How can ADHD tutoring help with executive functioning?

Students with ADHD often struggle with executive functioning skills such as time management, organization, planning, and task initiation. They might forget to turn in their homework or turn it in late, lose their books and belongings, and have trouble staying organized and on task. Individualized, one-on-one ADHD tutoring can help your child build these key skills, which are essential for success in school.

Time management strategies taught in ADHD tutoring

Specific, concrete time management strategies can be taught during ADHD tutoring sessions. For example, your child may develop stronger time management skills and learn to procrastinate less. With the Estimated Time versus Actual Time strategy, students learn to do the following:

• Estimate how long they think a task might take to complete and write down the ET, or estimated time.
• Note how long the task took to complete and write the AT, or actual time.
• Compare the difference between these times.

When students start using this strategy, especially those with poor time management skills, there is often a big gap between the estimated time and actual time. However, the more students use this strategy through ADHD tutoring sessions, the more these times will start to merge and the better their time management skills will become.

Note taking strategies taught in ADHD tutoring

Another skill your child may develop in ADHD tutoring sessions is stronger note taking strategies. There are several different note taking strategies your child might learn in ADHD tutoring sessions, such as outlining, webbing, or column-style note taking. With column-style note taking, your child will learn the following steps:

• Draw a vertical line through the middle of their page (or do so using a computer).
• Write the title of the lesson at the top of the page and label the left column “main ideas” and the right column “notes”.
• When your child is in class listening to a lecture, they should only take notes on the right side of the page, in the notes column. When they come home from school, they should categorize their notes into various main ideas and write the main idea for that section of notes in the left column.

This note taking technique helps ensure that your child captured the information from the lecture, took effective notes, and understood the material that was covered. These diagrams also serve as great study guides for upcoming tests.

How ADHD tutoring can help with task initiation and prioritization

Many students with ADHD struggle with task initiation and prioritization. They may have several homework assignments to complete and tests to study for, but they don’t know where to start. They might jump in and begin working on an assignment that is less important or not due for several weeks and neglect more urgent assignments that may be due the next day or shortly thereafter. ADHD tutoring can help your child learn to prioritize tasks and designate which ones they should complete first and subsequently thereafter, based on the complexity of the assignment and its due date. As students progress through school, the volume of assignments and tests will increase so learning these strategies now through ADHD tutoring can help them tremendously.

Strategies taught during ADHD tutoring can help your child complete their homework independently and efficiently, improve their time management skills, reduce procrastination, increase their note taking and study skills, and help them feel confident and successful in school.

With effective ADHD tutoring, your child can learn how to manage their time, stay organized, prioritize their tasks, and stay focused for longer periods of time. If you are looking for evidence-based, one-on-one ADHD tutoring, EBL Coaching can help your child! We offer individualized executive functioning tutoring in person and virtually to help your child thrive in school.

Read more about whether your child has ADHD at Wondering if Your Child Has ADHD? – EBL Coaching

Frequently Asked Questions

What does an ADHD tutor teach?

An ADHD tutor will typically teach strategies for executive functioning skills, including planning, time management, organization, prioritization, test taking, note taking, organization, and study skills.

Is ADHD tutoring different from regular tutoring?

Yes! Specialized ADHD tutoring is different than general tutoring. With ADHD tutoring, your child should be taught specific research-based techniques for building their executive functioning skills. The ADHD tutor should teach them strategies and then show them how to apply these strategies to their relevant schoolwork.

Does my child need a formal ADHD diagnosis to benefit from tutoring?

No! If you notice your child struggling with skills like planning, organization, time management, task initiation, or focusing for long stretches of time, they can benefit from ADHD tutoring.

Learn more about ADHD tutoring programs at ADHD Tutoring Programs – EBL Coaching
Read more about ADHD at www.aacap.org.

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Create a Schedule

Individuals who struggle with executive functioning skills often fail to create a well-organized schedule. They might jump from one task to another with little or no planning. To address this challenge, you can map out steps for your child for each part of his or her day when at home. For example, your child might have five steps to complete in the morning before leaving for school: wake up; get dressed; have breakfast; brush teeth; and check backpack to make sure it has all necessary items for the day. You may want a checklist for the backpack, too.

Download Game (2-page .pdf)

The post Helping Autistic Students Build Stronger Executive Functioning Skills appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Focusing

Individuals with ADHD tend to be distracted easily. As kids, they may start a homework assignment but quickly lose focus when they hear the doorbell ringing, their phone buzzing, a newscaster speaking on the television, or people talking in another room. They may continuously start and stop an assignment, taking what seems like forever to complete it. As adults, they may have similar trouble staying focused on tasks; writing emails, creating a weekly schedule, or completing a project may take hours to complete with all of the surrounding distractions.

Those with autism tend to have trouble focusing on a task they don’t like. For instance, they may not want to read a particular book, complete a math sheet on multiplication, or finish a puzzle. If that’s the case, they may “act out” and demonstrate poor behaviors out of sheer frustration. Read more at Wondering if Your Child Has ADHD? – EBL Coaching.

Communication

Children and adults with ADHD may talk incessantly, regardless of whether others are truly listening or seem interested. They may interrupt their peers when speaking, and may not tell a story in an organized, sequential fashion. They may also overstep boundaries, sharing inappropriate information with others.

Those with autism often have trouble expressing their thoughts and feelings using appropriate words. They may speak out of context, often bringing up a topic (like the rainy weather outside) during an inappropriate time, like when the person they are with is talking about their favorite subject in school or what they plan to have for dinner that night. Those with autism tend to have poor social awareness and weak language skills, and may struggle with appropriate eye contact when speaking.

Routines

Individuals with ADHD tend to do well with routines but often have difficulty sticking with the routine and following through with it on a regular basis. For instance, they might know they should exercise every day for an hour or spend 30 minutes each day organizing their belongings, but easily become distracted when trying to complete the task.

Those with autism prefer doing the same routines over and over. For example, they may have chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast with a specific amount of butter every day, complete the same puzzle over and over, or prefer having the same book read to them time and again. They thrive on routine and don’t like change; any altering of these routines may cause them to become extremely upset. Learn more about this at Time Management Tips For Kids With ADHD – EBL Coaching.

Similarities

ADHD and autism do share some similarities, including impulsivity, executive functioning challenges, focusing difficulties, learning challenges, and social troubles. Some individuals have only ADHD or autism, while others have both. The only way to know what your child may have is to undergo a complete evaluation, which typically includes observations, questionnaires, and formal evaluative tools.

The earlier you can identify your child’s diagnosis, the sooner you can seek treatment, and the more likely your child will be successful in school and in life. Remember that your child likely has many gifts regardless of their diagnosis; learning more about who they are can only help you to best help them.

Other Blogs about Autism:

Helping Autistic Students Build Stronger Executive Functioning Skills

Other Blogs About ADHD:

ADHD Tutoring

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Make sure your child receives appropriate support. If your child is struggling in school, proactively ask the teacher for feedback, observations or an evaluation, if needed. Thereafter, make sure your child receives the appropriate support — whether it is specialized tutoring, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and so on.

School is really not easy these days. Many students have been out of school for a long time because of the pandemic, and the continued disruptions and anxieties are still breaking the flow of normal learning. What can parents do to help their children thrive and excel in school, particularly during these challenging and anxiety-provoking times?

To address this, we started a new series called “5 Things Parents Can Do To Help Their Children Thrive and Excel In School.” In this interview series, we are talking to teachers, principals, education experts, and successful parents to learn from their insights and experience.

As a part of this interview series, I had the pleasure to interview Dr. Emily Levy.

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder and director of EBL Coaching, a specialized tutoring program that offers individualized one-on-one home, virtual, and on-site instruction using research-based, multi-sensory techniques. She is also the author of Strategies for Study Success, a 17-part student workbook series that teaches students strategies for test taking, note taking, reading comprehension, writing, summarizing, and executive functioning, along with the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook series, which helps students develop their fundamental decoding and spelling skills. Additionally, she is the author of Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math, a multi-sensory math program that helps students develop a stronger understanding of core math concepts, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and fractions. These workbooks are currently used at schools nationwide.

Dr. Levy graduated from Brown University and received her Master’s Degree in Special Education from Nova University in Florida. She also completed her Doctorate Degree in Education from Nova University. She performed a five-year research study developing an alternative strategy for teaching reading comprehension and won a fifth place Westinghouse Science and Talent Award for this research. She has spoken at national and international conferences on research-based teaching methods.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us a bit about your “backstory”?

Sure! I actually grew up in the field of special education. My mother was the founder of a school for students with learning disabilities in Florida, so I like to think that being in the field of education is “in my blood.” Formally, though, I received my undergraduate degree from Brown University. I then obtained my Master’s Degree in Special Education, as well as my Doctorate Degree in Education. I started EBL Coaching nineteen years ago, which is a one-on-one tutoring program for special education students. We use research-based, multi-sensory techniques catered to the needs of each student. I am also the author of Strategies for Study Success, a seventeen-part student workbook series that teaches students strategies for reading comprehension, writing, test taking, note taking and executive functioning skills. Additionally, I am the author of the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham and Multi-Sensory Math Student Workbook programs.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

One of my very first students was a first grade boy with ADHD and dyslexia who struggled tremendously with reading. I worked with him for many years, providing one-on-one Orton Gillingham instruction to build his reading skills. School was a real struggle for him, and he had to work much harder than most of his peers. His mother recently let me know that he is now thriving as an engineer! I could not have been more proud.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference in the world.”

I love this quote, as it really defines the work that I do and my life mission. While I love being a successful business woman and a great role model for my daughters, I truly feel that I have made an enormous difference in the lives of so many children with specialized learning needs. It brings me so much happiness to know that I am making a positive difference in the world.

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

1. Listening. I find that listening — and truly listening without distractions — is a key element of my success. Many parents pour their hearts out to me and are often crying, telling me about the struggles of their child. I listen to them with compassion and understanding. I realize how hard it can be to watch these struggles and not know how to help. I speak and share my thoughts and suggestions only after they are done, and feel they have shared enough with me to give a full picture of their child.

2. Perseverance. There have been many instances in my career when I did not succeed at my first try. When I started out as a special education tutor, I essentially went from school to school, telling them about my services and background — hoping they would refer clients to me. Some welcomed me with open arms, but others completely shut me out. Some families (in the beginning of my career) would choose to find another tutor or go in another direction for whatever reason. It was crushing at first, but with every failure, my motto was to analyze what happened, think about what went wrong, and decide what I could do differently going forward to have a better outcome. That has helped me succeed and overcome many obstacles in work and in life.

3. Decisiveness. In my work, I literally make decisions all day long. Some are small and insignificant, such as when to send a certain email or schedule a meeting. Others are deeper and involve more thought, like what instructional plan would be best for a student with Autism and ADHD who also struggles with reading comprehension and writing — or how to guide a tutor towards helping a child who exhibits newfound challenges.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes! I am now working on expanding my COINS student workbook series, which teaches students how to break down math word problems and move from language to arithmetic, and then back to language.

For the benefit of our readers, can you tell us a bit about why you are an authority on how to help children succeed in school?

Sure. I have been working as an expert in the field of special education for over twenty years. Through EBL Coaching, I have been able to help thousands of students build their reading, writing, math, and executive functioning skills, and improve their self-confidence along the way.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the main focus of our interview. Can you help articulate the main challenges that students face today that make it difficult to succeed in school?

Many children with learning challenges are not receiving the appropriate support they need in school. Some are not identified as having a challenge early enough and continue to struggle in school. Others never get evaluated, or do so far down the road once they have already missed most academic foundations. Others receive some support in school, but either it is not appropriate or not enough support. For instance, students with dyslexia really need instruction using the Orton Gillingham technique — but unfortunately, most schools are not able to provide this support.

Can you suggest a few reforms that you think schools should make to help students to thrive and excel?

Sure. More teachers should be trained in research-based techniques for reading, writing, and math. In particular, using a multi-sensory approach for students who have learning challenges is key. When students are pulled out for support, it should be specific and individualized to their needs, using the research-based, multi-sensory techniques that are most appropriate for their specific challenges.

Here is our primary question. Can you please share your “5 Things Parents Can Do To Help Their Children Thrive and Excel In School?” Please share a story or example for each.

1. Be your child’s best advocate. I hear time and again that parents noticed their child struggling with homework, but their teacher never said anything to them; it was not until the end of the school year that the teacher told them their child struggled and may be held back. It is always important to be proactive, check in with your child’s teacher to see how he or she is doing, and not sit back and wait for the teacher to reach out to you.

2. Make sure your child receives appropriate support. If your child is struggling in school, proactively ask the teacher for feedback, observations or an evaluation, if needed. Thereafter, make sure your child receives the appropriate support — whether it is specialized tutoring, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and so on.

3. Help your child build self-confidence and independence. There are some parents who like to sit next to their child when they work on their homework until every part of it is complete, and correct them along the way. Let your child take a stab at it first; then you can check it afterwards or wait to see if he or she comes to you with questions. Praise them for their effort of working independently and know that by doing so, they will not only improve their academic skills, but will also build their self-confidence and independence.

4. Seek outside support. If your child is struggling, even with the support he or she is receiving in school, seek outside support. That may mean counseling, speech therapy, occupational therapy, tutoring, and so on. Specifically with tutoring, receiving the right one-on-one research-based, multi-sensory tutoring can be life changing for a child.

5. Learn effective ways you can help your child at home. If your child has ADHD, for instance, and struggles with organizational skills, help your child set up systems for cleaning out and filing papers he or she does not need. Help create lists and daily schedules, and aid your child in gaining an accurate understanding for how long tasks can take to complete. If your child has dyslexia and receives Orton Gillingham tutoring, ask the tutor what you can do in between sessions to reinforce what is covered.

As you know, teachers play such a huge role in shaping young lives. What would you suggest needs to be done to attract top talent to the education field?

I think that if teachers were trained in cutting-edge, research-based multi-sensory techniques that truly make a difference in the lives of kids, they will be motivated to enter the field and feel like they are making a real difference in the world.

We are blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them

I have always admired Sheryl Sandburg for the incredible work she has done to motivate women, seize opportunities and to “lean in.” It would be amazing to share a meal with her :). She also grew up in North Miami Beach, Florida, which is where I am from!

How can our readers further follow your work online?

They can read more about EBL Coaching and myself at the links below.

www.eblcoaching.com

Https://www.facebook.com/EBLCoaching

Http://www.instagram.com/ebl_coaching

Thank you so much for these insights! This was so inspiring!

The post Dr. Emily Levy Of EBL Coaching On The 5 Things Parents Can Do To Help Their Children Thrive and Excel In School — An Interview With Jake Frankel appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Have you noticed your child struggling in school? Perhaps they are having a hard time learning to read, can’t grasp multi-step math problems, or are having difficulty staying focused in class. Their self-esteem is plummeting as schoolwork becomes increasingly challenging, and their struggles seem insurmountable. Your child may have special needs and, if so, the sooner you can identify these needs and address them, the better it will be for their overall confidence and academic performance. So what can you do?

For starters, if you see your child struggling, talk to their doctor ‎and teacher. Discuss milestones they may or may not have met and determine if their teacher notices the same challenges you see at home. If you feel these struggles are getting worse or think they may benefit from additional accommodations at school, you might consider having them tested. This testing can be done for free either through your state’s early intervention program (if your child is under age three) or through your child’s school district. The evaluation and specific tests administered may range, but evaluators will typically test your child’s IQ and will likely also test language, motor, behavior, and achievement skills.

Psst…Winter isn’t over, here are Perfect Snow Day Activities for Kids in NYC

IEP or 504 plan
Depending on the evaluation results and your child’s needs, your child may qualify for either an IEP or a 504 plan. An IEP details your child’s specific goals and a plan for what your school will do to help meet those goals, including specific services, like speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and academic support. A 504 plan helps provide accommodations for support within the classroom, such as additional time on tests, an aide in the classroom, preferential seating, and/or modified homework. Typically students who have a less severe disability (like anxiety, ADHD, etc.) and not a diagnosed learning disability will receive a 504. Students who need more services, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, special education teacher support services, etc., would receive an IEP.

Know Your Rights
Federal law indicates that every child is entitled to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible. Three specific federal laws apply to children with special needs, including the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Ace, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These laws’ specifics can vary by state, so it’s important for you to understand the procedures and criteria specific to your state.

IDEA‎ stipulates that a child’s issues must fall into one of 13 categories to be eligible for special education services. Section 504 mandates that schools cannot discriminate again students who have disabilities and are required to provide appropriate accommodations to them. Students covered under Section 504 usually have less severe disabilities or do not fall into one of the categories stipulated under IDEA. The ADA indicates that children with special needs cannot be discriminated against and must be provided appropriate services and programs suitable to their needs. If your school district refuses to provide appropriate services to your child, you may initiate a due process hearing to challenge their decision.

Focus on Your Child’s Strengths
It is easy to go into a bit of negative space when dealing with your child’s educational support. Remember to focus on your child’s strengths; they may struggle with reading and writing but may excel with math computation. Or maybe your child is incredibly social, empathetic, and ‎kind. Perhaps they are a beautiful artist, a great storyteller, or a whiz at building Legos. Praise your child for small accomplishments, like sitting next to a friend at lunch who seemed sad, drawing a beautiful flower, or creating an elaborate Lego tower. As you help your child academically with areas where they may struggle, continue to build their self-esteem, and explain that no one is perfect. We all have strengths and weaknesses, as well as areas we need to work on improving. Your special needs child can still have dreams and aspirations that can be achieved with support and guidance.

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder of EBL Coaching, a tutoring program that specializes in one-on-one home and on-site instruction for students in grades PreK-12 in NYC, NJ, and Westchester. She is also the author of Strategies for Study Success, a study skills workbooks series emphasizing test-taking, note-taking, reading comprehension, writing, and executive functioning strategies, and the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook series.

The post Is Your Child Missing Milestones? When the Next Step is an IEP appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Children with ADHD are typically disorganized, lose papers and homework, and have trouble managing their workload.  They often struggle to stay focused for long periods of time and study effectively. Yet as students move through school, each of these demands increase exponentially.  As a result, children with ADHD often face diminishing grades and school performance with each passing year. Help your ADHD child avoid this downhill path and excel in school with the study strategies detailed below.

Break down studying into chunks

Studying for a multi-chapter science test, completing a research project, or learning pages of information for a quiz can seem like insurmountable tasks to students with ADHD. ‎You can help your child feel less frustrated and more in control of her workload by encouraging her to break down each task into smaller chunks. For instance, if she has a history test covering18 pages of class notes and 3 book chapters, help her spread out her studying over one full week by perhaps ‎spending two days studying one book chapter and six pages of notes, the next two days studying  the second book chapter and six additional pages of notes, and the subsequent two days studying the final chapter and six more page of notes. On the final day she can focus on reviewing all of the material, in sum breaking down a seemingly daunting task into seven manageable days of studying for smaller increments of time.

Use a planner!

ADHD students often think they can remember all of their assignments without writing them down. While this memory-based approach may work for the early years of school, it becomes increasingly hard to do, especially as students approach upper elementary school. To make sure your child doesn’t miss any assignments, encourage him to consistently use an assignment book. While paper books work well, he can also use a computer or phone-based planner. On a daily basis, it is important that he writes down (or types) all tasks that are assigned, even if his school uses an online portal. He should add any after school activities, sports games, or other non-academic events, making his planner the central point for all of his obligations.

Identify your child’s learning style

Each child with ADHD learns differently. Some prefer silence when studying and work best at a quiet desk in their bedroom. Others prefer a slight buzz in the background, like white noise or soft music playing. Some learn best with movement – rocking on a rocking chair while studying, for instance, or throwing a ball as they define vocabulary words. The key is identifying the style that best suits your child and sticking with it.

Find an optimal study time  

‎Some ADHD children work best immediately after school when they are still in “school mode.” They may feel relieved by completing their assignments and “geting them over with” so they can move onto non-academic activities. Others feel fried by the end of the school day and need a break before starting their homework or studying. For these children, a snack and some physical activity before sitting down to work is more optimal. Many students, especially older ones, work best later in the day, thriving on that post-dinner rush. Generally, however, encouraging your child to plan out and prioritize his work as soon as he comes home can help make sure critical work isn’t overlooked or pushed to the very last minute.

Avoid Distractions

Children with ADHD tend to be easily distracted by almost anything going on around them. To minimize distractions, try to implement household rules during studying time, such as “No TV” or “No Electronics.” You can also build in rewards for earning these banned activities. For instance, if your child completes one hour of focused school work, he can earn10 minutes of electronic time. This reward system may motivate your child to stay on task and complete his school work.

Use Active Studying Techniques

Activing reading strategies can help your ADHD child stay focused and remember the material she is learning. Try a tri-colored strategy for helping her learn material from a text book, rather than simply reading a chapter from start to finish. Before reading, have her peruse the chapter for pictures, captions, headers, and subheaders to give her an overview of the material. Then have her highlight the topic (one, two, or three words fescribing the passage) in blue. Next, she should move through the sections one sub-section at a time, highlighting the main idea of each sub-section in green (what the author is saying about the topic) and the important details in yellow. Once she is done with the chapter, she can create a two-column study guide, writing the topic at the top, main idea of each sub-section on the left, and the important details using bullet points on the right. This technique will help her actively learn the material and effectively plan for an exam.

The rigors of school can be challenging for many ADHD students, as the executive functioning, organizational, and studying demands often feel overwhelming. By implementing these strategies, however, your child can face these challenges head-on and be well on his way to academic success.

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