Parents used to say me: He can pay attention to his Game Boy and computer games for hours at a time. Why can't he pay attention to his teacher or his school work? This article explains that ADHD may be more a lack of motivation than attention deficit.
Motivation May Be at Root of ADHD
... the finding should also be considered a "wake-up call for teachers," she said. Knowing that the problem is one of motivation, teachers could devise methods to provide "extra engagement" for these children, Volkow said.
Even children with ADHD can concentrate on tasks they like and find engaging, such as computer games, she noted. The trick is to bring that same level of engagement into the classroom, she said.
"It's a great opportunity to develop curriculum that is much more exciting and engaging for kids suffering from ADHD," Volkow said.
Read more: http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/adhd/630780.html (9/8/09)
Multitaskers: suckers for irrelevancy, easily distracted, by Rik Myslewski in San Francisco, 8/26/09
A recent study implies it's not cool to brag about your skills as a multitasker.
This will comes as bad news to those of us who regularly consume multiple simultaneous media streams - texting while watching television, hopping between websites and IM, or coding while listening to Jay-Z.
You know who you are.
Specifically, the study concluded that media multitaskers have lower attention, memory, and task-switching abilities than folks who are more accustomed to doing one thing at a time.
... As explained by co-author Anthony Wagner, high-multitaskers have poor information filters. "When they're in situations where there are multiple sources of information coming from the external world or emerging out of memory," he said, "they're not able to filter out what's not relevant to their current goal. That failure to filter means they're slowed down by that irrelevant information."
Kay's Comment: "Filter and focus" was my most repeated direction to students with attentional difficulties.
State of Oregon opens an Adult Learner Line and website funded by U.S. Dept. of Education ...
Portland, OR, July 7, 2009 – The State of Oregon announced today that it has launched a toll-free Adult Learner Resource Line (1-877-84U-4NOW) and website (www.OregonOpportunities.gov) for Oregonians interested in returning to college, or enrolling for the first time. Funded through a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the Adult Learner Line is specifically for Oregonians ages 25 and older who are interested in going to college, but need some help and direction on how to enroll, seek financial aid, and generally navigate the process. The Adult Learner Line and website are just one component of the College Access Challenge Grant Program (CACGP) funded last year through the federal government, which is directed at increasing awareness of and access to postsecondary education in Oregon.
