ADHD exercise: avoiding careless mistakes

A minus sign read as a plus, a forgotten carry-over, a skipped question, a word copied incorrectly: careless mistakes are part of everyday life for many children with ADHD. They cost them marks even though they know their lesson. They are frustrating. Here are exercises and strategies to reduce them.

Mistakes that say nothing about knowledge

Careless mistakes do not come from a lack of knowledge. The child knows how to do the task, but gets it wrong through inattention. Their attention drifted for a moment. They read too quickly. They forgot a step.

These mistakes can be very penalising at school. They can also discourage the child, who feels they never succeed despite their efforts. It is important to distinguish them from genuine difficulties. We help the child spot them. We give them tools to avoid them. Grading is discussed on the page ADHD and grading.

Slowing down at key moments

Many careless mistakes come from going too fast. The child with ADHD wants to finish quickly. They skim the text. They write without checking. We help them slow down, especially at key moments: reading the instructions, choosing the operation, writing the answer.

We can place a small symbol in the margin, like a stop sign, to remind them to pause. They stop. They reread. They check. Then they carry on. They make fewer mistakes. The related traffic-light technique is described on the page on the red light for stopping.

Underlining important words

Before starting an exercise, the child underlines the important words in the instructions. The action verb, the numbers, the words that change everything such as not or except. They spot them. They do not forget them. They do what is asked.

In maths, they can circle the operation signs in colour. Plus in green, minus in red. They see them clearly. They no longer confuse them. They make fewer calculation errors. Instructions are worked on the page for following instructions.

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The checklist for verification

A checklist, adapted to each subject, helps the child spot their mistakes before handing in their work. In French: I have added capital letters and full stops, I have reread the agreements. In maths: I have checked the signs, the carry-overs, the unit. They tick each point. They correct.

We make these lists with them, based on their usual mistakes. They are personalised. They keep them in their pencil case. They use them at home and at school. They become more independent. The principle of checklists is detailed on the page for getting organised with a list.

Checking calculations

For calculations, the child can learn to estimate the result before calculating. Roughly what will it come to? Then they calculate. They compare. If the result is very different from the estimate, they look for the mistake. They avoid absurd results.

They can also check an addition by a subtraction, a multiplication by a division. They redo the calculation another way. They see whether it comes out right. They become more reliable. They are more confident. If the difficulties with calculation go beyond inattention, the page ADHD or dyscalculia helps to tell the difference.

Vigilance games

Some games build vigilance and attention to detail. Spot the seven differences. Sentences with one mistake to find. Texts in which misspelt words must be identified. The child becomes a detective. They look for the traps.

You can make trap exercises yourself, based on their homework. You slip in a few mistakes. The child has to find them. They enjoy playing the proofreader. They develop their vigilance. They then apply it to their own work. Rereading is covered in depth on the page for rereading your work.

Adjustments and support

At school, the teacher can take careless mistakes into account, for example by assessing the process rather than only the result. Extra time allows the pupil to reread their work. Uncluttered questions limit reading errors. These adjustments can be included in the support plan. They avoid penalising a pupil who knows the material.

A psychologist or a specialist coach can help the child develop their checking strategies. The ProfessionnelsDys directory makes it possible to find these professionals near you. A neuropsychologist can also assess attention. Extra time is presented on the page extra time and ADHD.