According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) concerns 5% of children and 2,5% of adults who have a certified diagnosis of the attention disorder. However recent studies carried out by King's College of London show that the whole phenomenon is much wider. A survey carried out among EMPOWER ME partners highlights the fact that in schools involved in the project, nearly 40 % of the students have this disease while among VET CENTERS the percentage reaches 60%. The GENERAL OBJECTIVE of the project is to improve the academic/educational success and performances of students with attention deficit. Therefore, the SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES include, on one hand, the development of innovative tools and methods to promote teachers/trainers/educators’ abilities to adequately address the attention abilities of students. On the other hand, the project intends to provide students with strategies, tools, methods to manage their attention disorders and increase their attention ability. The TARGET GROUP includes: - STUDENTS: 150 students with formal recognition of AHDH or ADD disorders and also students with special behavioural needs including those who have behaviour related to attention disorders but no specific formal recognition and who represent the majority of the youngsters; - TEACHERS/TRAINERS (35 professionals) who work with multiproblematic classes including Behavioural and Learning Disabilities students and EDUCATORS who work individually with students with Behavioural and Learning Disabilities students. Project EMPOWER ME! will foresee the development of 4 Intellectual Outputs (IO). The first IO developed by the partnership will be Compendium of Methods for teaching and counselling youngsters and students (VET) with attention disorders. Its aim is to provide elements to establish a theoretical basis to sustain the other three intellectual outputs to create. The second IO is a Study Analysis on the characteristics and needs of the youngsters, students (VET) with attention disorders and of the teachers/trainers/educators working with multiproblematic students. The third IO will be a Virtual Resource Centre (The EMPOWER ME Centre). EMPOWER ME Centre will be designed as a virtual space where trainers/teachers/educators from different countries can find some information about attention disorders. They will also have the opportunity to interact with professionals and experts while presenting examples of good practices, especially in VET contexts, and difficulties they face in their daily practice. EMPOWER ME Centre will also include information about teaching methodologies that promote educational success amongst students suffering from those problems and other materials and resources. The fourth IO will be a TOOLKIT for students including exercises and a specific mobile application that can be used to promote attention skills. The partnership will also conduct a study of the effects of the application in the promotion of attention skills and in the academic success. The project will follow a STUDENT-CENTRED-APPROACH. This approach is considered as crucial to empower students and make them responsible for their choices because they will be active in the investigation of their needs and proactive in finding solutions. The activities of the project will be shared among the partners taking into consideration the specific competences and expertise of the organisations involved. The project expects to OVERCOME SCHOOL FAILURE THAT IMPOSES VERY HIGH COSTS TO SOCIETY. EMPOWER ME! project main result will be in fact the decrease of student's school failure by promoting their ability to manage their attention disorder and enhance the attention skills, student's deeper commitment to school, and increase the time devoted to school work. Teachers and trainers will be equipped with innovative tools and methodologies to deal properly with students with attention disorders. The expected long-term impact will be: - creation of professional networks and communities of practice; - more profitable school environment; - improved effective study method sets on special attention needs; - improved awareness of the phenomenon of youngsters’ attention problems; - identification of innovative tools to provide quality teaching and training to students with attention problems to be included in institutional school curricula.
According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) concerns 5% of children and 2,5% of adults who have a certified diagnosis of the attention disorder. However recent studies carried out by King's College of London show that the whole phenomenon is much wider. A survey carried out among EMPOWER ME partners highlights the fact that in schools involved in the project, nearly 40 % of the students have this disease while among VET CENTERS the percentage reaches 60%. The GENERAL OBJECTIVE of the project is to improve the academic/educational success and performances of students with attention deficit. Therefore, the SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES include, on one hand, the development of innovative tools and methods to promote teachers/trainers/educators’ abilities to adequately address the attention abilities of students. On the other hand, the project intends to provide students with strategies, tools, methods to manage their attention disorders and increase their attention ability. The TARGET GROUP includes: - STUDENTS: with formal recognition of AHDH or ADD disorders and also students with special behavioural needs including those who have behaviour related to attention disorders but no specific formal recognition and who represent the majority of the youngsters; - TEACHERS/TRAINERS who work with multiproblematic classes including Behavioural and Learning Disabilities students and EDUCATORS who work individually with students with Behavioural and Learning Disabilities students. Project EMPOWER ME! will foresee the development of 4 Intellectual Outputs (IO): - Compendium of Methods for teaching and counselling youngsters and students (VET) with attention disorders - aiming to provide elements to establish a theoretical basis to sustain the other three intellectual outputs to create. - Study Analysis on the characteristics and needs of the youngsters, students (VET) with attention disorders and of the teachers/trainers/educators working with multiproblematic students. - Virtual Resource Centre (The EMPOWER ME Centre) - designed as a virtual space where trainers/teachers/educators from different countries can find some information about attention disorders. They will also have the opportunity to interact with professionals and experts while presenting examples of good practices, especially in VET contexts, and difficulties they face in their daily practice. EMPOWER ME Centre includes information about teaching methodologies that promote educational success amongst students suffering from those problems and other materials and resources. - TOOLKIT for students including exercises and web application that can be used to promote attention skills. The project follows a STUDENT-CENTRED-APPROACH. This approach is considered as crucial to empower students and make them responsible for their choices because they will be active in the investigation of their needs and proactive in finding solutions. The project expects to OVERCOME SCHOOL FAILURE THAT IMPOSES VERY HIGH COSTS TO SOCIETY. Teachers and trainers are to be equipped with innovative tools and methodologies to deal properly with students with attention disorders. The expected long-term impact is: - creation of professional networks and communities of practice; - more profitable school environment; - improved effective study method sets on special attention needs; - improved awareness of the phenomenon of youngsters’ attention problems; - identification of innovative tools to provide quality teaching and training to students with attention problems to be included in institutional school curricula.