Try some of the Thanksgiving cooking ideas below while enjoying this special time with your child.

Create a Thanksgiving Menu to Strengthen Organization and Planning Skills

Before Thanksgiving, encourage your child to help you plan the holiday menu. Start by asking them which dish they’d like to help you prepare, like sweet potato pie, mashed potatoes, or cranberry sauce. Then ask which ingredients they will need, how long they expect the recipe to take, and what steps are involved in preparing the dish.

For younger children, give them a few recipes to choose from; older children can do their own research and come up with a recipe they’d like to make. You might even ask your older child to pick two recipes and compare the ingredients needed, level of challenge, and preparation times for both options before picking one.

Planning a Thanksgiving menu helps your child develop organization, prioritization, and decision-making skills while learning to think ahead.

Create a Grocery List to Practice Planning and Working Memory Skills

Once your child has selected the recipe they want to make, have them create a grocery list of the ingredients they will need. Before going to the supermarket, they should check your kitchen to see which items you already have and which ones you need to buy.

To further develop your child’s organizational skills, create a grocery list template with categories such as fruits, vegetables, baking supplies, and spices. Have your child place each ingredient they need in the appropriate category.

Older children can estimate the quantities they will need when doubling or tripling a recipe, compare prices at the supermarket, or calculate sale prices.

Creating a grocery list gives your child an opportunity to strengthen their working memory, organization, planning, and attention to detail skills.

Follow a Recipe to Strengthen Sequencing and Working Memory Skills

When following a recipe, children need to read directions, remember information, and complete steps in the correct sequence. For those with ADHD or executive functioning challenges, this task can be particularly difficult.

Once you select a recipe to prepare together, have your child read the entire recipe and explain each step, including what they will need to do.

For younger children or those who struggle with working memory, create a visual checklist of the recipe steps and have them check off each step as they complete it.

Following a recipe helps your child build sequencing, sustained attention, working memory, and task completion skills.

Organize Ingredients to Build Planning and Task Initiation Skills

Children with executive functioning challenges often struggle with getting started on tasks, even when they understand what they need to do. Cooking provides an opportunity to practice task initiation in a structured, hands-on setting.

Before preparing a Thanksgiving dish, ask your child to gather all the cooking tools and ingredients they will need. Have them arrange the items on the kitchen counter in the order they will be used. You can also ask them to group similar items together, such as measuring tools, mixing utensils, dry ingredients, and wet ingredients.

By gathering and arranging ingredients before cooking, your child can strengthen their task initiation, planning, organization, and sequencing skills.

Use a Cooking Timer to Develop Time Management Skills

Time management is an executive functioning skill that many children struggle with, especially those with ADHD, learning disabilities, or other executive functioning challenges. Thanksgiving cooking offers your child an opportunity to practice estimating time, monitoring recipe progress, and completing tasks within a specified period.

Start by asking your child to estimate how long they think a certain recipe will take to complete. Then have them track how long the recipe actually takes and compare the actual time with their estimate.

Your child can use a visual timer, kitchen timer, or smartphone timer to monitor how much time has passed. This exercise helps develop time management, planning, self-monitoring, and time estimation skills.

Handle Cooking Mistakes to Practice Flexible Thinking and Problem-Solving

Sometimes Thanksgiving cooking doesn’t go as planned. You might be missing some ingredients for your recipe; you may accidentally overcook a dish; or a recipe may not turn out exactly as anticipated.

Working through unexpected cooking challenges helps your child develop cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills. For children who become easily frustrated when tasks don’t go as planned, cooking can offer a supportive environment for learning how to adjust plans when needed.

For example, when cooking, if your child realizes that an ingredient is missing, ask them questions like:

• What can we use instead?
• Is there another way we can make this recipe?
• How can we best solve this problem?

Help your child share their ideas for possible solutions before you offer suggestions. Working through unexpected cooking challenges helps your child develop cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills.

Clean Up the Kitchen to Build Organization and Task Completion Skills

Cleaning up after cooking is another opportunity to practice organization, an important executive functioning skill. After preparing a Thanksgiving dish, have your child help clean and organize the cooking area.

Ask them which ingredients should be put away (and where), which utensils need to be washed, and which surfaces need to be cleaned.

For younger children, you can give them a visual checklist with pictures in the order of what needs to be done. Older children can come up with their own cleanup plan and decide the order in which tasks should be completed.

Cleaning up after cooking reinforces organization, sequencing, task completion, and self-monitoring while teaching your child to take responsibility for their workspace.

Closing Thoughts

Thanksgiving is a festive time filled with fun and delicious food, but it also offers opportunities to help your child strengthen their executive functioning skills. By cooking together, you can spend meaningful time with your child while helping them develop skills that are valuable both in school and in everyday life.

EBL Coaching specializes in 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 happy to hear from anyone who is in need for their child. You may reach her thru her website, and mention you heard of her thru MotherhoodLater.

The post Thanksgiving Cooking Activities That Build Executive Functioning Skills appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Children with ADHD often struggle with staying focused, following directions, completing homework assignments, and managing materials. While some students with ADHD perform well academically, others may have difficulty demonstrating their knowledge due to their challenges with executive functioning and focus.

Asking the right questions during parent-teacher conferences can help you better understand your child’s strengths and weaknesses, learn about areas where additional support may be needed, and identify the support they may need to succeed.

Below are some important questions you should consider asking your child’s teacher.

1. Questions to Ask About ADHD and Attention in the Classroom

Challenges with sustaining attention are among the most common difficulties that children with ADHD experience. Some students may become easily distracted by classroom noises, while others may have trouble maintaining their focus during independent work or long lessons.

You may want to ask your child’s teacher:

• Does my child have trouble paying attention during lessons?
• Are there certain subjects or activities during which my child loses focus?
• Does my child often need reminders to stay on task?
• Which strategies have been effective in helping my child stay focused?

Understanding when and why your child struggles with focusing can help you and their teacher determine the best strategies for improving their classroom engagement. These techniques might include preferential seating, movement breaks, visual reminders, or breaking longer assignments into smaller, more manageable steps.

Read about the signs your child may be struggling in school and how to help at 10 Signs Your Child Is Struggling in School and May Need Help – EBL Coaching.

2. Questions About Organization, Time Management, and Executive Functioning

Many students with ADHD struggle with executive functioning skills, including planning, organization, time management, task initiation, working memory, and self-monitoring.

These challenges can make it difficult for students to manage their assignments, keep track of their school materials, estimate how long tasks will take, and complete their homework on time.

Questions you might want to ask include:

• Does my child consistently write down their homework assignments?
• Does my child often misplace papers, books, or other materials?
• Does my child complete assignments within the allotted time?
• Is my child able to manage multi-step assignments?

If your child’s teacher identifies challenges in these areas, you may want to consider implementing organizational systems such as color-coded folders, planners, assignment checklists, and structured homework routines.

Executive functioning coaching can also help children develop planning, organization, and time management skills, all of which are essential for success in school.

Read more about the executive functioning skills students need to succeed in school at Executive Functioning Skills Every Student Needs This School Year – EBL Coaching.

3. Questions About Homework, Classwork, and Academic Progress

Students with ADHD are often bright and understand academic concepts. However, they may struggle to complete their assignments, follow through on tasks, or demonstrate their knowledge.

One child, for example, might participate actively in classroom discussions but neglect to finish their writing assignments. Another student may understand math concepts but score poorly on tests due to careless errors.

Consider asking your child’s teacher:

• Is my child completing homework consistently and turning it in on time?
• Does my child understand the material being taught?
• Are incomplete assignments affecting my child’s grades?
• Does my child rush through assignments and make careless errors?
• Is there a difference between my child’s understanding of concepts and their written performance?

These questions can help determine whether your child’s academic challenges are primarily related to attention and executive functioning or whether additional learning challenges may also be present.

Because ADHD can coexist with learning disabilities, persistent challenges with reading, writing, or math may warrant further evaluation.

4. Questions About Following Directions and Working Memory

Following multi-step directions can be difficult for children with ADHD, especially those who struggle with working memory.

Working memory is the ability to temporarily hold and manipulate information. Students with weak working memory might forget instructions, skip important steps, or become easily overwhelmed when given multiple directions at once.

Questions to ask your child’s teacher include:

• Can my child follow multi-step directions?
• Does my child frequently need instructions to be repeated?
• Does my child start assignments independently?
• Does my child forget what they are supposed to do after beginning a task?
• Would written instructions or visual checklists be helpful for my child?

Your child’s teacher may be able to implement strategies such as providing written directions, asking your child to repeat instructions, or breaking down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.

These techniques can help students with ADHD become more independent and successful in school.

5. Questions About Social Skills and Emotional Regulation

ADHD can affect more than academic performance; some children with ADHD also struggle with impulsivity, emotional regulation, frustration tolerance, and social relationships.

Certain children, for instance, might interrupt classmates, have difficulty waiting their turn, or become easily frustrated when an assignment feels challenging. Other children may seem quiet or withdrawn, particularly if they feel discouraged by their academic struggles.

Consider asking your child’s teacher:

• How does my child interact with peers?
• Does my child have trouble controlling impulses?
• How does my child behave when frustrated?
• Have you noticed signs of anxiety or low self-esteem?

Understanding your child’s social and emotional experiences at school can help you identify areas where additional tools or support may be helpful.

6. Questions About ADHD Accommodations and Classroom Strategies

During parent-teacher conferences, you can learn which strategies are already being used to help your child succeed.

Children with ADHD have different strengths and needs, so an approach that works well for one student might not work as well for another.

Questions to ask the teacher include:

• Which classroom strategies have helped my child stay focused?
• Does my child benefit from movement breaks or preferential seating?
• Are visual schedules or written reminders helpful for my child?
• Does my child respond well to positive reinforcement?
• Which accommodations or supports might help my child?

If your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan, you should discuss with their teacher whether the accommodations and services outlined in the plan are being implemented consistently and whether they seem to be effective for your child.

A parent-teacher conference doesn’t replace a formal IEP or 504 meeting, but it can help identify concerns that should be addressed by the appropriate school team.

Read more about ADHD tutoring in NYC and executive functioning support at Best ADHD Tutors in NYC for Executive Functioning & Academic Support.

7. What Can We Do at Home to Reinforce Classroom Success?

Having consistency between home and school can be particularly helpful for children with ADHD.

If you use similar strategies at home to those being used at school, your child might find it easier to maintain routines, work on their organizational skills, and manage their academic responsibilities.

Consider asking your child’s teacher:

• Which skills should I reinforce at home?
• How can I help my child become more independent with assignments?
• Would a daily or weekly assignment checklist be helpful?
• How can I reinforce organizational strategies you are using in the classroom?
• How should I communicate with you about missing homework or academic concerns?

You can support your child with ADHD by setting predictable homework routines, creating organized workspaces, using visual schedules, and encouraging your child to break down larger assignments into smaller steps.

8. Does My Child Need ADHD Tutoring or Executive Functioning Support?

If your child’s teacher indicates ongoing challenges with focus, organization, homework completion, or academic performance, it may be helpful to look into additional support.

Some students with ADHD benefit from individualized executive functioning coaching, while others may need specialized academic tutoring in reading, writing, or math. Some students may need both academic tutoring and executive functioning coaching tailored to their needs.

Questions to ask might include:

• Which academic or executive functioning skills does my child struggle the most with?
• Are my child’s challenges affecting their performance across multiple subjects?
• Would individualized tutoring be helpful in addressing these challenges?
• When should we meet again to discuss my child’s progress?

Identifying specific areas that your child is struggling with can help you seek the most appropriate interventions for them.

Learn more about executive functioning skills and how they affect children’s learning at What Are Executive Functioning Skills? A Simple Guide for Parents – EBL Coaching.

ADHD Tutoring and Executive Functioning Support in New York City

For families in Manhattan and throughout New York City, parent-teacher conferences can help identify whether your child with ADHD needs additional support with attention, organization, homework completion, or academic skills. If your child understands classroom material but struggles to finish assignments, manage deadlines, or keep track of schoolwork, one-on-one ADHD tutoring may help address these challenges.

At EBL Coaching in Manhattan, we provide one-on-one tutoring to students with ADHD, learning disabilities, autism, executive functioning challenges, and other learning difficulties. Our individualized instruction addresses the specific skills that may interfere with a student’s progress at school.

A student who frequently forgets assignments, for example, may benefit from learning how to use a planner, break larger projects into manageable steps, and establish a consistent system for writing down homework. A student who struggles with written assignments may need direct instruction in brainstorming, outlining, organizing ideas, and editing written work.

Our executive functioning support focuses on skills such as planning, organization, time management, task initiation, and self-monitoring. Students who need additional academic instruction can also receive targeted support in reading, spelling, writing, and math.

Located on the Upper East Side, EBL Coaching works with families seeking ADHD tutoring and academic support in Manhattan and the greater New York City area. Our goal is to help students learn concrete strategies, strengthen academic skills, and become more confident and independent learners.

ADHD Tutoring and Executive Functioning Support in New Jersey

For parents in Bergen County and surrounding New Jersey communities, parent-teacher conferences can reveal that a child with ADHD needs more support than classroom strategies alone are providing. Challenges with keeping track of assignments, following multi-step directions, preparing for tests, or completing homework may indicate a need for additional instruction in executive functioning or academic skills.

EBL Coaching provides individualized one-on-one tutoring in New Jersey to students with ADHD, executive functioning difficulties, autism, learning disabilities, and other academic challenges. Instruction is tailored to each student’s needs, with an emphasis on developing skills that can be applied to everyday schoolwork.

Students who struggle to manage multiple assignments, for example, may benefit from learning how to prioritize tasks, estimate how long work will take, organize materials, and create a manageable study schedule. Students who have difficulty following classroom lessons or completing written work may also benefit from targeted academic instruction in reading, spelling, writing, or math.

Executive functioning coaching can help students develop more effective approaches to planning, organization, time management, task initiation, and independent work. Academic tutoring addresses specific learning needs while reinforcing strategies that help students manage their school responsibilities.

EBL Coaching works with students throughout Bergen County and surrounding New Jersey communities. By addressing the underlying skills that contribute to academic difficulties, we help students work toward greater independence, improved organization, and increased confidence at school.

Frequently Asked Questions About Parent-Teacher Conferences and ADHD

1. What are the most important questions to ask at a parent-teacher conference if my child has ADHD?
During parent-teacher conferences, you should ask questions about your child’s ability to stay focused, finish assignments, follow directions, remain organized, and manage classroom expectations. Ask which strategies have been effective in class and which areas may need additional support or tutoring.

2. What should I do if my child’s teacher says they are easily distracted?
If your child’s teacher says they are easily distracted, ask when these distractions typically occur and how they affect your child’s academic performance. Discuss strategies that can be implemented, such as preferential seating, visual reminders, movement breaks, and breaking down assignments into smaller tasks. You may also want to discuss whether additional executive functioning coaching could help your child develop stronger attention and self-management strategies.

3. Can a child with ADHD also have a learning disability?
Yes. Many children with ADHD also have learning disabilities in reading, writing, and/or math. If your child’s teacher reports consistent academic difficulties despite classroom support, you may want to discuss whether a comprehensive educational evaluation may be beneficial. Identifying coexisting learning challenges can help ensure that your child receives the appropriate instruction and support.

4. Should I discuss my child’s IEP or 504 Plan during parent-teacher conferences?
Yes! Parent-teacher conferences serve as a great opportunity to ask how your child’s accommodations are working in the classroom. Discuss whether your child is receiving the appropriate support outlined in their IEP or 504 Plan and whether this support is helping. If changes are needed, you may want to request a separate meeting with the appropriate school team.

5. How can I help my child with ADHD become more organized?
To help your child become more organized, start by setting up consistent routines and organizational systems. Encourage your child to use a planner, organize their materials into designated folders, and break larger assignments into smaller, more manageable steps. Executive functioning coaching can also provide direct instruction and guided practice in organization, planning, and time management.

6. When should I consider tutoring for my child with ADHD?
You may want to consider additional tutoring for your child with ADHD if they consistently struggle with homework completion, organization, time management, reading, writing, math, or other academic skills. Tutoring may be particularly beneficial when these challenges persist despite in-school strategies and support at home.

7. How often should I communicate with my child’s teacher if they have ADHD?
The ideal frequency of communication with your child’s teacher depends on your child’s needs. Work with your child’s teacher to establish a manageable system for sharing updates about homework and classroom performance.

Helping Your Child With ADHD Succeed Beyond Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences serve as an important starting point for understanding your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and academic needs. However, the most meaningful progress often happens when parents, teachers, and educational specialists work together as a team to provide consistent, targeted support.

At EBL Coaching, we specialize in individualized tutoring for students with ADHD, learning disabilities, autism, executive functioning challenges, and academic skills difficulties. With locations in New York City and New Jersey, we help students develop stronger organizational skills, improve their academic performance, and build the confidence they need to excel.

Contact EBL Coaching today to learn more about our specialized ADHD tutoring and executive functioning programs in NYC and NJ.

About the Author

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder and director of EBL Coaching and has more than 20 years of experience helping students develop their academic and executive functioning skills. She has worked with thousands of students with dyslexia, ADHD, learning disabilities, and other academic challenges.
Dr. Levy is the author of the Strategies for Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. Her expertise has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Parenting Magazine, The Epoch Times, and Macaroni KID. Read more about Dr. Levy at About Dr. Levy ADHD treatment New York City.

The post ADHD: 8 Questions to Ask at Parent-Teacher Conferences appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Executive functioning skills help children plan, organize, manage their time, remember information, make decisions, and regulate their behavior. These skills are important for everyday activities such as completing homework, following routines, getting ready for school, and managing responsibilities. Many children struggle with executive functioning, and these challenges can be particularly noticeable in children with ADHD and learning disabilities.

Because executive functioning skills develop through practice, everyday activities can provide valuable opportunities to strengthen them. Halloween offers many ways to practice planning, organization, time management, working memory, self-control, and reflection.

Try the ideas below with your child.

Plan a Halloween Costume

Selecting and creating a Halloween costume involves a lot of executive functioning skills!

Rather than handling all the details when it comes to your child’s costume, encourage them to play a role in the planning process. Start by asking them questions like:

• What do you want to dress up as?
• What will you need to create your costume?
• Which items do you already have?
• What do you need to buy or make?
• When will you need to have everything ready?

Young children can create a visual checklist to help them with this planning, while older children can make a written list with corresponding deadlines. For example, a young child might create a visual checklist that has pictures of their costume, a trick-or-treat bag, a flashlight, and a jacket. They should check off each item once it’s done. An older child might write out each step, like choosing a costume, ordering supplies, and putting everything together, then add a corresponding complete-by date next to each item on the checklist.

This exercise can help your child practice planning, organization, prioritization, and task initiation. It also teaches them how to break down a larger task into smaller, more manageable steps, key components of executive functioning!

Practice Time Management

Halloween offers a fun opportunity for children to practice estimating how long different tasks will take and then comparing their estimates with the actual time needed to complete them.

Before they get ready for Halloween, ask your child how long they think each step will take. For example, they might estimate:

• 15 minutes to put on their costume
• 12 minutes for makeup or accessories
• 5 minutes to gather their trick-or-treating bucket and supplies

Once done, they should note how long these tasks took them to complete and compare their estimated times with the actual times.

Children who struggle with executive functioning often have trouble accurately measuring the passage of time. By practicing time estimation during a fun activity like getting ready for Halloween, you can help your child gain a better grasp of how long tasks take to complete.

You can also carry this strategy over to homework by asking your child how long they think an assignment will take to complete and then comparing the estimate to the actual time it took.

Use Trick-or-Treating to Strengthen Working Memory

Working memory is the ability to hold information in one’s mind while using it. Children utilize their working memories when they follow multi-step directions, solve math problems, work on writing tasks, and complete classroom assignments.

Before your child leaves the house to go trick-or-treating, give them a list of items to remember to bring, like their trick-or-treat bag, flashlight, jacket, and a water bottle.

Ask your child to repeat the list, visualize the items, or write down a list of the items rather than just trying to remember them.

You can also practice working memory during trick-or-treating by asking your child to remember which houses and streets they have already visited and what the plan is for the path going forward.

Remember to keep it fun! The idea is not to make Halloween a structured academic experience, but to find small opportunities to let your child practice remembering and managing information on their own.

Use Candy Sorting to Practice Organization

Organization is a central component of executive functioning. After trick-or-treating, your child can practice their organizational skills by sorting their candy.

They can dump their candy out on a table or the floor, either alone or with a friend or sibling, and organize their candy by:

• Type
• Size
• Chocolate versus non-chocolate
• Favorites versus items they want to trade
• Candy they want to eat now versus save for later

For younger children, sorting offers a concrete way to practice categorizing items. Older children can develop their own organizational system (instead of a system you choose) and explain why they chose it.

This same thinking process applies to organizing a backpack, binder, folder, desk, or digital files. Your child can learn to group similar items together and create systems that help make their materials easier to find.

Develop Self-Control and Decision-Making

A giant pumpkin filled with Halloween candy can provide a natural opportunity to practice self-control and decision-making!

Instead of creating all the candy eating rules and passing them onto your child, involve your child in developing a reasonable plan for their candy consumption. For example, you might decide together how much candy they can eat that evening, how the rest will be stored, and when they might have some of the remaining candy (or donate it).

This approach gives children an opportunity to practice delayed gratification, making wise decisions, and self-monitoring.

Practicing these skills can help children learn to resist distractions during homework, wait until it’s their turn, or complete an assignment before moving on to an activity they enjoy.

Plan a Halloween Activity from Start to Finish

To further work on executive functioning skills, plan a challenge for your child! To do so, let your child plan a Halloween activity.

While it depends on their age, some activities they can plan include:

• A pumpkin-carving night
• A Halloween movie night
• A Halloween party
• A Halloween craft
• A baking project

Once your child has identified the activity they want to plan, help them break it into steps. Which materials will they need?  How much will each item cost? When should each step be completed? What needs to happen first, second, third, etc.?

Give your child support and guidance without taking over the planning process. The idea is to provide your child with the opportunity to manage a multi-step task from start to finish.

Reflect After Halloween

Reflection is an important part of executive functioning development.

After Halloween, spend some time talking to your child about how things went. Ask them questions like:

• What went well?
• What was harder than you expected?
• Did anything take longer than you thought?
• Did anything take less time than you thought?
• Did you forget anything?
• Would you do anything differently next time?

These types of questions can help your child develop metacognition, which is the ability to reflect on their own thinking and learning.

Metacognitive skills play an important role in school. When a student can recognize that they waited too long to start an assignment or that they learn information better when they write it down or dictate it out loud, they can begin to make better choices and approach schoolwork more independently.

Closing Thoughts

Many children struggle with executive functioning skills, including planning, organization, time management, task initiation, working memory, and self-regulation. With these Halloween activities, you can help your child develop stronger executive functioning skills and become more confident and successful in school.

EBL Coaching specializes in 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 happy to hear from anyone who is in need for their child. You may reach her thru her website, and mention you heard of her thru MotherhoodLater.

The post How Halloween Helps Children Build Executive Functioning Skills appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Below are 10 questions to ask at your next parent-teacher conference if your child has learning challenges.

1. Is My Child Struggling with Reading, Writing, or Math?

Learning how your child is performing in class relative to grade-level expectations is an important place to start. While report card grades may give you some insight, they might not fully portray your child’s academic strengths and weaknesses.

Ask your child’s teacher whether your child is meeting grade-level benchmarks in reading, writing, and math. If your child is performing below expectations, try to gather more information about which specific skills they are struggling with.

A child who struggles with reading, for instance, may have difficulty decoding words, reading fluently, or comprehending the material they read. A student who struggles with writing may have trouble organizing their ideas, creating well-written sentences, or developing paragraphs.
Identifying specific challenges can help you determine which skills may need specialized tutoring.

If you’re concerned that your child may be falling behind academically, learn more at 10 Signs Your Child Is Struggling in School and May Need Help – EBL Coaching.

2. What Are My Child’s Greatest Academic Strengths and Weaknesses?

All children have unique learning profiles, including areas of strength and areas that may need additional support.

Ask your child’s teacher which academic skills your child does well in and which ones are challenging for them. Ask if your child performs better during oral discussions versus written assignments, or if they demonstrate a strong grasp of concepts but struggle to complete work independently.

Understanding these differences can help you identify patterns in your child’s learning. A student with dyslexia, for example, might demonstrate strong verbal reasoning skills but struggle with reading accuracy and spelling. A student with ADHD may understand concepts but struggle to organize their assignments or sustain attention during longer tasks.

3. Does My Child Have Difficulty Following Directions or Completing Assignments?

Following directions, initiating tasks, and finishing assignments require a combination of focus, working memory, and executive functioning skills. Children who struggle with these skills may have difficulty recalling multi-step directions, starting assignments, or finishing tasks within the allotted time.

Ask your child’s teacher whether your child often needs reminders, forgets instructions, or struggles to work independently.

If these challenges are present, discuss techniques with the teacher that may be helpful, such as breaking down assignments into smaller steps, providing written instructions, using visual checklists, or creating consistent classroom routines.

Learn more about the executive functioning skills students need to succeed in school, including organization, time management, and task completion at Executive Functioning Skills Every Student Needs This School Year – EBL Coaching.

4. How Does My Child Perform on Independent Work Compared to Group Activities?

Some students perform well when they receive guidance from their teacher or work together with classmates but struggle when asked to complete tasks independently. This discrepancy may indicate challenges with focus, organization, task initiation, reading comprehension, or other academic skills.

Ask your child’s teacher if your child requires frequent prompting or extra assistance when doing independent work.

A student may participate actively in classroom discussions, for example, but struggle to organize their ideas into a written paragraph or essay. Another student may understand a math concept during a classroom lesson but have trouble applying it independently.

Identifying these patterns early can help determine what type of additional instruction or support may be helpful for your child.

5. Have You Noticed Any Signs of Reading or Writing Difficulties?

Reading and writing challenges can affect multiple academic subjects. Ask your child’s teacher whether they have noticed challenges with decoding, reading fluency, reading comprehension, spelling, sentence structure, or writing.

Some children may read accurately but struggle to comprehend the information. Others may have great ideas but have difficulties expressing their ideas in writing.

If your child demonstrates persistent literacy challenges, ask their teacher which instructional techniques are being used to address these challenges.

For students with dyslexia or other language-based learning disabilities, structured literacy support, including Orton Gillingham instruction, may be particularly beneficial because it incorporates direct, systematic teaching of foundational reading and spelling skills.

Explore the signs your child may benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring at Back-to-School Reading Struggles: When Does Your Child Need Orton Gillingham Tutoring? – EBL Coaching.

6. Does My Child Struggle with Attention, Organization, or Time Management?

Executive functioning skills play a key role in academic success. These skills help children organize materials, manage time, initiate tasks, prioritize assignments, maintain focus, and complete tasks efficiently.

Ask your child’s teacher whether your child:

• Often loses assignments or school materials
• Has trouble staying focused during lessons
• Struggles to start tasks independently
• Needs frequent reminders to finish assignments
• Has difficulty managing long-term projects
• Frequently rushes through work or makes careless mistakes

These challenges may be associated with ADHD, executive functioning weaknesses, or other learning challenges.

Speak to the teacher about strategies that can help your child develop stronger organizational skills, such as assignment planners, visual schedules, checklists, and structured routines.

7. How Does My Child Respond When Academic Work Becomes Challenging?

A child’s emotional response to rising academic demands can offer important insight into their learning experience. When students struggle academically, they may become easily frustrated, avoid difficult tasks, or lose confidence in their skills.

Ask the teacher whether your child seems discouraged when completing challenging tasks, hesitates to participate in class, or becomes easily upset when they make a mistake.

A child who struggles with reading, for instance, may avoid reading aloud, while a student with writing challenges might become overwhelmed by lengthy written assignments.

8. What Interventions or Accommodations Are Currently Being Used?

If your child is struggling academically, it’s important to understand what support is already being provided in the classroom.

Ask your child’s teacher whether your child receives extra support such as small-group instruction, individualized help, modified assignments, extra time, or other interventions.

You may also want to ask how often these supports are provided and whether they are helping your child make progress.

A student with reading difficulties, for instance, may benefit from targeted, research-based literacy instruction, such as Orton Gillingham tutoring, while a child with executive functioning challenges may benefit from structured organizational systems or executive functioning coaching.

Understanding which strategies are effective can help you reinforce similar approaches at home.

9. How Can I Support My Child’s Learning at Home?

As a parent, you play an important role in reinforcing your child’s academic skills and helping them establish productive learning habits.

Ask your child’s teacher which skills you should prioritize at home and any activities that may be beneficial.

For a child with reading difficulties, this might involve practicing specific decoding skills or reading together regularly. For a student with writing challenges, it may include working on sentence construction, paragraph organization, or brainstorming written assignments at home.

Children with executive functioning challenges may benefit from consistent homework routines, organizational checklists, and breaking down larger homework assignments into manageable steps.

Focus on a few specific goals rather than trying to address every area of difficulty at once.

10. What Are the Next Steps if My Child Continues to Struggle?

One of the most important questions to ask during a parent-teacher conference is what should happen next. If your child is experiencing persistent academic struggles, coordinate with the teacher to establish a clear plan for improvement.

Ask which academic skills should be prioritized and what instructional strategies will be implemented. You may also want to discuss whether additional academic interventions, specialized tutoring, or a comprehensive evaluation would be appropriate.

Before leaving the conference, come up with a timeline for reviewing your child’s progress and scheduling follow-up discussions.

A collaborative approach can help ensure that your child’s learning challenges are addressed consistently and proactively.

Parent-Teacher Conferences in New York: Understanding Your Child’s Support Options

For parents in New York City and surrounding areas, parent-teacher conferences provide an opportunity to learn more about your child’s performance at school and additional support that may help them.

If your child struggles with reading, writing, math, or executive functioning skills, ask about the school’s intervention options and available instructional resources.

If you suspect that your child has a disability, you may want to request a special education evaluation. In New York City public schools, this process generally involves the appropriate school-based special education team or Committee on Special Education (CSE).

Discussing these options with your child’s teacher can help you better understand the resources available for your child and determine appropriate next steps.

Parent-Teacher Conferences in New Jersey: How to Advocate for Your Child

For families in Bergen County and throughout Northern New Jersey, parent-teacher conferences can help identify learning challenges and explore available academic support services. If your child is struggling academically, ask about the school’s Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS) process, targeted interventions, and available academic support programs.

You may also want to discuss the availability of reading specialists, academic support programs, classroom accommodations, and multi-sensory methodologies, such as Orton Gillingham instruction.

If you think your child may have a learning disability or another disability affecting their education, you can request an evaluation through the district’s special education process. In New Jersey public schools, Child Study Teams help determine whether your child is eligible for special education and related services.

Early identification and intervention can have a significant impact in helping your child develop stronger academic skills and self-esteem.

Frequently Asked Questions About Parent-Teacher Conferences and Learning Challenges

How should I prepare for a parent-teacher conference if my child has learning difficulties?
Before your parent-teacher conference, review your child’s recent homework assignments, assessments, and report cards. Make a list of specific concerns, including challenges you’ve noticed with homework, reading, writing, math, or organizational skills. Bring examples of assignments that were difficult for your child and prepare questions about your child’s academic progress and classroom performance.

What if my child’s teacher says they are doing fine, but I notice learning challenges at home?
Some children perform differently at school than they do at home. During the conference, share specific examples of the challenges you have observed, such as spending excessive time completing homework, struggling to read independently, or becoming easily frustrated with writing assignments. Ask the teacher whether additional assessments may help clarify your concerns and observations.

What are common signs of a learning disability?
Signs of a learning disability can include persistent challenges with decoding, reading fluency, reading comprehension, spelling, writing, math, or grasping new academic concepts. These difficulties do not necessarily mean your child has a learning disability, but they may warrant further evaluation, particularly when they persist despite appropriate intervention.

Should I request a learning disability evaluation after a parent-teacher conference?
If your child continues to struggle and you think they may have a disability, you may want to request an evaluation. You can submit a written request to their school and discuss the evaluation process with the appropriate school team. Schools must follow specific procedures when responding to evaluation requests.

Can tutoring help children with dyslexia, ADHD, or executive functioning challenges?
Yes! Individualized tutoring can provide targeted support for children who struggle with reading, writing, math, and executive functioning. Students with dyslexia may benefit from Orton Gillingham instruction, while children with ADHD or executive functioning difficulties may benefit from explicit executive functioning coaching.

How EBL Coaching Can Help

At EBL Coaching, we specialize in providing individualized tutoring to help students develop core academic and executive functioning skills and strengthen their self-esteem.

We help students who have learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and other academic challenges. Our one-on-one tutoring incorporates research-based, multi-sensory techniques, including the Orton Gillingham approach, to support students who struggle with reading, spelling, writing, math, and study skills.

With locations on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and in Northern New Jersey, EBL Coaching provides personalized academic support customized to each student’s individual needs.

Parent-teacher conferences can be an important step in understanding your child’s learning challenges and performance at school. By asking the right questions, collaborating with their teacher, and seeking appropriate support, you can help your child develop the skills and confidence they need for long-term success in school.

About the Author

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder and director of EBL Coaching and has more than 20 years of experience helping students develop their academic and executive functioning skills. She has worked with thousands of students with dyslexia, ADHD, learning disabilities, and other academic challenges.

Dr. Levy is the author of the Strategies for Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. Her expertise has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Parenting Magazine, The Epoch Times, and Macaroni KID. Read more about Dr. Levy at About Dr. Levy ADHD treatment New York City.

The post 10 Questions for Parent-Teacher Conferences About Learning Difficulties appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Your child may have difficulty decoding words; they may read slowly; or they may have trouble understanding what they read. Spelling can also become more difficult as words grow longer and more complex. You may even notice your child beginning to avoid reading altogether.

Although some adjustment challenges are normal at the start of the year, persistent or worsening reading difficulties may indicate a need for more targeted support. For students with dyslexia and other reading challenges, Orton Gillingham tutoring can help build the foundational reading and spelling skills they need to succeed.

If you’d like to learn more about this approach, read about Orton Gillingham tutoring for dyslexia and reading difficulties at Orton Gillingham Tutoring in Manhattan for Dyslexia & Reading Success.

What Is Orton Gillingham Tutoring?

Orton Gillingham is a structured, sequential, and multi-sensory approach to teaching reading and spelling. The approach explicitly teaches how sounds, letters, syllables, and word parts work together, with instruction progressing systematically from simpler concepts to more complex ones.

With Orton Gillingham instruction, students learn how sounds correspond to letters and letter combinations, how to break down longer words into syllables, and how to spell accurately. Instruction typically progresses from simpler concepts to more complex ones while continuously reviewing and integrating previously taught skills.

Orton Gillingham instruction is also multi-sensory, meaning it integrates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile modalities. Students might simultaneously see, hear, say, write, and manipulate letters or words as they learn new concepts. This multi-sensory approach helps students make connections between sounds, letters, and written words.

While Orton Gillingham tutoring is commonly associated with dyslexia, students do not necessarily need a dyslexia diagnosis to benefit from this type of explicit, systematic reading instruction. The approach can also help students who struggle with core reading and spelling skills.

Back-to-School Signs That Your Child May Need Additional Reading Support

Many children have occasional difficulties with a particular reading assignment. However, when struggles occur consistently and interfere with a child’s ability to read accurately, fluently, or independently, you may want to seek targeted intervention for them.

Below are some signs you may notice at the start of the school year:

1. Your Child Guesses at Unfamiliar Words

Rather than carefully sounding out words, your child may look at the first letter and “guess” at the word. For example, they might read “there” instead of “they,” or substitute a word that seems to make sense in the sentence.

Consistent guessing may indicate that your child has not developed effective decoding skills.

2. Reading Is Slow and Laborious

Some children can accurately read words, but their reading is slow and requires tremendous effort. They may read word by word, pause often, or need more time than expected to complete a reading passage.

When a child devotes substantial effort to decoding individual words, there may be fewer resources available for understanding and remembering what they read.

3. Your Child Has Trouble Sounding Out New Words

Skilled readers use decoding skills to figure out unfamiliar words they have never seen before. Struggling readers, however, may have difficulty identifying individual sounds, blending sounds together to form words, or recognizing common spelling patterns.

If your child repeatedly asks you to tell them what unfamiliar words are rather than attempting to decode them, it may be worth looking into why.

Learn about signs your child may need a tutor at 7 Signs Your Child Needs a Tutor: How to Know When to Get Help – EBL Coaching.

4. Spelling Is Particularly Difficult

Reading and spelling skills are closely related. A child who struggles with reading may also have trouble blending sounds together to spell words accurately.

You may notice that your child’s spelling is inconsistent, they omit sounds when writing, or they have difficulty applying spelling rules even after the rules have been taught.

5. Your Child Avoids Reading

Children who struggle with reading often try to avoid it as much as possible.

Your child may complain when it is time to read, select books that are well below their other academic abilities, ask you to read directions out loud to them, or speed through reading assignments.

Sometimes what may look like a lack of motivation is actually a response to a task that feels particularly difficult.

6. Reading Difficulties Are Affecting Other Subjects

As students progress through school, the reading demands increase rapidly.

Sometimes students can grasp science, history, or math concepts when they are explained aloud, but they struggle to read textbook chapters, written directions, or word problems.

In these situations, a reading weakness can start to affect performance in essentially all subjects.

Learn more about reading tutoring for struggling readers in NYC at Best Reading Tutors in NYC for Struggling Readers – EBL Coaching.

7. Your Child Has Difficulty Reading Longer, Multi-syllabic Words

Reading demands evolve as children move through school. A student who was able to read simple words effectively in earlier grades may struggle once texts contain longer, multi-syllabic words.

Systematic instruction can teach students how to break down longer words into syllables and individual word parts rather than approaching the entire word at once.

8. The Same Reading Problems Keep Appearing Year After Year

Some children show temporary reading struggles, while others have more persistent difficulties.

If teachers have brought up similar concerns to you in the past or your child has received general reading tutoring without making sufficient progress, you may want to consider a more individualized, systematic, multi-sensory approach.

Should You Wait to Get Reading Support?

Some families may feel their child just needs time to settle into the school year before considering additional support.

However, persistent difficulties with core reading skills such as decoding, spelling, reading fluency, and reading comprehension can negatively impact all aspects of school. If your child is showing early struggles, it’s better to take action sooner than later.

Try to avoid waiting until your child is struggling immensely before seeking support. If you have concerns about your child, you may want to reach out to your child’s teacher about what they are seeing in the classroom. Ask the teacher which specific reading skills appear to be difficult for your child and how your child’s performance compares with grade-level expectations.

A reading assessment can also provide helpful information about your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

How Can Orton Gillingham Tutoring Help?

A key element of Orton Gillingham instruction is that lessons are individualized to address each student’s specific needs and areas of difficulty in reading.

While it depends on the individual student, Orton Gillingham instruction may focus on skills such as:

• Phonemic awareness
• Sound-symbol relationships
• Decoding words
• Spelling words
• Syllable patterns
• Prefixes, suffixes, and roots
• Reading fluency
• Vocabulary and comprehension

With Orton Gillingham tutoring, skills are taught explicitly and systematically, and new concepts build upon skills the student has already learned.

Can Orton Gillingham Tutoring Help Older Students?

Orton Gillingham tutoring doesn’t only help beginning readers.

Middle school and high school students may continue to struggle with decoding, spelling, fluency, or reading comprehension. For some students, strong vocabulary, intelligence, or comprehension skills may have helped them compensate for reading challenges when passages were simpler.

As academic demands increase, however, those compensatory techniques may not work as well.

Orton Gillingham instruction for an older student should be age-appropriate and customized to the skills that are challenging for them. It’s important not to make an adolescent work through elementary-level material if they don’t need it; instead, the idea is to identify gaps and systematically target them.

Finding the Right Reading Support

If your child is struggling with reading, try to determine exactly where they are struggling.

Some students may have difficulty manipulating sounds within words. Another child may know phonics patterns but struggle to apply them automatically when reading. Other students may decode accurately but read so slowly that it impacts their comprehension.

The more precisely the areas of weakness can be identified, the more targeted the Orton Gillingham instruction can be.

Orton Gillingham Tutoring in NYC and NJ

EBL Coaching provides individualized, one-on-one Orton Gillingham tutoring in New York City, Northern New Jersey, and surrounding areas to students who struggle with reading, spelling, and other foundational literacy skills. We work with elementary, middle, and high school students, including students with dyslexia and those who have not received a formal diagnosis.

Our Orton Gillingham instruction is tailored to each student’s individual reading skills and areas of difficulty. Depending on the student’s needs, lessons may focus on phonemic awareness, sound-symbol relationships, decoding, syllable patterns, spelling, word structure, reading fluency, and comprehension.

In New York City, EBL Coaching works with students in Manhattan and nearby areas. In New Jersey, we work with students in Englewood, Bergen County, Northern New Jersey, and surrounding areas.

If your child is struggling with reading or spelling, individualized Orton Gillingham tutoring can provide explicit, systematic instruction designed to strengthen the specific skills they need to become more confident and capable readers.

Learn more about Orton Gillingham tutoring in NJ and what parents should know when considering this approach at Orton Gillingham Tutoring in NJ: What Parents Should Know – EBL Coaching.

Frequently Asked Questions About Orton Gillingham Tutoring

What is Orton Gillingham tutoring?
Orton Gillingham tutoring uses a structured, explicit, multi-sensory approach to teaching reading and spelling. The instruction breaks language into smaller components and teaches students how sounds, letters, syllables, and word parts work together.

Does my child need to have dyslexia to use Orton Gillingham?
No. While Orton Gillingham was originally designed for students with dyslexia, a formal dyslexia diagnosis is not required for a student to benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring.

How do I know whether my child needs Orton Gillingham tutoring?
You may want to consider seeking Orton Gillingham instruction for your child if they consistently struggle to sound out unfamiliar words, guess at words, read slowly, struggle with spelling, or avoid reading.

At what age should a child start Orton Gillingham?
There is no exact age when Orton Gillingham instruction should begin. The appropriate time depends on your child’s reading skills and individual needs. Younger students may need support for foundational skills, while older students might need more targeted instruction to address gaps in decoding, spelling, or reading fluency.

Can middle school and high school students benefit from Orton Gillingham?
Yes, absolutely. Older students who continue to struggle with decoding, spelling, or reading fluency may benefit from Orton Gillingham instruction. Lessons should be individualized to their specific needs and use age-appropriate materials.

How often should a child receive Orton Gillingham tutoring?
The frequency at which a child should receive Orton Gillingham tutoring should depend on their skill level and overall needs. Consistency is key, since lessons are built upon previously taught concepts. A student’s instructional plan should be customized to their needs and shouldn’t follow a one-size-fits-all schedule.

How is Orton Gillingham different from regular reading tutoring?
General reading tutoring may focus on homework or grade-level assignments. Orton Gillingham instruction, however, is much more targeted and focuses on systematically teaching the structure of written language, including sound-symbol relationships, decoding, spelling, syllable patterns, and word structure.

Can Orton Gillingham help with spelling as well as reading?
Yes! Reading and spelling are related components of literacy. Effective Orton Gillingham instruction typically incorporates both decoding and spelling skills.

Should I wait until parent-teacher conferences to address reading concerns?
If your child is struggling, don’t wait until parent-teacher conferences to take action. If you’re noticing reading difficulties at the beginning of the school year, reach out to your child’s teacher and ask if they are noticing similar struggles. Early communication can help gauge whether your child is simply adjusting to the new school year or showing signs of a deeper reading issue.

Is Orton Gillingham only for elementary school students?
Absolutely not! Orton Gillingham tutoring can be used with students of different ages, including middle school and high school students. Older students may continue to have difficulty with decoding, spelling, reading fluency, or other foundational literacy skills even if they have developed strong vocabulary or comprehension skills. For older students, instruction should be age-appropriate and focus on the specific skills that need strengthening.

How long does Orton Gillingham tutoring take to work?
Progress from Orton Gillingham tutoring depends on various factors, such as the student’s current reading and spelling skills, areas of difficulty, frequency and consistency of instruction, and individual learning needs. Because Orton Gillingham instruction is systematic and cumulative, students generally need consistent instruction and practice over time.

Where can I find Orton Gillingham tutoring in NYC or New Jersey?
EBL Coaching provides one-on-one Orton Gillingham tutoring to students with reading and spelling difficulties in New York City and Northern New Jersey, including the Upper East Side, Manhattan, Englewood, Bergen County, and surrounding areas.

If your child is struggling with reading, direct, systematic instruction, such as Orton Gillingham tutoring, can help them develop their reading and spelling skills and improve their self-confidence.

About the Author

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder and director of EBL Coaching and has more than 20 years of experience helping students strengthen their reading, writing, math, study, and executive functioning skills. She has worked with thousands of students with dyslexia, ADHD, learning disabilities, and other academic challenges.

Dr. Levy is the author of the Strategies for Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. Her expertise has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Parenting Magazine, The Epoch Times, and Macaroni KID. Read more about Dr. Levy at About Dr. Levy ADHD treatment New York City.

The post Back-to-School Reading Struggles: When Does Your Child Need Orton Gillingham Tutoring? appeared first on EBL Coaching.

While it’s normal for children to need some time to adjust to a new teacher, routine, and set of expectations, persistent academic difficulties shouldn’t necessarily be dismissed as part of the adjustment period.

Identifying these challenges early can help prevent small difficulties from developing into larger learning gaps as the school year progresses. The sooner you understand where your child is struggling, the sooner you can find the right targeted support to help them strengthen their skills, become more independent, and build confidence in school.

How can you tell if your child is simply adjusting to a new school year or may need additional academic support? Here are 10 signs your child may be falling behind in school.

1. Homework Takes Much Longer Than It Should

The amount of time it takes your child to complete their homework can be an early indication of how well they are managing grade-level expectations.

If short assignments consistently take hours to complete, your child may be struggling with the academic skills required to complete the assignment. They might also be having difficulty understanding the directions, or they may have attention or executive functioning difficulties.

Try to observe whether your child:

• Needs a lot of prompting to complete their homework
• Takes much longer than expected to finish their assignments
• Becomes easily frustrated when completing their homework
• Needs you to clarify directions
• Struggles to work independently
• Tries to avoid assignments that involve reading, writing, or math

Some academic struggles are normal, especially at the beginning of a new school year. However, if these challenges continue or begin to interfere with your child’s ability to complete their work, they may deserve closer attention.

Students who struggle with organization, task initiation, time management, or completing homework independently may benefit from executive functioning coaching in NYC. Learn more at Best Executive Functioning Coach in NYC: How to Choose – EBL Coaching.

2. Your Child Is Struggling With Reading or Is Avoiding Reading

If your child struggles with reading, they may try to find ways to avoid it.

Young children may resist reading aloud. They might also guess at unfamiliar words or rely on pictures and context clues instead of actually decoding words. Older students may try to avoid reading assignments. They may skim their assignments rather than reading carefully, or they may have difficulty remembering what they read.

Signs of a reading challenge might include:

• Slow, laborious reading
• Trouble sounding out unfamiliar words
• Frequent guessing at words when reading
• Skipping or replacing words
• Challenges with spelling
• Poor reading comprehension
• Avoidance of reading tasks

Students with dyslexia and other reading challenges may benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring in Manhattan, which provides systematic, multi-sensory instruction in reading and spelling. Learn more at Orton Gillingham Tutoring in Manhattan for Dyslexia & Reading Success.

3. Writing Assignments Are Becoming a Struggle

Writing demands increase as children progress through school. Students are expected to do more than just spell words and write sentences. They must organize their thoughts, develop paragraphs, provide supporting details, revise and edit their work, and complete increasingly complex writing assignments.

Some students can clearly explain their ideas when speaking but have difficulty expressing those same ideas in writing. They may know what they want to say but struggle to organize their thoughts, get started, or put their ideas into complete, well-developed written responses. When these difficulties persist, additional writing support may help children strengthen their written expression skills and become more confident writers.

Look for writing difficulties such as:

• Trouble getting started on writing tasks
• Short sentences or paragraphs
• Poor sentence structure
• Weak organization of ideas
• Spelling, capitalization, or punctuation errors
• Challenges with developing paragraphs
• Difficulty organizing ideas before writing
• Frustration with writing tasks

These difficulties can become more noticeable as the school year progresses and writing demands increase.

If your child consistently struggles with written expression, writing tutoring for learning disabilities can provide targeted support with sentence construction, organization, paragraph development, and written expression. Learn more at Why Smart Kids Struggle with Writing and How Writing Tutoring Helps.

4. Your Child Is Struggling with Math Skills

Forgetting some math skills that were taught during the prior school year can be normal. However, if your child has forgotten key concepts or continues to struggle even after those math skills have been reviewed, there may be gaps that need to be addressed.

Watch for challenges with:

• Basic math facts
• Addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division concepts
• Fractions or decimals
• Multi-step calculations
• Solving word problems
• Retaining previously learned concepts
• Selecting the correct operation
• Articulating how they arrived at an answer

Math demands increase as students progress through school and concepts build upon one another. By addressing foundational gaps early, you can make it easier for your child to learn the new concepts that will be introduced later in the year.

Learn more about dyscalculia and math struggles at What Is Dyscalculia? Signs, Symptoms & Treatment for Children – EBL Coaching.

5. Your Child Struggles with Organization and Assignments

Some students can easily grasp new academic concepts but struggle with their executive functioning skills.

Your child might finish a homework assignment but forget to turn it in, study the wrong material for a test, lose important papers, or start their assignments right before they are due.

Signs of executive functioning challenges can include:

• Forgetting assignments regularly
• Losing papers and materials
• Forgetting to use a planner or calendar
• Waiting until the last minute to start assignments
• Underestimating how long tasks will take to complete
• Difficulty getting started on tasks
• Needing frequent reminders from parents

As your child’s workload increases, these executive functioning challenges can make it harder for them to keep up with schoolwork, even when they understand the material.

6. Your Child Understands the Material at Home but Performs Poorly on Tests

Your child may seem to understand the material when studying for a test but still consistently receive lower grades on tests and quizzes. If this happens, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your child isn’t trying hard enough.

Some students simply need to learn more effective ways to study. Others may have difficulty with memory, focus, reading comprehension, test-taking strategies, or understanding and following multi-step directions.

Simply rereading notes or looking over a textbook may not be enough. Many students benefit from learning specific study strategies, such as self-quizzing, using memory techniques, creating study guides, breaking information into smaller parts, and spreading their studying out over several days. These strategies can help students feel more prepared and confident when it’s time to take a test.

7. Your Child Is Losing Confidence in School

Try to pay attention to changes in the way your child talks about school.

When they make comments like “I don’t know,” “I’m bad at reading,” “I hate writing,” or “I’m just not smart,” pay attention, as these kinds of comments sometimes reflect more than just temporary frustration.

When children consistently struggle with schoolwork, they may begin to lose confidence in their abilities. They may become hesitant to try challenging tasks or give up quickly because they are worried about making mistakes or not being successful.

The right academic support should be more than simply getting homework done. It should help children build the skills, strategies, and confidence they need to approach schoolwork more independently and feel successful in the classroom.

8. Your Child Is Becoming Increasingly Anxious About School

Academic struggles may not appear on quizzes or tests right away.

Some children start to complain about school, become easily upset when doing homework, worry excessively about quizzes and tests, or try to avoid certain classes or assignments.

If this behavior occurs regularly around specific academic tasks, you may want to look into whether your child may have an underlying skill deficit that is contributing to their stress.

If a child finds reading extremely difficult, for example, they may become anxious when asked to read aloud. A student who struggles to organize their thoughts may avoid writing tasks. Addressing underlying academic challenges early can help reduce the frustration surrounding them and prevent continued challenges.

9. Your Child’s Teacher Is Already Expressing Concerns

If your child’s teacher gives you feedback early in the school year, don’t ignore it! They might mention that your child is having difficulty keeping up, completing independent work, following multi-step directions, reading at the expected level, writing organized responses, or grasping new math concepts. If that’s the case, try to gather more information.

You may want to ask questions like:

• Which skills are my child struggling with the most?
• Is my child performing below their peers?
• Have these challenges been observed consistently?
• Have any interventions already been tried? If so, which ones?
• What can I do at home to help?

The more specific information you have, the better you’ll be able to understand where your child is struggling and what type of support may be most beneficial.

10. The Same Challenges Keep Appearing Year After Year

Pay attention if your child’s struggles are repeating year after year.  Perhaps they struggled with spelling last year and continue to struggle with it this year. Maybe their teachers have consistently mentioned difficulties with reading, writing, math, focus, or organization.

When the same challenge continues across grades, just waiting for your child to “catch up” likely isn’t the best approach.

Consistent academic challenges may indicate that your child needs more targeted instruction than they are currently receiving.

Don’t Wait for the First Report Card

Some parents wait until the first progress report, parent-teacher conference, or report card before seeking additional help for their child. If your child is struggling, don’t delay taking action! Try to be proactive rather than reactive.

Grades are only one indication of how a student is doing. Study habits, self-confidence, independence, teacher observations, and the amount of effort exerted can all provide important information well before the first progress report arrives.

Early intervention also can help address specific areas of weakness before the demands of school continue to increase.

Finding the Right Academic Support

The best support for your child depends on what they are struggling with and their overall academic profile.

A child with dyslexia may need explicit, research-based, multi-sensory reading instruction, such as Orton Gillingham tutoring. A student who has dysgraphia or struggles with writing may benefit from structured tutoring in sentence construction, paragraph development, writing organization, and self-checking.

Students with executive functioning difficulties may need direct instruction in planning, organization, time management, and task initiation. Other students may need targeted math intervention to help them develop foundational concepts before progressing to more advanced math concepts.

Instead of just focusing on homework help, effective academic intervention should identify the skills your child is struggling with and teach them strategies to help them become a stronger, more independent student.

If you’re wondering whether your child’s struggles are significant enough to warrant additional support, you may also want to read about signs your child may need a tutor. Learn more at 7 Signs Your Child Needs a Tutor: How to Know When to Get Help – EBL Coaching.

Academic Tutoring for Learning Disabilities in NYC and New Jersey

EBL Coaching provides individualized, one-on-one academic tutoring to students in New York City and New Jersey, including at our Upper East Side Manhattan and Englewood, New Jersey learning centers. We work with students throughout Manhattan, Bergen County, and surrounding areas who have dyslexia, ADHD, executive functioning challenges, learning disabilities, and other academic needs.

Our instruction is customized to each student’s unique learning profile and can focus on reading, writing, math, organization, time management, executive functioning, and other areas of academic development.

For students with reading and spelling challenges, EBL Coaching offers systematic, multi-sensory instruction using the Orton Gillingham approach. Students who struggle with writing, math, organization, or executive functioning receive targeted strategies designed to address their specific areas of need.

The beginning of the school year is an ideal time to identify academic challenges and give your child the appropriate support. By addressing difficulties early, you can help your child strengthen their essential skills, keep up with academic expectations, and tackle the rest of the school year with greater confidence and independence.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if my child is falling behind?
To gauge whether your child is falling behind, look for consistent patterns rather than an occasional difficult assignment or low grade. Spending an excessive amount of time completing homework, showing repeated difficulty with certain academic skills, avoiding assignments, teacher concerns, weak test performance, or increasing dependence on parents may suggest that additional support may be helpful.

Should I wait until the first report card before seeking a tutor for my child?
If your child is struggling, try to avoid waiting until the first report card before seeking a tutor for them. If you are noticing consistent academic difficulties, you may want to find support before report cards are issued. Early intervention may prevent small challenges from becoming more significant difficulties as the school year progresses.

What type of tutoring is best for a child with a learning disability?
The tutoring your child receives should be individualized to their specific learning needs. Students with dyslexia, for example, often benefit from explicit, systematic, multi-sensory reading instruction, such as Orton Gillingham tutoring. Students with executive functioning challenges may need direct instruction in organization, planning, time management, and task initiation.

What are early signs of dyslexia?
Potential signs of dyslexia can include trouble sounding out unfamiliar words, slow or laborious reading, guessing at words, poor spelling, challenges with remembering sound-symbol relationships, and reading avoidance.

Can executive functioning struggles make a child appear to be falling behind?
Yes. Some students understand academic material but struggle to manage their homework assignments, remember due dates, organize their materials, start tasks, plan out long-term projects, or study efficiently. These challenges can negatively affect their academic performance.

Where can I find learning disability tutoring in NYC or New Jersey?
EBL Coaching specializes in providing individualized tutoring to students with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, executive functioning difficulties, and other learning challenges in New York City, New Jersey, and surrounding areas. The instruction uses research-based, multi-sensory techniques and is customized to each student’s specific academic needs and learning profile.

About the Author

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder and director of EBL Coaching and has more than 20 years of experience helping students strengthen their reading, writing, math, study, and executive functioning skills. She has worked with thousands of students with dyslexia, ADHD, learning disabilities, and other academic challenges.

Dr. Levy is the author of the Strategies for Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. Her expertise has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Parenting Magazine, The Epoch Times, and Macaroni KID. Read more about Dr. Levy at About Dr. Levy ADHD treatment New York City.

The post 10 Signs Your Child Is Struggling in School and May Need Help appeared first on EBL Coaching.

While occasional difficulty with writing is common, persistent struggles may indicate that a child needs additional support. In some cases, these challenges may be associated with a written expression disorder or a learning disability that affects written expression.

Understanding the signs of written expression difficulties can help you recognize when your child may need extra support or benefit from specialized writing instruction.

What Is a Written Expression Disorder?

A written expression disorder is characterized by significant difficulty expressing ideas clearly and effectively through writing. These difficulties may be diagnosed as a Specific Learning Disorder with impairment in written expression.

Writing is a very complex process. To create even a short paragraph, a student needs to come up with ideas, construct well-written sentences, spell words accurately, use correct punctuation, organize information, and use proper grammar rules – all at the same time.

For students with written expression difficulties, managing all these writing demands can be challenging and overwhelming.

Your child may be bright, creative, and articulate, but putting their ideas into writing can still be incredibly challenging.

10 Signs of Written Expression Disorder in Children

Writing difficulties can appear differently from one student to another. Some children just struggle with spelling and sentence writing, while others have difficulty organizing their thoughts and expanding their ideas.

Learn more about how writing tutoring can help your child at Why Smart Kids Struggle with Writing and How Writing Tutoring Helps.

Here are some challenges you may notice:

1. Your Child Can Explain an Idea but Struggles to Write It Down

One of the most noticeable signs of a writing difficulty is when a child has great ideas and can express them orally but struggles to write them on paper.

Your child might give you elaborate details about what happened in a story or describe exactly what they want to say in an essay. However, as soon as they sit down to begin writing, they can only come up with a few short sentences.

The difference between their verbal abilities and written work can be significant.

2. Writing Assignments Take an Extremely Long Time

A writing assignment that takes most students a short time to complete may take a student with writing difficulties several hours. The additional time and effort required can make writing assignments particularly frustrating and overwhelming.

Your child may stare at a blank page, repeatedly erase what they have written, lose focus, or need frequent encouragement and reminders to keep working.

This struggle can make completing homework particularly stressful, especially when it involves writing.

3. Your Child Has Trouble Getting Started

Many students have great ideas but don’t know how to begin.

They may make comments like:

• “I don’t know how to start.”
• “I don’t know what to say.”
• “I can’t think of anything to write.”

The challenge often isn’t a lack of ideas; your child may have trouble organizing those ideas and figuring out where to start in the writing process.

4. Sentences Are Very Short or Incomplete

Students who struggle with writing often produce short, simple sentences.

For example, instead of writing:

“Ella ate lunch with her friends and enjoyed eating a toasted grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough bread.”

A student might write:

“Ella ate lunch. She liked it.”

Direct instruction can help students who struggle with writing learn how to write longer, more detailed sentences, and communicate complex ideas.

Read about 10 signs your child may need a writing tutor at 10 Signs Your Child Needs Writing Tutoring – EBL Coaching.

5. Paragraphs Are Poorly Organized

Your child may understand how a basic paragraph is structured but struggle to create one on their own.

Their paragraphs might be missing a clear topic sentence, include information unrelated to the topic, jump between ideas, or end without an appropriate concluding sentence.

Older students may have similar difficulties when writing longer paragraphs or multi-paragraph essays.

6. Your Child Has Trouble Developing and Expanding Ideas

When writing is challenging, students may limit their responses to the bare minimum rather than fully developing their ideas.

If they are asked to write a paragraph, they might produce one or two sentences. When writing an essay, they may struggle to come up with enough information to support their main idea. They may need explicit instruction on how to add details, write deeper explanations, give specific examples, and add supporting information.

7. Spelling and Grammar Errors Interfere with Writing

While many students make occasional spelling and grammar mistakes, frequent errors may become an issue when they interfere with a student’s ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Your child may struggle with capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, or self-checking their work.

8. Your Child Has Difficulty Organizing and Sequencing Ideas

Many students have plenty of ideas but have difficulty sequencing these ideas appropriately.

A story they create might jump from the beginning to the end and then back to the middle. An essay they write may include information that is relevant to the topic but lacks a logical structure.

Students who struggle with sequencing their ideas often benefit from brainstorm webs, outlines, graphic organizers, and explicit instruction on how to organize their thoughts before they start writing.

9. Your Child Avoids Writing

Many children avoid tasks that they find to be challenging.

Your child may complain when they receive writing homework; they might procrastinate starting their writing work; or they may rush through assignments to get them “over with.” They might also tell you that they hate writing.

For some children, continued struggles with writing can affect not only their performance at school, but also their self-confidence.

10. Your Child’s Writing Does Not Reflect Their Abilities

Some parents may say their child makes comments like:

“My son knows so much more than he expresses on paper.”

This discrepancy between oral ideas and written output can be an important indicator.

Your child may have strong comprehension, creativity, and verbal reasoning skills, yet their written work may not reflect their overall abilities.

Why Do Some Students Struggle with Writing?

There can be many reasons why students struggle with writing.

Writing difficulties may occur alongside other challenges, like dyslexia, ADHD, executive functioning difficulties, language-based learning disabilities, or other learning differences.

For example, a student with dyslexia may exert so much energy when spelling words that it becomes harder for them to focus on developing their ideas when writing.

A student with ADHD or executive functioning challenges may have great ideas but struggle to organize their ideas, start a writing task, sustain attention, or self-check their work. Other students might just need more explicit writing instruction to improve their writing skills.

Effective writing intervention can help target your child’s specific areas of need.

How Can Specialized Writing Instruction Help?

Students who struggle with writing often benefit from direct, systematic instruction rather than simply being given more opportunities to write. Written expression tutoring can provide students with explicit strategies for brainstorming, organizing ideas, developing sentences and paragraphs, and revising their work.

Instead of telling your child to “just get started,” or “elaborate on their ideas,” an effective writing tutor can teach them exactly how to do so.

While it may vary based on your child’s needs, writing instruction might focus on:

• Creating well-written sentences
• Brainstorming ideas
• Organizing thoughts before writing
• Constructing well-structured paragraphs
• Integrating topic and concluding sentences
• Adding salient details and supporting information
• Writing multi-paragraph essays
• Improving spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Self-checking
• Breaking down longer assignments into manageable steps

As students learn concrete tools they can apply to their writing, the task of writing can begin to feel much more manageable for them.

When Should Parents Consider Getting Help?

You may want to seek additional support for your child if their writing challenges are consistent, interfere with their performance at school, cause a lot of frustration, or appear much different from what you would expect based on their age and abilities.

You might also want to consider speaking to your child’s teacher to learn how their writing compares to classroom expectations and whether their teacher is noticing similar challenges at school.

For some students, a formal evaluation may help to better understand their learning profile and determine whether they have a specific learning disability that could be contributing to their difficulties.

Writing Tutoring for Learning Disabilities in NYC and NJ

At EBL Coaching, we specialize in providing individualized, one-on-one writing tutoring in NYC and New Jersey to students with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, executive functioning difficulties, and other learning disabilities. We provide writing tutoring in NJ at our Englewood learning center, writing tutoring in NYC at our Manhattan learning center, as well as in students’ homes and virtually.

Our written expression tutoring focuses on sentence development, paragraph writing, essay organization, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other foundational writing skills. We use structured, multi-sensory techniques that are tailored to each student’s individual needs.

EBL Coaching offers tutoring at our learning centers on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and in Englewood, New Jersey, as well as in the home and virtually.

If your child has strong ideas but struggles to express them effectively in writing, specialized writing instruction can help them communicate their thoughts more clearly and effectively.

Learn more about finding a private tutor for your child in NYC at How to Find the Best Private Tutor in NYC for Your Child – EBL Coaching.

Helping Your Child Become a More Confident Writer

Writing difficulties can be frustrating for children, especially when they have strong ideas and knowledge but struggle to communicate them on paper. Identifying the specific skills that are getting in the way can help you find the right targeted support for them. With appropriate instruction and practice, children can learn strategies that make writing more manageable and help them communicate their ideas more effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions About Written Expression Difficulties

What is a written expression disorder?
A written expression disorder involves persistent difficulty expressing and communicating ideas effectively through writing. Students may struggle with sentence structure, grammar, spelling, organization, developing ideas, or other important writing skills. In some cases, these difficulties may be diagnosed as a Specific Learning Disorder with impairment in written expression.

What are the signs of a written expression disorder?
Common signs of a written expression disorder include challenges with getting started on writing assignments, incomplete sentences, poorly organized paragraphs and essays, frequent spelling errors, difficulty elaborating on ideas, slow writing, or a significant discrepancy between what a child can articulate verbally and what they can communicate when writing.

Is written expression disorder the same as dysgraphia?
While the terms “written expression disorder” and “dysgraphia” are sometimes used interchangeably, they don’t necessarily refer to the exact same challenges. Dysgraphia can involve handwriting and the physical production of written work, while difficulties with written expression often involve higher-level skills like sentence construction, grammar, and the organization of ideas. A student may experience difficulties in one or more of these areas.

Can a child be a strong reader but a weak writer?
Yes. While reading and writing involve related skills, they are distinct from one another. Some children read and understand text well, but struggle to organize their thoughts on paper, write well-constructed sentences, spell effectively, or create written responses.

Can a child be very smart and still have a writing disability?
Yes. Writing difficulties are not a reflection of intelligence. A student may have strong verbal reasoning, vocabulary, and content knowledge but experience significant difficulty expressing these abilities in writing.

Is difficulty starting writing assignments a sign of a learning disability?
If your child has difficulty getting started on writing assignments, it does not necessarily mean they have a learning disability. Difficulties with task initiation, executive functioning, attention, planning, or language skills can also make it challenging to begin. Understanding your child’s strengths and areas of difficulty can help determine what kind of support may be most beneficial.

Can ADHD affect writing?
Yes. Writing requires planning, organization, sustained focus, working memory, and self-monitoring, which are skills that can be challenging for students with ADHD. A student may understand material but struggle to organize and express their thoughts effectively on paper.

Can writing tutoring help a child with written expression difficulties?
Yes! Specialized writing tutoring can help students learn concrete strategies for brainstorming, sentence construction, paragraph and essay development, organization, self-checking, and other writing skills. Instruction is most effective when it is tailored to the student’s specific areas of need rather than just giving them extra writing practice.

How do I know if my child needs a writing tutor?
You may want to consider specialized support if your child consistently struggles with writing assignments, takes an unusually long time to complete writing tasks, avoids writing, has trouble expanding their ideas, or produces written work that doesn’t reflect their knowledge and abilities.

Where can I find specialized writing tutoring in NYC or New Jersey?
EBL Coaching provides individualized instruction with experienced writing tutors in NYC and New Jersey. They have learning centers on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and in Englewood, NJ, and provide one-on-one instruction at their centers, at the home, and virtually, based on each student’s specific learning needs.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of students improve their writing skills over the past twenty years. She is the author of the Strategies do Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. She has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine, Epoch Times, and Macaroni Kids.

The post Written Expression Disorder: 10 Signs Your Child May Struggle with Writing appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Start Preparing for the New School Year Early

To help reduce anxiety, preview what the new school year will look like with your child ahead of time. You may want to practice the drive or walk to school, visit the school building if possible, and show your child a picture of their new teacher. Familiarizing them with these details can make the first day feel less intimidating and more predictable.

You can also talk to your child about what a typical school day will look like, including arrival, classes, lunch, activities, and dismissal. You may want to review the school calendar together and help your child enter important dates, events, and days off school into a planner or assignment book. This gives them a clearer picture of what lies ahead and will help them feel calmer and more prepared.

For children who struggle with anxiety, including those with special needs, uncertainty can be very stressful. The more you can preview the routines, people, places, and events they will encounter during the new school year, the more familiar and manageable the transition is likely to feel.

Discuss What Is Worrying Them

Your child may begin showing increased signs of worry as the new school year approaches. Rather than simply waiting for these feelings to pass, encourage them to talk about what is making them nervous. Understanding the source of their anxiety can help you provide the right reassurance and support.

Try asking specific questions rather than general ones. For example, instead of simply asking, “Are you worried about school?” consider questions such as:

• “Are there certain parts of the first day you’re worried about?”
• “Are there any subjects you think might be difficult for you?”
• “Are you concerned about how much homework you’ll have?”
• “Are you worried about making friends or who will be in your class?”
• “Is there anything about your new teacher or classroom that makes you nervous?”
• “What could we do to make the first week feel easier and less stressful?”

Questions like these can help uncover what is really behind your child’s anxiety. They may not be worried about school in general, but rather about a specific challenge, such as keeping track of assignments, finding their classroom, making friends, reading aloud, completing difficult schoolwork, or remembering to bring home the materials they need. Some children may also feel self-conscious about receiving extra help or being pulled out of class for additional support.

Once you understand what is causing your child’s anxiety, you can work with them to address those concerns before the school year begins. Identifying specific worries and developing a plan for handling them can help your child feel more prepared and confident.

Restart Routines Gradually

When the school year begins, many children go from less structured summer days to highly structured school schedules. Rather than introducing a completely new routine on the first day of school, try to make these changes gradually in the days and weeks leading up to the new school year.

Start by talking to your child about what time they will need to go to bed and wake up once the school year begins. Then gradually shift their bedtime and wake-up time earlier until they reach their school-year schedule. This can make the transition easier and help prevent the first few school mornings from feeling rushed and overwhelming.

It can also be helpful to establish consistent morning and evening routines ahead of time. Children with special needs, including those with ADHD or executive functioning challenges, often respond best to routines that are simple, concrete, and easy to follow rather than long or overly complicated ones.

For younger children, consider creating a visual schedule on a poster or whiteboard that they can easily reference. For example:

Morning Routine

• Wake up
• Eat breakfast
• Brush teeth
• Get dressed
• Pack backpack
• Go to school

Evening Routine

• Come home from school
• Have a snack
• Complete homework
• Eat dinner
• Take a shower
• Pack backpack for the next day
• Get ready for bed

If your child has sports, tutoring, clubs, or other after-school activities on certain days, you can adjust the schedule accordingly. Each day might not look exactly the same, but the goal is to give your child a predictable framework for what their days and weeks will look like. The more familiar the routine feels before school begins, the easier it will be for your child to adjust to the structure and expectations of the new school year.

Create a Consistent Homework Routine

Before the school year begins, help your child establish a consistent homework routine. Start by choosing a designated study space where they will complete their homework each day. This might be a desk in their bedroom, or it can be a shared space, such as the kitchen or dining room table. Ideally, the area should be comfortable, organized, and free from unnecessary distractions.

Stock the study space with the supplies your child is likely to need, such as pencils, pens, paper, highlighters, and other school materials. Keeping these items readily available and replenishing them when they run low can prevent your child from wandering around searching for supplies when it is time to work.

Next, decide together when homework will typically be completed. Some children work best immediately after school, while others benefit from having a snack and a short break first. Another option is to complete homework after dinner. There is no single schedule that works best for every child. The key is to choose a routine that works for your child and follow it as consistently as possible. Over time, a predictable homework routine can make it easier for your child to get started, stay focused, and complete assignments more independently.

Set Up an Organizational System

Before your child starts school, help them set up an organizational system. You can try a color-coded approach, where your child chooses one color for each class, like green for science, blue for math, etc. Then when you purchase school supplies with them, select green notebooks and folders for science, blue for math, and so on. In their assignment book (which they should also use throughout the school year), they can even color-code their assignments by highlighting their homework tasks in the color corresponding to each subject. For example, they might highlight their science assignments in green, math assignments in blue, and other assignments in whatever color corresponds to that subject.

Make Sure Academic Supports Are in Place

Before the school year begins, it’s important that you ensure the academic supports your child needs are in place. If they have an IEP or 504 Plan, make sure your child’s school and teacher receive the document. Set up a team meeting, so their teacher and any other service providers understand the services and accommodations your child needs.

It is also helpful to establish a system for communicating with your child’s teachers and service providers throughout the school year. Regular communication can help you stay informed about your child’s progress, identify potential concerns early, and work together to address challenges before they become more significant.

Closing Thoughts

A new school year can bring excitement and the opportunity for a fresh start, but it can also come with uncertainty and anxiety. By putting these strategies into place before school begins, you can help your special needs child feel more prepared, confident, and ready for a successful year ahead.

EBL Coaching specializes in 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 happy to hear from anyone who is in need for their child. You may reach her thru her website, and mention you heard of her thru MotherhoodLater.

The post How to Ease Back-to-School Anxiety for Your Special Needs Child appeared first on EBL Coaching.

How can you help your child with dyslexia prepare for the new school year?

1. Establish a Back-to-School Routine for Your Child with Dyslexia

In addition to reading challenges, some students with dyslexia may also have difficulty with executive functioning skills, including planning, organization, and time management. Helping them set predictable routines can reduce the number of tasks your child needs to remember and can make busy school days feel more manageable for them.

Before school starts, establish consistent routines for waking up, getting ready for school, completing homework, and going to bed. Encourage your child to prepare as much as possible the night before by packing their backpack, choosing their clothes, and organizing any materials they will need for the following day.

You may want to even create visual checklists for recurring tasks, both for the morning and after-school hours. Over time, these strategies can help your child become more independent and organized.

2. Create a Homework Space That Supports Your Child with Dyslexia

To build organizational skills and prepare your child for the new school year, help them set up a designated place where they will consistently complete their homework and study. Ideally, the area should be quiet, organized, and free from distractions.

Make sure you stock this space with supplies they will need for completing their schoolwork, including pens, pencils, highlighters, paper, and folders. Having everything readily available can minimize interruptions and make it easier for your child to get started and finish their work.

If your child has difficulty staying focused for long periods, try breaking homework into shorter work sessions with brief breaks in between. Additionally, a long assignment can also be overwhelming to them, so try dividing it into smaller, clearly defined steps.

3. Help Your Child with Dyslexia Manage Back-to-School Anxiety

Children with dyslexia may feel anxious about challenges they may face during the new school year, such as reading aloud, completing writing assignments, keeping pace with their classmates, or adjusting to a new teacher’s expectations.

Talk to your child about these concerns. Instead of just reassuring them that everything will be okay, help them identify specific situations they are worried about and develop strategies for handling them. For instance, if homework was particularly difficult last year, discuss strategies that can help make the process more manageable this year.

Giving your child a voice in these conversations can help them feel more prepared and less anxious about starting the new school year.

Learn more about dyslexia tutoring and the different approaches that may support reading and writing development at Best Tutoring for Dyslexia: Orton Gillingham, Reading, and Writing Support for Children – EBL Coaching.

4. Talk to Your Child’s Teacher About Dyslexia Before School Starts

For students with dyslexia, communication with teachers is important. Don’t wait until your child starts to struggle to establish communication with their teacher.

At the beginning of the year, introduce yourself and share relevant information with them about your child’s dyslexia, learning style, strengths, and areas of difficulty. If your child has an IEP, make sure their teachers and service providers receive the document and are familiar with the accommodations and services your child needs.

You may also want to establish a system for ongoing communication so you can learn about and address any concerns early, before they become larger challenges.

5. Make Sure Your Child’s Dyslexia Accommodations Are in Place

Accommodations can help students with dyslexia demonstrate what they know without being limited by challenges with reading, spelling, or writing.

While it can vary based on a child’s individual needs and educational plan, accommodations might include extended time, access to audiobooks or text-to-speech technology, reduced copying demands, or preferential seating.

Accommodations should always be individualized to the needs and profile of each student. The idea is to provide appropriate access to instruction and allow your child to demonstrate their knowledge.

6. Watch for Early Signs of Academic Difficulty

The beginning of school can provide important information about whether your child’s current supports are sufficient.

Take notice if your child:

• Takes an unusually long time to complete reading or writing assignments
• Often avoids reading
• Has significant challenges with spelling
• Struggles to sound out words
• Reads slowly or inaccurately
• Has trouble remembering information they read
• Becomes increasingly frustrated when completing schoolwork
• Makes comments like, “I’m bad at reading,” or “I’m not smart”
• Shows a decline in confidence

One challenging homework assignment or poor grade doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem. However, a consistent pattern of difficulty shouldn’t be ignored.

Learn what to look for when choosing a reading specialist in NYC at What to Look for in a Reading Specialist in NYC- EBL Coaching.

7. Provide Structured Reading Support

Children with dyslexia typically benefit from reading instruction that is explicit, structured, multi-sensory, and cumulative.

Structured literacy approaches, including Orton-Gillingham instruction, can provide explicit, systematic instruction in foundational reading and spelling skills. It incorporates multi-sensory tools while explicitly teaching sound/letter relationships, decoding, spelling, syllable types, and other foundational literacy skills.

For a child with dyslexia, don’t assume that additional reading practice alone will resolve their challenges; it’s important to determine the specific areas of difficulty and provide instruction targeted to those needs.

At EBL Coaching, we provide individualized, one-on-one tutoring to students with dyslexia and other learning challenges. The specialized tutoring sessions integrate structured, research-based, multi-sensory techniques, including the Orton Gillingham approach, that target each student’s specific reading and spelling needs.

Students can receive support at our learning centers in New York City and New Jersey, at your home, or virtually.

8. Focus on Your Child’s Strengths

When a child struggles with reading and other academic skills, those difficulties can easily become the focus of conversations about school.

Try to make a conscious effort to recognize and emphasize your child’s strengths. A student who has difficulty decoding words may be an excellent problem solver, athlete, artist, musician, or creative thinker.

Remember to praise their effort, persistence, and improvement, rather than focusing exclusively on grades.

Your child should understand that dyslexia describes a particular pattern of learning challenges, but it doesn’t define their intelligence or their potential.

9. Don’t Wait Too Long to Seek Additional Help

Some parents may think that a challenging start to the school year will resolve once their child becomes adjusted to a new teacher and routine. While that may sometimes be the case, persistent reading difficulties shouldn’t be ignored.

If your child continues to struggle with decoding, reading fluency, spelling, comprehension, or writing, you may want to speak to their teacher and seek additional individualized support.

Early intervention can prevent academic gaps from becoming even greater and can help protect your child’s confidence.

Helping Your Child Start the School Year with Confidence

A new school year can be an exciting time, offering children with dyslexia an opportunity for a fresh start. By establishing predictable routines, communicating with your child’s teachers, ensuring appropriate accommodations are in place, and providing targeted reading intervention, you can help make your child’s transition to school much smoother.

Remember not to measure your child’s success solely by how quickly they read or the grades they receive. Help them recognize their progress (and be proud of it!) and understand that they can become successful students even when certain academic skills require additional effort and support.

If your child with dyslexia is struggling with reading, spelling, writing, or executive functioning, EBL Coaching can help! We offer individualized tutoring for students with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning challenges in NYC and New Jersey. We create customized tutoring plans based on each student’s specific learning needs and use structured, research-based, multi-sensory approaches to help students strengthen their academic skills and self-confidence.

Learn more about Orton Gillingham tutoring for students in Manhattan at  Orton Gillingham Tutoring in Manhattan for Dyslexia & Reading Success.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dyslexia Intervention 

How can I prepare my child with dyslexia for a new school year?
To help prepare your child with dyslexia for the new school year, start by establishing school-year routines before classes start, like creating visual checklists and moving bedtime and wake up times earlier. You can also help your child set up a homework space and communicate with their teachers and other service providers early.

Should I tell my child’s new teacher that they have dyslexia?
Yes! Teachers should know about your child’s diagnosis along with their learning needs and any accommodations or services included in their IEP or 504 Plan. You may want to also share information about strategies that have worked well for them in the past (and even those that haven’t worked) to help their teacher support your child from the start of the year.

Which accommodations can help students with dyslexia at school?
Accommodations vary based on the needs of each student, but some accommodations that many students with dyslexia benefit from include extended time, audiobooks, text-to-speech technology, reduced copying requirements, and additional time for writing assignments. Accommodations should be based on your child’s individual needs.

What are signs that my child with dyslexia needs additional reading support?
If your child has difficulty sounding out unfamiliar words, reads slowly, has persistent spelling challenges, avoids reading, or takes an excessive amount of time to complete homework, additional support may be helpful for them.

Is the Orton Gillingham approach helpful for children with dyslexia?
Yes! The Orton Gillingham approach uses explicit, structured, sequential, and multi-sensory instruction to teach students foundational reading and spelling skills. These principles align with the type of structured literacy instruction that students with dyslexia often need.

How often should a child with dyslexia receive tutoring?
There is no set schedule that is appropriate for every student. The frequency of tutoring should vary based on your child’s individual needs, including their reading level, severity of difficulties, and school-based services they may be receiving. Consistent instruction is important when a student is receiving Orton Gillingham tutoring or reading remediation to develop academic skills effectively and help close significant skill gaps.

Can tutoring help a child with dyslexia become more confident?
Yes! Individualized dyslexia tutoring can help students build skills that previously caused frustration. As children begin to develop their reading skills and experience success, they often become more confident and willing to take on challenging academic tasks.

Where does EBL Coaching provide dyslexia tutoring?
EBL Coaching provides individualized tutoring for students with dyslexia and other learning challenges in New York City and New Jersey. Sessions can be provided at their learning centers, at the home, or virtually.  Tutoring sessions use research-based, multi-sensory techniques that are individualized to each student’s specific needs.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of students with dyslexia improve their academic skills over the past twenty years. She is the author of the Strategies do Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. She has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine, Epoch Times, and Macaroni Kids.

The post Back-to-School Tips for Children With Dyslexia: A Parent’s Guide appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Students with ADHD often struggle with executive functioning skills such as organization, time management, planning, and task initiation. After the less-structured days of summer, adjusting to early mornings, full school days, homework, and new routines can feel especially overwhelming for them. However, there are practical steps you can take to ease the back-to-school transition for your child with ADHD. By putting the right routines and supports in place, you can help your child start the school year feeling more confident, organized, and prepared for success.

Why Is Back-to-School Challenging for Students With ADHD?

ADHD affects more than a child’s ability to focus. It can also impact the executive functioning skills they need to effectively manage their daily responsibilities and stay on top of their schoolwork.

A student with ADHD may be bright and understand the material being taught in class, yet still struggle to keep track of assignments, remember to bring home necessary materials, manage their time, or get started on their work.

These challenges can become especially noticeable at the beginning of the school year, when students are adjusting to new schedules, routines, teachers, and academic expectations.

Back-to-school challenges that students with ADHD often face include:

• Forgetting their assignments and important materials
• Losing papers or school supplies
• Struggling to get ready in the morning
• Procrastinating getting started on homework
• Becoming easily distracted when working on assignments
• Struggling to transition from one activity to the next
• Estimating how much time assignments will take to complete
• Forgetting upcoming quizzes, projects, or deadlines
• Feeling overwhelmed by a multitude of assignments
• Struggling to adjust to new classroom expectations

Learn more about how to find the right executive functioning coach in NYC for your child at Best Executive Functioning Coach in NYC: How to Choose – EBL Coaching.

11 Back-to-School Strategies for Students with ADHD

Instead of waiting for missing assignments and poor grades to pile up, use the start of the school year as an opportunity to put strategies in place that strengthen these skills and help your child stay on track. Try the ideas detailed below:

1. Reestablish a Daily Routine

Students with ADHD often benefit from predictable routines and consistent schedules. Knowing what to expect throughout the day can reduce the number of decisions they need to make and make it easier for them to manage transitions and responsibilities.

Before school begins, gradually start shifting your child back to a school-year schedule. Move bedtime and wake-up times earlier and begin establishing consistent times for meals, homework, and extracurricular activities.

Once the school year is underway, try to keep the general structure of each weekday as consistent as possible. A predictable routine can help your child stay organized, manage their time, and feel more prepared for each part of the day.

An after-school routine for your child might look like:

• Come home from school
• Have a snack
• Take a short break
• Complete homework
• Organize materials for next day
• Eat dinner
• Enjoy relaxation time
• Get ready for bed

The specific routine you create should be tailored to your child’s individual needs. Some children may benefit from physical activity or downtime right after school, while others may do best starting their homework while they are still in “school mode” before they become tired or distracted.

The idea is not to create an overly rigid schedule, but to establish enough consistency that important tasks and responsibilities gradually become part of your child’s daily routine.

2. Create a Morning Checklist

Mornings can be particularly challenging for students with ADHD. Your child may become distracted while getting dressed, forget to pack an important item in their backpack, or suddenly remember something they were supposed to complete the night before.

A visual morning checklist can help your child stay on track and complete each step of their routine more independently, while reducing the number of reminders you need to give them.

While it may vary based on your child’s age, a visual checklist might look like:

• Wake up
• Get dressed
• Eat breakfast
• Brush teeth
• Pack lunch
• Check backpack
• Pack sports or activity equipment
• Put on shoes
• Leave for school

You may want to hang up the checklist up in a visible place where your child will see it every morning.

As your child gets older, try to encourage them to take more responsibility with completing the items on their checklist independently, without you reminding them to do so.

Read our parent guide to executive functioning skills in children at What Are Executive Functioning Skills? A Simple Guide for Parents – EBL Coaching.

3. Create One Place for School Materials

Many students with ADHD struggle with organization and time management. They might spend fifteen minutes completing their homework and another thirty minutes looking for it the next morning.

To help with these struggles, create a designated “organization station” near the door.

Select one location where your child puts everything they need for the following day, including their backpack, completed homework, lunch, sports equipment, and other materials.

Encourage your child to place their belongings in this area the night before rather than in the morning, to avoid morning chaos.

By minimizing the number of details that your child needs to remember in the morning, you can make leaving for school much smoother.

4. Set Up an Organization System

Some parents start the school year by helping their child create a detailed organizational system, only to find that it is abandoned within the first few weeks.
For students with ADHD, simpler systems are often easier to maintain and more effective over time.

Try using:

• One folder for papers that need to come home from school
• One folder for assignments your child has completed
• Color-coded folders for each subject
• A backpack organization system, with a designated clean-out day
• One planner for all assignments and activities

Try to avoid creating a complex organizational system with too many steps. If maintaining the system requires too much effort, your child will be less likely to use it consistently.

You can also designate one day each week, such as Tuesday or Friday, for your child to clean out their backpack and folders. This weekly routine can help prevent papers and clutter from piling up and make their organizational system easier to maintain.

5. Encourage Your Child to Use a Planner

Writing down assignments in a planner may sound simple, but it actually involves multiple executive functioning skills.

A student must record their assignments accurately, remember to look at their planner, bring home the materials needed for completing their homework, finish their assignments, and remember to turn them in.

Students with ADHD often struggle with their executive functioning skills and may need explicit instruction and repeated practice with this process.

When using a planner, encourage your child to record:

• Homework assignments
• Tests and quizzes
• Project deadlines
• After-school activities
• Appointments
• Holidays
• Important school events

For long-term projects and assignments, your child shouldn’t just write down the final due date. Instead, they should work backward to create smaller deadlines for individual steps.

For example, if they have a social studies project to complete, they might write the following steps in their planner:

• October 12: Choose research topic
• October 14: Find relevant sources
• October 17: Finish outline
• October 20: Create first draft
• October 22: Edit draft
• October 24: Turn in project

By breaking down large assignments into smaller steps, the assignment will feel much more manageable for your child.

Read more about ADHD homework strategies for better focus and organization at Homework Help for ADHD: Strategies That Actually Work – EBL Coaching.

6. Create an ADHD-Friendly Homework Environment

Students with ADHD are often easily distracted by their surroundings. A phone notification, television playing in another room, nearby conversation, or even clutter in their workspace can pull their attention away from schoolwork.

To help your child stay focused, create a designated homework area with as few distractions as possible. Keep commonly used supplies, such as pens, pencils, paper, highlighters, and a calculator, fully stocked and within easy reach. This can prevent your child from repeatedly leaving their workspace to search for something they need.

Keep phones and other distracting devices out of reach unless they are necessary for a particular assignment.

The ideal homework environment will vary from child to child. Some students work best in complete silence, while others concentrate better with quiet background noise. You may need to experiment with different setups to determine which environment helps your child stay focused and productive.

7. Break Homework into Manageable Pieces

Students with ADHD can easily feel overwhelmed by large amounts of homework. Avoid telling them to just “do your homework,” since they may not even know where to begin and might avoid starting their work all together.

Instead, help your child break larger assignments and homework tasks into smaller, manageable steps. For example, rather than saying, “do your book report,” break the assignment down into specific actions, like review the assignment, choose a book, read the directions, create an outline, and begin working on the first section.

Breaking assignments into smaller steps can reduce the demands on your child’s working memory and make tasks feel less overwhelming and easier to start.

It can also be helpful to divide homework time into shorter work periods followed by brief breaks. For example, your child might work for 20 minutes, take a five-minute break, and then begin the next task. This approach can make longer homework sessions feel more manageable and help your child maintain their focus.

8. Focus on Task Initiation

Many students with ADHD spend more time avoiding or putting off assignments than actually completing them. This tendency is often related to difficulties with task initiation, an executive functioning skill that involves being able to begin a task efficiently without excessive procrastination.

One way to make getting started easier is to keep the first step as small and manageable as possible. For example, instead of saying, “Start your math homework,” try saying, “Open the assignment and review the instructions.”

Once your child takes that first step, it may be easier for them to build momentum and continue working.

Timers can also be helpful for overcoming the initial resistance to starting a task. Try challenging your child to work for just seven minutes. Knowing they only need to focus for a short period can make an overwhelming assignment feel more manageable, and once they get started, they may find it easier to keep going.

9. Build in Movement

For many students with ADHD, movement helps them improve their focus.

Rather than asking your child to sit at their desk for several hours straight, build in short movement breaks between homework assignments.

During these breaks, your child might:

• Go for a short walk
• Stretch
• Jump in place
• Take the dog out
• Have a quick snack
• Kick a ball for a few minutes

Try to keep these breaks brief and structured. The goal is to give your child a chance to reset and refocus without becoming absorbed in another activity that makes it difficult to return to their work.

10. Communicate With Your Child’s Teachers Early

For students with ADHD, regular communication between home and school can make a significant difference. If you notice that your child is struggling, don’t wait until the first parent-teacher conference to reach out to their teacher.

At the beginning of the school year, connect with your child’s teacher and share any relevant information, including strategies or supports that have helped your child succeed in the past.

As the year progresses, look out for patterns that may indicate a specific area of difficulty. Is your child completing homework but forgetting to turn it in? Is writing taking them much longer than expected? Do long-term projects make them feel overwhelmed? Are assignments frequently missing or incomplete?

Identifying these specific patterns can help you and your child’s teacher better understand where they are struggling and determine which strategies and supports may be most helpful.

11. Encourage Independence Gradually

You may feel that you are helping your child by reminding them about every assignment or stepping in to prevent a poor grade. However, doing too much can result in you managing their schoolwork rather than helping them learn to manage it independently.

While guidance and support are important, the ultimate goal is to help your child develop strategies and systems they can gradually take ownership of and eventually manage on their own.

Instead of telling your child what to do from the start, ask them questions like:

• “Do you have a plan for getting your assignments done?”
• “Which materials do you need to bring home from school today?”
• “When should you start studying if your quiz is on Thursday?”
• “What’s the first step you need to do for your science project?”

These types of questions will help your child learn how to plan and problem-solve rather than rely on your reminders.

When Does a Student with ADHD Need Extra Support?

Some students gradually adjust to the school year after a few weeks of consistent routines and structure. Others, however, may continue to struggle despite receiving support at home.

You may want to consider additional academic tutoring or executive functioning coaching if your child consistently:

• Loses or forgets their homework
• Has trouble starting tasks
• Takes significantly longer than expected to complete schoolwork
• Struggles to organize their materials
• Waits until the last minute to start studying or working on projects
• Has difficulty managing multiple classes and assignments
• Becomes easily overwhelmed by schoolwork
• Understands core concepts but receives grades that don’t reflect their abilities
• Depends on you to manage their schoolwork and academic tasks

If these challenges continue despite consistent routines and support at home, your child may benefit from ADHD tutoring or executive functioning coaching. Individualized support can help students learn specific strategies for organization, time management, planning, task initiation, study skills, and completing assignments more independently.

ADHD Tutoring and Executive Functioning Coaching in NYC and New Jersey

EBL Coaching provides individualized ADHD tutoring and executive functioning coaching to students in New York City and New Jersey. Our one-on-one programs help students strengthen the academic and executive functioning skills that can make school challenging for children with ADHD.

Our instruction is highly individualized to each student’s specific needs and can target skills such as:

• Organization
• Planning
• Time management
• Prioritizing
• Task initiation
• Task completion
• Note taking
• Test preparation
• Academic skills development

We help students with more than just completing their homework. We teach them concrete, research-based strategies for managing their assignments, preparing for tests, organizing their materials, planning long-term projects, and becoming more confident learners.

Some students with ADHD also struggle with specific academic skills in reading, writing, or mathematics. EBL Coaching provides individualized academic tutoring based on each student’s specific strengths and needs. We begin by evaluating the student to identify areas that need support and then develop an individualized instructional plan.

If your child is struggling with organization, time management, homework, study skills, or other ADHD-related academic challenges, EBL Coaching can help! Families seeking ADHD tutoring or executive functioning coaching in NYC or New Jersey can contact EBL Coaching to discuss their child’s needs and learn more about our individualized one-on-one programs.

Learn what to look for when choosing an ADHD tutor in NYC at Best ADHD Tutors in NYC for Executive Functioning & Academic Support.

Helping Your Child Start the School Year with Confidence

Students with ADHD do not need to be perfectly organized to have a successful school year. The goal is to establish practical routines, teach effective strategies, and gradually help your child take greater ownership of their academic responsibilities.

With consistent routines, individualized support, and direct instruction in executive functioning skills, students with ADHD can develop the tools they need to manage their schoolwork more independently and approach the new school year with greater confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions About ADHD and Back-to-School Strategies

Why is the beginning of the school year difficult for children with ADHD?
The transition from summer to school presents many changes in structure, schedules, and responsibilities. Students with ADHD may have difficulty adapting to these changes, since those with ADHD often struggle with executive functioning skills including organization, working memory, planning, time management, and task initiation.

How can I help my child with ADHD get organized for school?
To help your child with ADHD become more organized, start with a simple organizational system. Set up designated locations for homework and school materials, encourage them to use a consistent planner, help them create morning and evening checklists, and schedule a weekly backpack and folder cleanout. Try to avoid complicated systems with multiple steps.

How can I make mornings easier for my child with ADHD?
To make mornings easier for your child, prepare as much as you can the night before. Have your child pack their backpack, organize their homework, choose the clothing they plan to wear the next day, and place necessary items in a specified location. A visual morning checklist can also reduce the need for repeated reminders.

Why does my child with ADHD take so long to do homework?
ADHD can affect sustained focus, working memory, task initiation, and the ability to process multi-step directions. Students may become easily distracted and overwhelmed by a large volume of assignments. Help your child break their homework assignments into smaller tasks and use structured work periods to help them complete their homework efficiently.

Should students with ADHD use a planner?
Yes, but just giving your child a planner is probably not enough. Students with ADHD often need direct instruction and practice on how to record assignments, when to check their planner, and how to prioritize tasks, estimate time, and plan ahead for exams and projects.

What executive functioning skills are important for students with ADHD?
Executive functioning skills include organization, planning, prioritization, time management, working memory, task initiation, and self-monitoring. These skills become increasingly important as students progress through school, so the sooner your child can develop these skills, the better.

When should I consider executive functioning coaching for my child?
If your child consistently struggles with organization and time management and these challenges begin to interfere with their academic performance, it may be helpful to consider additional support. Signs that your child may need extra help include frequently missing assignments, procrastinating on schoolwork, taking significantly longer than expected to complete homework, struggling to prepare for tests, or having difficulty keeping their materials organized.

Can ADHD affect reading and writing?
Yes. ADHD can make reading and writing more challenging, particularly when tasks require sustained attention, working memory, organization, planning, and self-monitoring. While ADHD itself is not a reading or writing disability, some students with ADHD also have dyslexia or another learning disability. These students may benefit from targeted academic instruction in addition to executive functioning support.

Where can I find ADHD tutoring and executive functioning coaching in NYC?
EBL Coaching provides one-on-one ADHD tutoring and executive functioning coaching to students in New York City and surrounding areas, as well as in New Jersey. Instruction can target organization, planning, time management, task initiation, study skills, test preparation, and academic skills, based on each student’s individual needs.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of students with ADHD improve their academic and executive functioning skills over the past twenty years. She is the author of the Strategies do Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. She has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine, Epoch Times, and Macaroni Kids.

The post Back-to-School With ADHD: 11 Strategies for a Successful School Year appeared first on EBL Coaching.