Research Paper Graduate 1,703 words

Reading Intervention for ESL Students With ADHD

~9 min read 5 sections Education · Special Education

Abstract

This paper presents an individualized reading intervention program designed for a 7-year-old Spanish-speaking ESL learner diagnosed with ADHD. Drawing on peer-reviewed literature, the paper reviews the compounding challenges that ADHD and limited English proficiency create for developing readers. It describes the rationale for a paired reading strategy, outlines additional classroom modifications suited to children with ADHD, and explains how integrating reading with curriculum content can reinforce progress. The paper also details the use of the Informal Reading Inventory as an ongoing assessment tool, addresses the risk of ADHD misdiagnosis, and concludes with practical suggestions for teachers and parents supporting ESL learners with attention difficulties.

Key Takeaways

Introduction: Profile of ESL learner with ADHD and paper aims
Rationale for Intervention: Literature basis for ADHD and ESL reading challenges
Program Description: Paired reading strategy and classroom modifications
Assessments and Learning Targets: Informal reading inventory and iterative progress tracking
Conclusion: Key findings and advice for teachers and parents

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What makes this paper effective

The paper grounds every instructional recommendation in cited, peer-reviewed literature, giving the intervention plan clear scholarly authority.
It balances diagnosis-related caution — acknowledging rates of ADHD misdiagnosis — with practical, student-centered strategies, demonstrating critical thinking beyond a simple problem-solution frame.
Personal context (the student's bilingual home environment and outgoing personality) is woven into the rationale for specific strategies such as paired reading, making the intervention feel individualized rather than generic.

Key academic technique demonstrated

The paper demonstrates evidence-based program design: each component of the intervention (paired reading, distraction reduction, informal reading inventory) is introduced with a direct quotation or citation that justifies its inclusion. This technique — linking every pedagogical choice to published evidence — is essential in education research writing and distinguishes a scholarly intervention plan from mere opinion.

Structure breakdown

The paper follows a clear applied-research structure: an introduction that establishes the learner's profile, a rationale section that synthesizes literature on ADHD and ESL reading difficulties, a program description that translates research into concrete steps, an assessments section that specifies measurement tools and criteria, and a conclusion that generalizes findings for broader audiences (teachers and parents). This five-part scaffold is characteristic of individualized education plan (IEP) or reading intervention reports at the graduate level.

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Essay 1,703 words

Introduction

Young learners who suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently experience problems with reading (Clarfeld & Stoner, 2009; Kim & Kaiser, 2000). This problem becomes even more challenging when children are English as a second language (ESL) learners (Mokhtari & Sheorey, 2002). One such learner is a bright, gregarious young girl whose native language is Spanish and who suffers from ADHD. Despite these disadvantages, she has managed to nearly maintain pace with her English-speaking classmates, although she is currently falling further behind.

The purpose of this individualized reading intervention is to review the relevant scholarly and peer-reviewed literature concerning students in situations similar to hers in order to identify opportunities and strategies to improve her reading abilities. The rationale for the selected intervention is presented first, followed by a description of the envisioned program. Finally, a description of the assessments used to evaluate her progress is followed by a summary of the research and suggestions for teachers and parents.

4 Sections Hidden · 1,070 words

Rationale for Intervention280 words

In an educational setting, it is axiomatic that if students are not learning the way they are being taught, they need to be taught the way they learn — and that certainly appears to be the case here. At present, the student is not benefiting from the reading/writing workshops,…

Program Description370 words

Implementation of this intervention will begin by developing appropriate learning targets intended to accelerate the student's reading abilities and comprehension. The first step is to explain why the intervention is necessary…

Assessments and Learning Targets320 words

The learning targets will be adjusted as the student's progress continues until she reaches parity with her classmates. Although the case study is silent concerning her initial diagnosis of…

Conclusion100 words

Reading ability has been shown time and again to contribute to academic achievement in virtually all other subject areas, making it critically important to ensure that all young learners develop this ability early in their school careers. The research confirms that ESL students who also suffer from ADHD…

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References

Baum, R. & Kowatch, R. A. (2014, July). An irritable, inattentive, and disruptive child: Is it ADHD or bipolar disorder: Clinical characteristics, rating scales, nomograms help guide diagnosis. Current Psychiatry, 13(7), 30–33.

Brown, V. (2009, Fall). Individuals with ADHD lost in hyperspace. Childhood Education, 86(1), 45–51.

Clarfield, J. & Stoner, G. (2009, Spring). The effects of computerized reading instruction on the academic performance of students identified with ADHD. School Psychology Review, 34(2), 246–251.

Daly, W. C. (1998, Winter). ADHD — diagnostic decoy. Education, 117(2), 285–290.

Hamilton, N. J. & Astramovich, R. L. (2016, Summer). Teaching strategies for students with ADHD: Findings from the field. Education, 136(4), 451–456.

Henion, A. & Elder, R. (2015, June 17). Nearly one million children potentially misdiagnosed with ADHD. Michigan State University Today. Retrieved from https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/.

Hook, E. (2010, June). ESL students: Learning through talking. Practical Literacy, 15(2), 13–16.

Informal reading inventory. (2020). Alpine Schools. Retrieved from https://legacy.alpineschools.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2017/03/6-Informal-Reading-Inventory-for-Grades-1-6.pdf.

Kim, O. H. & Kaiser, A. P. (2000, Spring). Language characteristics of children with ADHD. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 21(3), 154.

Kruger, A. (2000, Summer). A meaning-based ESL reading program. Reading Improvement, 37(2), 50.

Lee, S. & Butler, M. B. (2007, Fall). A case study of an early childhood teacher's perspective on working with English language learners. Multicultural Education, 15(1), 43–45.

Li, D. & Ness, S. (2010, Summer). Using paired reading to help ESL students become fluent and accurate readers. Reading Improvement, 38(2), 50–55.

McLaughlin, J. E. (2008, July). Reducing diagnostic bias. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 24(3), 256–260.

Mokhtari, K. & Sheorey, R. (2002, Spring). Measuring ESL students' awareness of reading strategies. Journal of Developmental Education, 25(3), 2–7.

Sherman, J. & Rasmussen, C. (2006, Summer). Thinking positively: How some characteristics of ADHD can be adaptive and accepted in the classroom. Childhood Education, 82(4), 196–203.

Teaching English to ADHD learners. (2020). English Club. Retrieved from

Using the informal reading inventory. (2020). Education Place. Retrieved from

Webb, L. D. & Myrick, R. D. (2013, December). A group counseling intervention for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Professional School Counseling, 7(2), 108–113.

Williams, H. S. & Williams, P. N. (2008, Fall). Integrating reading and computers: An approach to improve ESL students' reading skills. Reading Improvement, 37(3), 98–101.

Key Concepts in This Paper

Paired Reading ADHD Diagnosis ESL Learners Reading Fluency Informal Reading Inventory Selective Attention Reading Intervention Misdiagnosis Risk English Proficiency Distraction Reduction