I have ADHD and am fourteen years old. I have no idea how to study for a test. Any suggestion?

Question

I've never quit understood how to study at all. I've just always read the book and if I was paying attention in the class than I would pass, but I haven't been so lucky this year. The classes are hard and I just can't find a study tactic that will work for me. It's pretty pathetic to be honest. All my friends know how to do this and well, I just don't.

Answer 1

I know that it can be fared to Study for any one With a Learning Disability, I know I have Dulsea, and cannot spell very well. I was told to study with help from some of my teachers.

Try talking to your teachers and Parents.  Try some of this Web sits as well.

http://www.how-to-study.com/

http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.htm...

http://www.stthomas.edu/academicsupport/...

There are many more just go and look under study skills.

Answer 2

I tutor children, teens and young adults with learning disabilities. I work with a lot of people with adhd. If you are unmedicated, then you need to make very specific plans around your studying- i.e. no cramming. Everyone gave you very helpful comments above, but also I would recommend taking things to the extreme, as your thought processing is not like most of the other students. Yes, be up front with your teachers regarding your concerns. Be as communicative as possible. When you study at home, remove all distractions. Be in the most boring space possible, on a clear table (not in bed), put your phone away, etc. Do not eat right before you study. Now, most importantly: break your work into as many increments as possible. If you are studying math, do one equation at a time, focusing all your energy on that equation. Re-write the equation and double check each number so that you don't inadvertently switch any (do this on your test as well, everyone is prone substituting one number for another, but adhd makes it more difficult for you to catch your own mistakes, so re-read your own work a lot, even if it feels dumb, to make sure you have written what you want). At home, give yourself a two minute break in between each task, but don't start anything that will be hard for you to stop, like a video game. Move around on your break. Get up and dance for those two minutes. Do something totally unrelated to studying, like going outside and getting some fresh air. Then move on to the next problem. Give yourself an allotted time to study and stick to it exactly. If you give yourself one hour to study, and break up your tasks, you will be more focused on each one than if you just sat down and crammed all evening. If you don't get your work done in that time period, give yourself a longer break, 10 to 20 minutes, then do another hour. This works in every subject. For History or English break the text up into paragraphs, tackle one at a time. Figure out what the point of each paragraph is and write it down in a list or on flashcards. This is a very important step. If you only have one paragraph to worry about at a time, you'll be able to focus. Writing the point of that paragraph down helps you commit it to memory (also saying it out loud). At the end of the chapter you will have a list of the key point in that chapter. Then sit down a parent, sibling or friend and teach them what you just learned. I promise you, this will help you so so so so much. You have to set small goals and take breaks if you want to be able keep focus. Good luck, and remember, the more you talk to your teachers about this, the better off you will be.

Answer 3

i too have trouble in school and studying just review the stuff in your head and imagine it is being etched in a wall in your brain or associate the facts with things you will remember

Answer 4

i have add also and whenever i have tests that i need to study for i ask my teachers for a reveiw sheet

Answer 5

You need to make flash cards with questions and answers on the back.. But first talk to your teacher and tell them what you plan to do. So you can get the right information on your flash cards....You could ask to stay after school one night and ask your teacher to help you decide what are the most important things to look for during this test.  Good Luck

I told my son tonight to do his flash cards and he said I hate that but he is in there doing it or he will loose his video games.

Answer 6

just reading the book sometimes is enough but really you need to understand the material. not sure what subject it is but in my circuits class i have to go section by section doing all the problems i can find... and just by doing that i memorize the formulas for each type of problem and how to set up each problem

Answer 7

Ask your friends to show you how they study. Ask more than one so you'll get lots of ideas on what might work for you.

Answer 8

Although you may not need "special education" because of your ADHD, you do qualify for a 504 plan.  This means that you can get some extra help with studying and stuff, and they can't discriminate against you because of your ADHD.  Have your parents talk to the school or your doctor about this.

You are getting to the age where school is really difficult and the teachers help you less.  With a 504 plan, you can make the teachers give you a comprehensive study guide.  Sometimes they can also help you with flash cards of the more important things that will be on a test.  A study guide from the teacher of each class will help you a great deal.  You can have your parents quiz you on the questions off the study guide, or just cover the answers and then try to answer the question.

If you want more info about getting a 504 plan put in place, please email me at [e-mail].  It doesn't mean you need special education like some people think.