Many students have difficulty with basic organizational skills, but those students who struggle with ADHD have an even more difficult time. It is important to not assume that students can figure it out or pick it up by watching other students. Direct instruction in organization will not only help students become more organized, but will often help improve student grades at the same time.
Color coding is an excellent option for teachers and parents who wish to help teach children how to remain organized. Each subject should be assigned a single color. The color red should be reserved for important tasks or events that students must remember as it has been shown that the color red aids student memory.
Some ideas for teachers to color code include:
- The daily schedule
- Homework assignments
- Work bins for completed work
Some ideas for students to color code include:
- Tabs for each subject in a binder
- Folders for projects in each subject
- Homework
Helping students learn to be more organized through the use of colors will help them feel better about themselves as they will be able to find their work more quickly. They will also likely improve their grades as they will not be losing their work and having loose papers floating around their book bag.
