A scoping review of how classroom environments and activities affect listening, learning and wellbeing in children with ADHD by applying the L³ Assessment Framework

The classroom is a vital space for children’s listening, learning and wellbeing. However, it is a dynamic environment that can be challenging for children with ADHD. The aim of this paper was to review how classroom environments and activities impact listening, learning and wellbeing in school children with ADHD using the Listen to Learn for Life Assessment Framework (L³) and identify areas for future research. Literature reviews following the PRISMA-ScR protocol were conducted. For lecture activities, the review found that auditory and/or visual distractions have a negative effect whereas sound field amplification has a positive effect. For independent work activities, the review found that auditory and/or visual distractions have a greater impact on attention, writing and maths performance in children with ADHD compared to controls, but interventions such as white noise, a fine motor activity and sitting on therapy balls can assist learning in children with ADHD. However, there were many knowledge gaps with several areas of the L³ not having been investigated. Therefore, much more research still needs to be conducted to fully understand how to create a classroom environment that optimises listening, learning and wellbeing in children with ADHD.