Are you looking for ways to help kids develop a habit of finishing what they start? If so, keep reading.
1. Give the student established time limits before a learning experience begins.
2. Support the student in performing their duties. As the student shows success in performing duties, slowly decrease assistance and require the student to independently assume more responsibility.
3. Be clear when giving instructions to transition from one learning experience to the next.
4. Draft an agreement with the student stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., putting learning materials away and getting ready for another learning experience) and which reinforcement will be implemented when the agreement has been met.
5. Select a peer to model finishing a learning experience and putting learning materials away for the student.
6. Give the student more than enough time to finish a learning experience. As the student shows success, decrease the amount of time given to finish a learning experience.
7. Establish time limits so that the student knows how long they have to work and when they must be finished.
8. Give sufficient transition time for the student to finish a learning experience and get ready for the next learning experience.
9. Utilize a timer to help the student know when it is time to change to a new learning experience.
10. Teach time-management skills. Get the student to make a daily plan and follow it. Urge the student to avoid becoming distracted by activities, impulses, and moods.
11. Talk about the student’s duties at the beginning of each class period so they know what is expected.
12. Restrict the student’s use of those things they have been irresponsible in putting away, returning, etc.
13. Show the student when they do not put things away, what they are doing wrong, what they are supposed to be doing, and why.
14. Make sure that duties given to the student are appropriate for their level of development and capacity and ability.
15. Use a signal method (e.g., turning the lights off and on) to warn that the end of a learning experience is near, and it is time to finish and put learning materials away.
16. Be firm, fair, and consistent, expecting the student to change from one learning experience to another (e.g., do not let the student change learning activities without putting learning materials away one time and not the next).
17. Give an incentive statement along with an instruction (e.g., “You may listen to your CD player after you finish your task and put away all learning materials. ”).
18. Assess the appropriateness of the task to ascertain (a) if the task is too easy, (b) if the task is too complicated, and (c) if the duration of time scheduled to finish the task is sufficient.
19. Consider using assistive technology designed to help students to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder concentrate. Click here to view list of assistive technology apps that we recommend.
