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What is Executive Function?
Executive function is a term used for functioning skills that we all use daily. They are the essential self-regulating skills that we use to plan, make decisions, organize, transition between activities, control our emotions and impulses, and learn from our past mistakes. When a child has poor executive functioning skills, including many with ADHD and learning disabilities, they tend to be very disorganized. They may struggle with transitioning between tasks, take an extraordinarily long time to get dressed each day, or even become stressed and overwhelmed by simple chores around the classroom. Homework can prove to be a major struggle with children often losing important papers or waiting until the last minute to finish a large project.
How to help
Specialists have developed tools and methods to help children with poor executive functioning skills to tackle school work and other tasks that require organization and follow-through.
Here are some options to assist students:
- Checklists
Ruth Lee, MEd, and educational therapist from the Child Mind Institute explains that "often these kids [with poor executive functioning skills] will get so wrapped up in the decision-making process that they never even start the task. Or, if they do begin, they're constantly starting and restarting because they've thought of a better way to do it. In the end they're exhausted when the time comes to actually follow through."
A checklist can help children focus their energy on the task at hand and make the steps necessary for completing a task obvious and clear.
You can create a checklist for basically anything; chores, bathroom procedures, end of the day routines, etc.
- Set Time Limits
Checklists help many students with everyday tasks, but experts also recommend assigning time limits for each step, especially if the project is bigger or long-term. It may also be a good idea to break down routine tasks into smaller segments of time that are managed by both a checklist and time limits.
-Use a Planner
Educational specialists also highlight the cardinal importance of using a planner. Most schools require students to use a planner these days, but they often don't teach children how to use them, and it won't be obvious to a child who is overwhelmed by—or uninterested in—organization and planning. This is unfortunate because kids who struggle with executive functioning have poor working memory, which means it is hard for them to remember things like homework assignments.
Executive function is a term used for functioning skills that we all use daily. They are the essential self-regulating skills that we use to plan, make decisions, organize, transition between activities, control our emotions and impulses, and learn from our past mistakes. When a child has poor executive functioning skills, including many with ADHD and learning disabilities, they tend to be very disorganized. They may struggle with transitioning between tasks, take an extraordinarily long time to get dressed each day, or even become stressed and overwhelmed by simple chores around the classroom. Homework can prove to be a major struggle with children often losing important papers or waiting until the last minute to finish a large project.
How to help
Specialists have developed tools and methods to help children with poor executive functioning skills to tackle school work and other tasks that require organization and follow-through.
Here are some options to assist students:
- Checklists
Ruth Lee, MEd, and educational therapist from the Child Mind Institute explains that "often these kids [with poor executive functioning skills] will get so wrapped up in the decision-making process that they never even start the task. Or, if they do begin, they're constantly starting and restarting because they've thought of a better way to do it. In the end they're exhausted when the time comes to actually follow through."
A checklist can help children focus their energy on the task at hand and make the steps necessary for completing a task obvious and clear.
You can create a checklist for basically anything; chores, bathroom procedures, end of the day routines, etc.
- Set Time Limits
Checklists help many students with everyday tasks, but experts also recommend assigning time limits for each step, especially if the project is bigger or long-term. It may also be a good idea to break down routine tasks into smaller segments of time that are managed by both a checklist and time limits.
-Use a Planner
Educational specialists also highlight the cardinal importance of using a planner. Most schools require students to use a planner these days, but they often don't teach children how to use them, and it won't be obvious to a child who is overwhelmed by—or uninterested in—organization and planning. This is unfortunate because kids who struggle with executive functioning have poor working memory, which means it is hard for them to remember things like homework assignments.
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