Executive Functioning Strategies for Your Child
Originally published on the motherhoodlater.com website
Students with ADHD typically have many strengths. They are often very bright and excel at thinking critically and solving complex problems. However, they tend to struggle significantly with their executive functioning skills, including planning, organization, time management, and task initiation. As students progress through school, these executive functioning skills become increasingly important. Furthermore, weak executive functioning skills can negatively affect one’s self-esteem. Help your child with ADHD develop stronger executive functioning skills with the ideas detailed below.
Time Management Technique
Time management is often a significant area of struggle for students with ADHD. They may underestimate how long a task might take to complete or procrastinate starting their work, thinking they have more time to complete it than they actually do. Help your child develop stronger time management skills with the Estimated Time verses Actual Time strategy. To use this technique, ask your child to predict how long they think it will take to complete a task, such as a math worksheet, and have them write down the ET, or estimated time. Then tell them to keep track of the actual time it takes to complete the assignment and note the AT, or actual time it took. They will likely notice that there is a big discrepancy between the ET and AT when they begin using this strategy, especially if they have weak time management skills, but the more they practice this strategy, the more realistic they will become with their time, and the more their time management skills will improve.
Create an Organized Space
Students with ADHD should set up an organized study space to use consistently for completing their school work. This could be a desk in their bedroom or even a table in a common space, like a kitchen or dining room. Make sure this area is fully stocked with all of the supplies your child may need for completing their work, including pens, pencils, paper, scissors, highlighters, and so on. If the supplies start to run low, make sure you or your child refills them so they don’t wander around your home searching for supplies mid-homework session. If your child works in a common area, you may want to create a portable supplies bucket containing the supplies they need for completing their work and fill it on a regular basis as needed. It is important to create consistency; your child should use this same study space on a daily basis and it should always be organized with the school supplies they need for completing their work.
Set a Study Time
Along with creating an organized study space, your child should also designate a consistent time for completing their school work. This could be right after school, after a snack or physical activity break, or even later in the day. Each student is different and tends to work best at a different time of day. Try to encourage your child to consistently complete their work at this pre-set time as regularly as they can. Of course, there will be some days when they may have after school activities, games, or other obligations that may alter this time, but the more consistent they can be with their study time, the better.
Take Breaks
To strengthen focusing skills and help avoid distractions, your child should build in regular study breaks. They may want to try an approach like the Pomodoro Method, where they set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on their work for that time period without any distractions. At the end of the 25 minutes, they can take a 5 minute break and do any activity they choose. Then they should do that same cycle again three times – 25 minutes of work followed by a 5 minute break. Once they have completed three of these cycles, they can take a longer 30 minute break. Feel free to adjust these times slightly based on what suits your child best.
Create Organizational Systems
Students with ADHD benefit from organizational systems. Try setting up a color-coded system to help your child organize their materials for each class. For instance, they may designate blue for math, green for science, yellow for English, and so on. They should create a folder for each subject in the selected color. They can even highlight assignments in their assignment book (which they should also use regularly!) in the appropriate color for that subject. Additionally, you may want to help your child create checklists for items they need to remember to bring to school and take home from school on a daily basis. The more systematic and organized the approach is, the better.
Executive functioning skills can affect all aspects of school and life. Students with weak executive functioning skills often go on to struggle in the workplace and with personal relationships. The younger students can learn executive functioning strategies, the better off they will be as they move through life. Try these strategies with your child to help them thrive academically as the workload at school and the demands of life continue to increase.
EBL Coaching offers one-on-one in person and virtual tutoring for students in grades pre-K-12 with specialized learning needs. They use research-based, multi-sensory techniques, including the Orton Gillingham method, to develop students’ reading, writing, math, note taking, test taking, and executive functioning skills. Each student is evaluated and then receives an individualized learning plan to address their specific academic needs. Learn more at http://www.eblcoaching.com/. Dr. Emily Levy, Founder & Director, is is happy to hear from anyone who is in need for their child. You may reach her thru her website.