classroom teacher to create an inclusive environment for the student. As well as discussing with the classroom teacher about how the student behaves in the classroom to understand how to help them to participate and be successful during gym class.

This article also discussed the idea of using academic interventions for students with ADHD, it discussed three that can possibly be useful for physical education teachers, these include “universal design for learning (UDL), response to intervention (RTI), and differentiated instruction (DI).” (p. 28, Mulrine & Flores-Marti, 2014). For example in the UDL approach the PE teacher could modify multiple areas of an activity such as the rules, the equipment being used or how the game is taught (the method of instruction) to help make the activity equal and achievable to all the students participating.

If you would like to view some of these strategies for yourself check out the article which is available here: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08924562.2014.859004

In the end, it is important to remember that exercise is important to all students no matter what age and helps to improve academic performance in the classroom. It “helps students to cope more effectively with stress, have a more positive identity, and have clearer thought and improved memory.” (p. 27, Mulrine & Flores-Marti, 2014).

Reference: Mulrine, C. F. & Flores-Marti, I. (2014) Practical Strategies for

Teaching Students with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in General Physical Education

Classrooms. Strategies, 27 (1), 26-31. DOI: 10.1080/08924562.2014.859004

Retrieved from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08924562.2014.859004