Can ADHD students highlight key text as accommodation? 

Yes. ADHD text highlighting is a simple yet effective accommodation that helps students stay engaged with reading material, improve comprehension, and identify important information more easily. Highlighting key words, phrases, or sentences allows students with ADHD to break down dense text into manageable parts, making it easier to focus and retain what they read. 

This strategy functions both as a reading support and a study aid. For students who struggle with attention or visual tracking, colour-coding or underlining can guide the eyes and brain toward what matters most. It’s one of several accessible focus strategies that can be used in classwork, homework, or test preparation. 

How Highlighting Helps ADHD Learners 

Here is how study aids for ADHD like text highlighting support reading and learning: 

Improves attention while reading  

Marking important sections keeps students actively engaged and less likely to skim or lose focus. 

Supports comprehension and memory  

Highlighted text is easier to review, helping with long-term recall and test readiness. 

Encourages independence  

Teaching students how to highlight effectively empowers them to take control of their own study methods. 

In conclusion, ADHD text highlighting tool can be used informally in daily lessons or formally included in a 504 Plan or IEP, depending on the student’s needs. Sometimes, a little colour on the page makes a big difference to what sticks in the mind. 

Visit providers like ADHD Certify for personal consultations and expert guidance tailored to your unique situation. 

For a deeper dive into the science, diagnosis, and full treatment landscape, read our complete guide to Classroom accommodations for ADHD.