I can recall the case of a student of mine who was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). I had been informed about the diagnosis by his teacher and his mother before the lessons started. Had I not been aware of his condition, I would have probably interpreted his behaviour as inattention.
Unfortunately, the situation in the classroom was far from ideal. There were discipline problems as most of his peers exhibited disruptive behaviour, they had very low academic performance and were indifferent to the fact that their behaviour made it even more difficult for the particular student to concentrate and remain focused.In spite of this situation, the student, who was also being helped by a psychologist, made a serious and sustained effort throughout the schoolyear to cope with his learning difficulty.
His mother had explained to me from the very beginning that he should be given brief and explicit instructions to be able to understand and complete a task. More complex tasks were broken down and feedback was provided frequently. Positive reinforcement was offered on success or worthy attempts at it and the emphasis was placed on the things he was able to achieve.
Knowing what I now know, I could have helped him with self-monitoring techniques so that his self-confidence would be increased and he wouldn't feel the need for constant feedback.