ADHD and teacher knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ADHD and teacher knowledge - Essay Example The most common of which is Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), or its derivative, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Such disorders cause students to be disruptive in class and behave in ways that would greatly affect teacher performance. This study is an attempt to investigate the current status of teachers knowledge of AD/HD? How does their knowledge impact their ability to work with their students? How does teacher efficacy relate to student outcomes? In reviewing the literature on teacher knowledge, it is hypothesized that teachers of regular children easily suspect inattentive and disruptive children as having ADHD. â€Å"Teacher ratings are often utilized because teachers have the opportunity to observe children in different school settings for long periods of time. One difficulty with utilizing teacher reports is that they tend to identify a higher proportion than the 3%–5% suggested in DSM–IV. For example, as many as 15% of the sample in one study would have been labeled ADHD by teachers (Weiler et al., 1999). Glass and Wegar also (2000) found that teachers identified 6% to 15% of students as having ADHD.† (Havey, Olson, McCormick and Cates, 2005). This paper likewise explores the reasons for such discrepancies. Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (American Psychological Association. APA. 2000). It is complex syndrome of impairments related to the development of brain cognitive management systems or executive functions. It affects a person’s organization skills, concentration, focus and prolonged attention on a task, processing speed, short-term working memory and access recall, sustained motivation to work and the appropriate management of emotions. Brown (2007) has enumerated the executive functions of the brain that work together in various combinations as