Self-Talk: What is it? How Can We Use It?

What do I mean by self-talk? Have you ever talked to yourself when you are getting ready to go on a trip? Have you asked yourself, “Have I packed that sweater?” either nonverbally or verbally? Children may use that type of self-talk to tell themselves to exhibit an appropriate behavior. For example, a child
may say to himself, “Stay in your seat.” Now in school, the child would preferably tell himself that statement mentally so as not to disturb others! Children can also rehearse how to exhibit socially appropriate behavior by using self-talk.

When a child with ADHD becomes frustrated with his schoolwork, it is generally due to one of many reasons. One of the most salient reasons is that the work that the child is required to do is either too difficult or too easy for him. In order to encourage the child to achieve academically to his optimal level, the child should be presented with work that is just a little bit too difficult for him. When these children are given work that is much too difficult for them, they become academically frustrated. Because of this frustration, they may exhibit socially inappropriate behavior. If they are required to do work that they have already learned and are bored, they may exhibit socially inappropriate behavior then as well.

What behaviors might they exhibit? Perhaps getting up from their seat; annoying other children who are working; asking inappropriate questions; jumping up and down; racing back and forth throughout the classroom; or simply staring out of the window and not doing the required work, among other
behaviors.


So what can the teacher do then? The teacher can design either a verbal or a nonverbal signal so that the student can alert the teacher the moment he realizes that he is becoming frustrated. If the student and the teacher can “grab” the moment right before the child with ADHD becomes frustrated, she can teach him how to use self-talk to try to prevent or inhibit himself from exhibiting socially inappropriate behavior.

Back to the signal—when the teacher touches the child with ADHD on the shoulder, for example, the child says to himself, “Sit quietly.” There could be different nonverbal signals for helping the child with ADHD to stop certain types of behaviors. Be as creative as you can be. For instance, if the child is asking too many inappropriate questions, the teacher can give the child a note with a symbol
of a question mark on it that says, “Listen now.” Then the child says to himself, “Eric, listen now.” It is imperative to communicate the socially appropriate behavior that you want the child to exhibit, instead of accentuating the inappropriate behavior that he is currently executing.