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Teacher´s attitudes to hyperactive pupils
KRÁLOVÁ, Martina
ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is nowadays the most frequently diagnosed children mental disorder. It appears at 3-6% of school children. One of the causes of this hyperkinetic syndrome is immaturity of central nervous system, where genetic and non-genetic factors, which emerge prenatally, are applied. Then children have attention problems, they are impulsive and hyperactive. The beginning of studies at elementary school is very important step for the child because the school is trying to socialize and develop the attitude to life. Teachers are expected to use respect to individuality and personality to make the studying attitude easy for the child. Working with hyperactive child (and working with the whole class where this child belongs as well) is de facto a special demand on the teacher and it is highly above the usual education competence. In theoretical part of this thesis I'm trying to describe ADHD problems and I write as well about conception of this syndrome and of corresponding terminology, from minimal cerebral dysfunction to today's conception of ADHD. Individual chapters are dedicated to symptoms of ADHD and to occurrence of the disorder, to it's causes and diagnostics. I also add a chapter about different course of ADHD at both sexes. Then I work in detail on problems connected with adaptation of child with ADHD to school environment ? I describe usual behaviour of hyperactive child, the influence of class, the teacher's personality and his (or her) ideas about students. I also quote the main legislation, rules and provisions connected to teaching a child with ADHD. Taking into consideration the importance of family on child's working at school, I add an extra chapter about a family with ADHD child, in which I describe relationships between the parents and the child and their rules to successful raising. At the end of the theoretical part I write about consulting facilities that parents and teachers can use, I examine how they work and what they provide. In my research I present the course and the result of qualitative research which is focused on elementary teacher's experience with teaching hyperactive students. I was not only interested in teachers' knowledge and in their attitude to hyperactive students but also in practical skills that they use during teaching. I am using these four questions to express the general task of my research: 1) What is the teachers' experience with hyperactive students like? 2) How is cooperation with their parents? 3) How does cooperation with consulting facilities look like? 4) How to apply methodical instructions? Research questions are further converted into questions for the semi-structured interview. The results from the research are supported by information from the interview with ten teachers from elementary schools. The most important result of my research is finding out that pedagogical assistant together with sitting in front of the class significantly improves children's adaptation to school requirements. Hyperactivity does not influence the class social status of children with ADHD. Between teachers there is a widespread belief that hyperactivity can be partially influenced in the family. Teachers are satisfied with cooperation between them and parents and they do not want to change it. Families cooperate with pedagogical-psychological advisory center or with other specialists (psychiatrist, neurologist or psychologist). While trying to apply methodical instructions, teachers from my research group do not rely on help from PPP and they prefer to solve problems themselves. This thesis demonstrates authentic experience of teachers who has worked with hyperactive children. I write about specific teaching demands and about principles for working with hyperactive students that can be useful for general pedagogical public.
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