ADHD and anxiety- rote memorization assignment

[Anonymous]

I searched the forum but couldn't find something like our situation-- My DS is a HS student with ADHD and anxiety. DS is medicated for both, but has refused therapy. With some accommodations, DS is doing solid work and improving at a local private. DS has one assignment that is giving him incredible trouble- rote memorization of a poem. At home, DS can recite the poem to us. When assessed at school (one on one with teacher), DS freezes up and panics. Teacher is being reasonable and letting him reschedule when DS is ready. Any suggestions on how to help him through this one time thing? What alternative assessment might be reasonable to suggest?

It's a one time assignment (kind of a rite of passage) at this school, so we just have to help him get through it. I know DS needs therapy (and hoping this may convince DS to try again) and I know rote memorization may not work great for this type of student. Please just give me any suggestion to get through to the other side

[Anonymous]

Would he be able to record it in a room by himself at school? Or can he face away from the teacher when he recites it? Or with a teacher/aide in the room, write out the poem instead of reciting it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would he be able to record it in a room by himself at school? Or can he face away from the teacher when he recites it? Or with a teacher/aide in the room, write out the poem instead of reciting it?

You may also want to ask the doctor whether your child can take a slightly higher dose of his anxiety meds for this presentation.

[Anonymous]

I would also ask for other accommodations like one poster mentioned. Ask if he can record himself alone. Or can it be broken in to multiple pieces and done more than once (not sure if that would be helpful if it draws out the panic, just thinking of other alternatives). Basically figure out whatever your son needs to get it done and then ask for that. Make it clear to your son that he has support and help, but this is necessary for him to complete in some fashion.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you for your suggestions, but mostly letting me vent my anxiety about my DS's anxiety

The teacher made a deck of flashcards, one word per card. DS had a set amount of time to organise the cards into the poem in front of the teacher. An A!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you for your suggestions, but mostly letting me vent my anxiety about my DS's anxiety

The teacher made a deck of flashcards, one word per card. DS had a set amount of time to organise the cards into the poem in front of the teacher. An A!

What a great teacher! Such a creative solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you for your suggestions, but mostly letting me vent my anxiety about my DS's anxiety

The teacher made a deck of flashcards, one word per card. DS had a set amount of time to organise the cards into the poem in front of the teacher. An A!

That is amazing solution! Kudos to the teacher for coming up with that.

[Anonymous]

Ask the teacher if he can write it from memory while she’s in the room but not directly interacting. When he’s done he can read it to her. Next time he can write part of it and recite the last 1-2 lines. Time after that make it write half, recite half. And so on… this way he’s still achieving the target behavior of speaking to the teacher rather than avoiding this all together. The teacher’s solution is good but not great because it doesn’t address the skill that’s causing a problem.