This document provides learning strategies and study tips for students with ADHD. It outlines quick tips for time management, sleep, self-care, studying and test-taking. Some key recommendations include keeping a planner, starting assignments early, taking breaks, using all senses when studying like color-coding notes, and asking for accommodations like extra time on tests. A variety of tools are also suggested to help with focus, writing and listening to lectures. References for additional resources on studying with ADHD are provided at the end.

1. ADHD Learning
Strategies
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

2. Outline
 Quick tips
 Sleep & self care
 Time management
 Studying
 Test taking
 Tools you can use
 What works for you?
 Questions

3. Quick Tips: Sleep & Self Care
 Sleep problems are associated with a poorer working memory (Sciberras, et. al., 2015)
 Routine helps: get up & go to bed the same time each day
 Avoid caffeine after noon
 Avoid screens before bed time
 Exercise can help focus
 Eat nutritious foods for your brain
 Relax and do something you enjoy

4. Quick Tips: Time management plan
 Keep a planner: Add due dates to a calendar
 Set reminders!
 Break up large tasks
 If you have to write a 10-page paper, try breaking it up into 3 or 4 sections and
writing one per day.
 If you have a test, break it up into small sections or chapters

5. Quick Tips: Time management plan, cont.
 Start assignments early
 schedule time at least the week ahead for assignments & study time
 Take breaks
 Plan rewards!

6. Quick Tips: Before Studying
 Do a body check:
 are you hungry? Thirsty? Cold? Etc.
 Make yourself comfortable
 Start with a 2 minute mind-dump: write your to-do list, what your thinking or worried
about
 Re-read your assignment
 Consider making a list of the criteria, such as word count, number of references
for a paper, or number of chapters or sections to study

7. Quick Tips: Plan Your Environment
 Turn off your phone
 Listen
 Use Earplugs
 Practice studying in a similar sounding environment as a test
 Touch
 Use fidget toys, stress balls, etc.

8. Quick Tips: Use all your senses
 Visualize
 Color-coding your notes gives you visual cues to spark your memory.
 Try to associate pictures with certain words or reading passages. This triggers
your brain to remember them better.
 Create your own Venn diagram to break things down.
 Smell & Taste
 Use the same chapstick, lotion, etc. with a specific scent when you are studying,
and then taking an exam
 Chew gum, or eat a Jolly Rancher of the same flavor

9. Quick Tips: Studying
 Study with a partner, if it works for you
 This helps verbalize what you are learning
 Organize material into sections before an exam
 Review what you know first, quickly
 Spend the majority of time reviewing what you don’t know
 Three-times rule: “Make sure you go over everything at least three times, even if it’s a
subject you’re good at” (https://psychcentral.com/adhd/adhd-study-tips#study-tips)

10. Quick Tips: Test Taking
 Review what you know and feel confident about right before the exam
 Plan your time:
 Look through the entire test first and answer the easiest questions first. This will
help to reduce your anxiety.
 Use the entire exam period rather than rushing through the test.
 Read the question carefully and analyze what the teacher wants in the answer. If the
question has several parts, use these parts to structure your answer.
 Ask for extended time or accommodations, if you haven’t already, to minimize anxiety

11. Tools you can use
 Time Management tools
 Listen to text:
 Speechify
 NaturalReader
 Writing
 Grammerly
 Writing Center or writing tutor, for human help
 Smart Pens & lecture recording

12. References & resources
 E. Sciberras, A. DePetro, F. Mensah, H. Hiscock, Association between sleep and working memory in children
with ADHD: a cross-sectional study, Sleep Medicine, Volume 16, Issue 10, 2015,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2015.06.006.
 https://psychcentral.com/adhd/adhd-study-tips#helping-a-loved-one
 https://www.additudemag.com/learn-more-in-less-time/
 https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/study-tips-for-adhd#dig-deep
 https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/ADHD_College_Success.pdf
 https://careertools.binghamton.edu/blog/2021/04/15/study-tips-for-students-with-add-adhd/
 https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/resources-and-tips-for-students-with-adhdld/online-and-
remote-learning-tips-for-students-with-adhd/
 https://www.nursing.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/ADHD%20Study%20Tips.pdf
 https://www.montana.edu/counseling/selfhelp/adhd.html

13. Get Help: Ask the Library
 ask.lib.montana.edu
 Chat
 Email
 Schedule an online appointment