Browsing by Author "Forss, Krista"

Aim. In pre-primary education ADHD-diagnosed children can be found in special groups, integrated groups and also in ordinary groups. It is important that teachers, who work in pre-primary education groups, recognize the individual needs of ADHD-diagnosed children and consider them in all teaching situations, including physical education. The purpose of this study was to find out the needs of ADHD-diagnosed children in pre-primary education during physical education and teachers’ ways to consider these needs. Methods. This study was a qualitative study. The material was collected in January 2018 by interviewing four pre-primary teachers working in the Helsinki metropolitan area, whose groups included an ADHD-diagnosed child. The interviewees were all trained as kindergarten teachers and one of the interviewees was also a qualified special kindergarten teacher. All pre-primary education teachers had at least 15 years of teaching experience and two interviewees had also worked as a day-care centre’s manager. The interviews were conducted as theme interviews in the pre-primary teachers’ workplaces. After the interviews, the material was transcribed and analyzed by content analysis. Results. The results showed that some of the ADHD-diagnosed children had difficulties with regulating their behaviour and emotions. Additionally, one ADHD-diagnosed child had weak motor skills and two very low self-esteem. The needs of ADHD-diagnosed children in physical education were, in spite of the common diagnosis, individualised. Pre-primary teachers make sure to consider ADHD-diagnosed children’s needs in physical education making sure that children have various options to move, simplifying the teaching situations, developing routines that add the feeling of safety and strengthening the child’s self-esteem for example giving lots of positive feedback. All pre-primary teachers evaluated the meaning of physical education as very important in their group that includes ADHD-diagnosed child. Tiivistelmä - Referat - Abstract Aim. In pre-primary education ADHD-diagnosed children can be found in special groups, integrated groups and also in ordinary groups. It is important that teachers, who work in pre-primary education groups, recognize the individual needs of ADHD-diagnosed children and consider them in all teaching situations, including physical education. The purpose of this study was to find out the needs of ADHD-diagnosed children in pre-primary education during physical education and teachers’ ways to consider these needs. Methods. This study was a qualitative study. The material was collected in January 2018 by interviewing four pre-primary teachers working in the Helsinki metropolitan area, whose groups included an ADHD-diagnosed child. The interviewees were all trained as kindergarten teachers and one of the interviewees was also a qualified special kindergarten teacher. All pre-primary education teachers had at least 15 years of teaching experience and two interviewees had also worked as a day-care centre’s manager. The interviews were conducted as theme interviews in the pre-primary teachers’ workplaces. After the interviews, the material was transcribed and analyzed by content analysis. Results. The results showed that some of the ADHD-diagnosed children had difficulties with regulating their behaviour and emotions. Additionally, one ADHD-diagnosed child had weak motor skills and two very low self-esteem. The needs of ADHD-diagnosed children in physical education were, in spite of the common diagnosis, individualised. Pre-primary teachers make sure to consider ADHD-diagnosed children’s needs in physical education making sure that children have various options to move, simplifying the teaching situations, developing routines that add the feeling of safety and strengthening the child’s self-esteem for example giving lots of positive feedback. All pre-primary teachers evaluated the meaning of physical education as very important in their group that includes ADHD-diagnosed child.