Read on for a variety of ADHD reading strategies to support your student (or yourself) in becoming a reader who picks up a book and finishes it within a reasonable amount of time.

There are many reasons why a person with ADHD might not finish a book, despite the strong desire to read the content. People with ADHD might struggle to read entire books for many of reasons.

It can be difficult to read long chunks of text while remaining still if they are reading a physical book. Other challenges include the struggle to maintain focus and sustain interest in the book, inattention, poor working memory, as well as challenges with planning and prioritization.

• Struggle to maintain focus while reading can lead to skipping text, losing your place, and reading without processing the meaning of the text
• Poor Working Memory creates the challenge of holding onto newly gained vocabulary and information in your mind
• Planning and prioritizing challenges can be a pattern of obtaining many books about a given topic, starting some and not finishing them
• Restlessness and hyperactivity creates a challenge in sitting still. Excessive fidgeting can lead to losing a spot on the text while increasing the lack of focus on the text despite the desire to read more about the topic.
• Losing interest can happen frequently when a book is acquired impulsively or is no longer a compelling read. Object permanence can about be an issue if a book is sitting untouched for a period of time, a person with ADHD can easily forget about the book, despite it being out in the open.
• Lack of Motivation because reading can feel like a chore. It can be a less stimulating activity than other high dopamine activities, like scrolling social media. This leads to weak follow-through on uninteresting tasks.

With the right ADHD reading strategies, students with ADHD can become successful, independent readers who comprehend a variety of complex texts.