Book Review: Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD, & Executive Function Deficits

I often speak to teachers and school administrators about how to better understand kids with ADHD and how to help them succeed, and the question "Where can we find more resources and techniques" almost always comes up. Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD, & Executive Function Deficits by Chris Zeigler Dendy, MS is definitely on my short list of recommended reading. This book goes a bit further in depth than other teaching books I have reviewed about how executive function deficits affect learning, citing specific challenges associated with each execution function. It also makes a more distinct connection between ADHD and executive functions.

I like that this book is geared toward teens in particular, and also talks about ADHD while still detailing specific executive functions. The areas where we see the greatest struggles in overcoming executive function deficits is often very different between elementary students and teens, therefore it is helpful to have a resource for teen-specific tools. I also really like that there is a section on legal rights for students and how these apply to ADHD, including IDEA.

Some general strategies for working with teens are given, such as using time limits for working memory deficits. But the greater value of the book comes in the specific inventions that are given, most of which I have listed below. There is a fairly thorough section on time management struggles as well--more than what I've found in most books.
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Areas covered:
- Modifications for assignments and testing
- Tips for working with disorders of written expression and math difficulties
- How to set up various tools such as graphic organizers, weekly reports, etc.
- Plentiful lists of resources (online, local, books, etc.)
- Thorough explanations of 504 and IEP plans
- Support for managing challenging behaviors in the classroom, broken down by specific behavior issues
- Section on conflict resolution, peer mediation, violence prevention, and anger management

If you are just beginning to explore ways to help your child or student in school, or just learning about 504s/IEPs for the first time, this book is going to be very overwhelming. But it is ideal for the teachers who have a basic understanding of working with kids with ADHD, and need more specific tools and ideas for the classroom. It is also fantastic for parents who have to offer a lot of at-home school support, or are having difficulty finding 504 accommodations or an IEP plan that works.

Book info: Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD & Executive Function Deficits: A Quick Reference Guide for Teachers and Parents (2nd ed.) by Chris A. Zeigler Dendy, M.S. Woodbine House; Bethesda, MD; 2011.