The importance of the 1st CEB teacher training to know the determinants of academic performance of students with ADHD

Introduction: Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an issue that affects a high percentage of school-age population. Thus, working directly with hyperactive students has become an inevitable task in our lives, as educational professionals. Thus, it has become essential to ascertain new and effective teaching practices because understanding a teacher’s role as a facilitating agent in the teaching-learning process is to understand that that role requires specialised preparation. It is in this context that our paper is based. Objective: The aim of this study is to learn whether the continuing training of teachers helps them to acquire better knowledge about ADHD children, improving their perceptions and attitudes. Methodology: from this point of view, the procedure adopted was the descriptive plan by survey. Data were collected using a questionnaire, considered the most appropriated procedure for descriptive studies. This study involved 117 primary teachers from a variety of schools. Most of them only have intial training (the number of teachers with some kind of specialisation in this area is very low). Results: After analysing the survey data, a connection between the results and teacher’s academic qualifications was made and the conclusion drawn is that the quality of the teacher’s practices goes up with the teacher training on this issue. However, initial teacher training may or may not have been developed in the area of hyperactivity. For this reason, some teachers may not be sure of their answers (particularly regarding information pertaining to the main problems related to this issue). Conclusions: The results of the study lead us to conclude that it is extremely important to get appropriate training throughout the professional career. This training can be related directly to this area or to other areas that are directly or indirectly connected to our work with the main aim of improving our intervention in school and to help the children with this pathology.