The holidays are filled with festivities, treats, and loads of family time. However, the break from school is also a time when kids tend to do little if any academic work. As a result, the shift back to school in January can be a tough one for many students. Help your child have a successful transition back to school with the ideas detailed below.

Re-set routines

Before the holidays, your child may have finally settled on their school routine: each morning they woke up, got dressed, packed their backpack, ate breakfast, then came home from school and completed their schoolwork on a regular basis. Yet during the holidays, routines and schedules often go awry and your child may need some routine re-setting before school starts again. To help them, reset routines gradually. If they went to bed very late during holiday time, start setting their bedtime 15-20 minutes earlier each day for four or five days before school starts. You may want to also create checklists to remind them of their morning and afternoon routines before school begins. For example, a morning chart might include waking up at a certain time, brushing their teeth, eating breakfast, and packing their backpack. An afternoon checklist might include unpacking their backpack, having a snack, completing their homework, putting their finished homework in their backpack or turning it in online, eating dinner, and getting ready for bed. You might want to also try limiting screen time before school starts to help set the stage for a focused, organized return to school.

Academic activities during break

Your child may become accustomed to lazy, school-free days during the holiday break. To help them transition back into school-mode, start to integrate academic activities before school starts. For example, read with your child for 20 minutes each night and discuss the plot, characters, and setting with them. Ask them to create predictions about what they think might happen next or make inferences about certain events in the story to help engage them in the book. Older children can read independently for 20 minutes each night but ask them similar questions about their book even if you aren’t reading it with them, to make sure they fully comprehend the material. You can also do math exercises when cooking or grocery shopping with them, or have them write in a journal about their favorite activities during the holiday break. The more academic activities you can integrate now, the better!

Discuss expectations

Your child may be nervous about returning to school and may face similar jitters that they felt before the new school year started. Talk through these feelings with them. Are they nervous about their workload? Anxious about waking up early again? Worried about friendship issues? Whatever the issue is, be there for them – listen to their worries and help them come up with solutions to help ease these anxieties. You can also discuss any assignments or projects they may have coming up and help them create a plan for competing them in an organized fashion.

Executive functioning strategies

Your child likely wasn’t focusing on executive functioning strategies during the holiday break. They probably didn’t have to worry about organizing their school assignments, planning their after school activity schedule, or organizing their academic work. Help them re-integrate executive functioning strategies before school starts again. Make sure they have a dedicated homework space where they will complete their assignments each day, filled with all necessary supplies. Discuss with them what time they will work on their homework daily after school and keep that time consistent. Help them set up an assignment book, especially if they started using one at the start of the school year but then used it less and less in the fall. If they have lengthy homework assignments to complete, help them break the assignments into steps and put each step into their assignment book. For time management, have them predict how long they think each assignment will take to complete, then compare it to the actual time it takes. The more systematic executive functioning strategies you can integrate, the better, and if your child continues to struggle with these skills, executive functioning coaching can help them tremendously.

The holiday break should be a fun-filled time that all kids enjoy. Yet the transition back to school can be a tough one. Try using these ideas at home with your child to help them start the new year on a positive, organized, and successful note.

The post Help Your Child Transition Back to School After the Holidays appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Summer is a time for fun in the sun, relaxing days, and outdoor play. Yet the school year is just around the corner and many children have trouble with the transition from a laid back summer to a more structured fall. Try some of the ideas below to help your child jump start the new school year on a positive note.

Set routines

During the summer, many kids enjoy less structured free time with fewer routines. While this can serve as a well-needed break for children, once they transition back to the school year, having structured routines typically becomes the new reality. Begin setting routines before the school year starts to avoid a challenging transition. You can start by changing your child’s sleep schedule. If they’re used to going to bed and waking up late, set an earlier bedtime two weeks or so before the school year starts and have your child follow that new time so they get used to it before school begins. You may want to also discuss with your child a morning routine that they will adhere to once the school year starts. This might include getting dressed right when they wake up, eating breakfast, brushing their teeth, and making sure their backpack is filled with everything they need for the day. You can even discuss breakfast options with them before the school year starts to avoid any delays in decision making over what to eat. The more routines you can set now, the easier the transition to the new school year will be.

Homework timing

Before the school year begins, it’s helpful to discuss with your child what time they plan to work on their homework each day. Some kids prefer doing their homework right when they get home and are still in “school mode”. Others like to have a small snack or physical activity break before beginning their work, and some enjoy working at night, after dinner. Any of these options can work; the key is setting a regular homework time and sticking with it. If there are days when you know your child will have an after school activity or event and won’t be able to complete their homework at their usual time, set an alternate time for those days so a plan is in place for the week.

Set up a study space

At the start of the school year, it’s important that your child has a designated clutter-free spot in your home for completing their homework. Ideally this should be a desk in their room, but it can also be a spot at your kitchen or dining room table if a private space isn’t available. Make sure they have all the supplies they need for completing their work at this spot, including pens, pencils, paper, scissors, and so on. If their supplies run low, refill them right away to prevent your child from wandering around your home looking for supplies mid-homework session. If their designated homework spot is on a common table, create a transportable homework bin for them containing all the necessary homework supplies that they will carry to and from their bedroom. Some kids also like having a reading nook in their room, or a designated spot devoted just to reading, separate from their homework space.

Meet your child’s teachers

If your child has historically struggled in school or has an IEP or 504 plan, make sure you communicate this information to their teachers at the start of the school year. When the year begins, try setting up a meeting with your child’s teachers and any service providers to tell them about your child, along with strategies that have or have not worked for them in the past. Additionally, set up a plan for communicating with them on a regular basis to discuss how your child is doing – perhaps once per month via email, phone, or in-person meetings. Try to be proactive rather than reactive; don’t wait until later in the year to find out your child is struggling. Stay on top of communicating with their teachers to help ensure they continue to thrive.

The transition back to school can be a challenging one, but try these ideas and your child will be on their way to a successful new year.

The post Tips to Help Your Child Get a Positive Jumpstart on the School Year by Dr. Emily Levy, Founder & Director, EBL Coaching appeared first on EBL Coaching.

For some children, the transition back to school is seamless. They look forward to the excitement of reconnecting with friends, meeting their teachers, and starting new after school activities. Yet for other students, especially those who are neurodivergent, the transition back to school can be challenging. Help your neurodivergent child start the new school year strong with the ideas detailed below.

Routines

For many children, summer is filled with free play, outdoor activities, and unstructured days. When the school year begins, however, routines become paramount. Rather than springing this transition on your child, start to integrate elements of their fall routine now, before the school year begins. You can discuss wake-up times and bedtimes with your child, both for school days and weekends. If they have been waking up closer to 9am in the summer but need to wake up at 7am during the week once the school year starts, have them set an alarm progressively earlier in the summer until they reach 7am right before the school year begins. The same applies to bedtime; if they have been going to bed later in the summer, have them start to go to sleep a little earlier each night. You can also create morning and afternoon checklists for tasks they’ll need to do once the school year begins. For example, their morning checklist might include getting dressed, brushing their teeth, eating breakfast, and preparing their backpack for school. You may want to come up with a list of menu items for breakfast and have them decide what they will eat for breakfast each day at the start of a given week, so you can prepare accordingly.  Their afternoon checklist might include having a snack when they get home, completing their schoolwork, turning in or putting away their homework in their backpack, eating dinner, and going to bed. The more structure you can integrate into your child’s day now, before the school year begins, the better!

Get organized!

Having strong organizational skills is a key component to school success, especially for neurodivergent children who may struggle with executive functioning skills. Shop for school supplies with your child as early as you can so you have plenty of time to organize them. You may want to color code items by subject. For example, you may select green for science, blue for math, yellow for social studies, and so on. For each subject, there should be a folder and a notebook in the color that corresponds to that class. Encourage your child to write down their homework daily in an assignment book when they are at school, and perhaps highlight the assignment for each subject in its corresponding color. You may want to designate one day per week as a “clean out my backpack and folders day” where your child cleans out any items or papers from their backpack that they no longer need to be carrying with them.

Distraction-free workspace

Neurodivergent students often become easily distracted when trying to complete their homework. Before the school year starts, set up a distraction-free work zone where your child will do their homework every day. This could be a desk in their room or a spot in a communal area, like a kitchen or dining room table. Make sure they have all the supplies they need for completing their homework, like pens, pencils, paper, a calculator, scissors, and highlighters. When the supplies run low, refill them right away to avoid having your child wander around in the middle of a homework session looking for more supplies. If they plan to work in a communal area, they can carry a portable supplies bin from their bedroom to their homework spot and back when they’re done, containing all the supplies they will need to complete their homework.

Connect with your child’s teachers

Most neurodivergent children have very unique needs. Before the school year begins or right after it starts, set up a meeting with your child’s teacher and their other service providers if relevant. Tell them about your child, including which techniques have and haven’t worked for them in the past, and set up a line of communication going forward. Perhaps you will check in with them once per month via email or set up regular phone calls to discuss your child’s progress. Additionally, you should consistently advocate for your child; while they may be doing well in school at one point in time, that could change quickly and their academic performance could take a downturn. Don’t wait for your child to struggle. Be proactive in helping them succeed and seeking additional support for them if needed. If the school year progresses and your child continues to struggle academically despite these interventions, you may want to consider private tutoring, which can be custom-tailored to your child’s needs and help them thrive in school.

The transition to the new school year can be challenging, especially for neurodivergent children. These strategies can help your child get excited for the new year and start school on a positive note.

The post Help Your Neurodivergent Child Prepare for the New School Year appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Applying to college

Applying to college can be an overwhelming process for all students, but for students with learning disabilities, this process can be even more challenging. You may want to start by researching various institutions and looking at the support services they offer for students with learning disabilities. If you can, try to visit the colleges you are considering once you have narrowed down your search, and spend some time in the disability office learning about the services they offer. Once you start the application process, it’s up to you to decide whether to share your diagnosis but it may be helpful for colleges to know what your needs are. Doing so may help provide a more complete picture of your profile and allow colleges to better understand your needs. If you do decide to disclose your disability, make sure you have support documentation, including evaluations, IEPs, or 504 plans. If the school requires a standardized test for admission, you may want to apply for accommodations for these exams. You might also want to also consider test-optional schools where you may not be required to take a test at all for admission.

At college

Once you are accepted and have chosen which college to attend, one of your first visits should be to the school’s disability office. If you are seeking services, you will need to submit the documentation of your learning disability to this office so they can verify which services and support you are eligible for. The office will then help manage and coordinate your support throughout your college journey.

Tutoring

Many colleges offer free tutoring to students with learning disabilities. This may come in the form of peer tutoring from other college students, or it may be through federal funding that is available for students with disabilities. Some schools offer learning centers where students can come in-person for help. When you are at college, if your school offers a learning center, you may want to visit it, meet the tutors and staff members, and determine how they can help you. You can also look into private specialized learning disability tutoring if you feel that’s more suitable for you.

Accommodations

It is important to determine which accommodations you may need while at college. You might need extra time on tests, or perhaps you will need to take your tests in another location like a learning center. Other accommodations you might qualify for include note takers, preferential seating, audio versions of textbooks, access to a computer during tests, and other related accommodations based on your disability.

Organizational skills

A large key to success in college is developing strong organizational skills. Try to build your time management skills to help you manage your classes, workload, and other obligations. For example, you might want to learn and practice the ET/AT time management technique, where you predict how much time you think it will take to complete a task (which is the ET, or estimated time), then compare it to the AT, or actual time it takes to complete that task. You can also work on planning out your schedule in a physical or electronic calendar and work on breaking down assignments into individual steps. Additionally, you can work on techniques for prioritizing tasks by listing the most important tasks at the top of your list and less important tasks beneath that. You can also use your phone as a tool to set alerts before appointments to further help with time management. If organization is still a challenge, executive functioning coaching can help you develop these skills.

Self-advocate

In college (and in life), it’s important to advocate for yourself, especially if you have a disability. Try to fully understand your learning disability and which tools have or haven’t helped you in the past. Identify the types of services you think you would benefit from and seek them out. If you feel you are struggling despite the support you are getting at any given time, seek additional resources or tutoring. Go to your school’s disability office, explain what is going on, and ask them what they can do to further help you. You should also know your rights. There are federal laws that protect you and ensure that you receive the services and accommodations that you need. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits any discrimination towards individuals with disabilities.

Students with learning disabilities absolutely have the ability to thrive in college. It is important to visit your school’s disability office and learn the types of support and services they offer. You can also seek tutoring and accommodations as needed, strengthen your organizational skills, and self-advocate. Following these tips will help you on your path towards success in college and in life after school.

The post Can Your Child with Learning Disabilities Thrive in College? appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Internet users have been left speechless after a frustrated parent shared an image of their seventh-grade son’s word-search homework, which they described as a “nightmare.”

Posted by Reddit user u/Lily_Thief in the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit, the image shows a complex word search based on Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver, with words hidden in every possible direction—forward, backward, diagonally and even reversed.

Newsweek reached out to u/Lily_Thief for comment via Reddit.

Image of a child’s word search. u/Lily_Thief

In the post, the parent wrote that their son, who has dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), struggles significantly with these assignments.

“They are easily the longest part of any of the homework that he has to do, and also likely the least educational,” the parent wrote. “Since he’s dyslexic and has ADHD, they are especially horrible, and have become a family chore.”

Despite having an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that should account for his learning needs, the parent shared that their attempts to communicate with the teacher about the issue have gone unanswered.

The parent expressed frustration with the lack of response, adding that they have reached out multiple times but never received a reply.

“He’d rather be writing essays, which also seems like it’d be a better use of his time,” the original poster wrote. “I never get a reply and at this point the school year is nearly done anyway. I’m hoping his next teacher isn’t like this. If they are I’m going to have to be more aggressive.”

Emily Levy, an expert learning specialist, told Newsweek she is strongly against using word searches in the classroom, especially when it comes to children with ADHD.

“Individuals with dyslexia often become overwhelmed by letters and words on a page,” Levy said. “The focus should be on teaching them to identify the names of letters and their corresponding sounds and how to blend those sounds together to form individual words—not searching for random words within the context of many other letters on a page.”

Levy, who is also the founder and Director of EBL Coaching (eblcoaching.com), said that word searches can make dyslexic children feel overwhelmed and frustrated and diminish their desire to learn how to read—a task that is typically already extremely challenging for them.

The post Internet Left Speechless by 7th-Grader’s Word-Search Homework: ‘Nightmare’ appeared first on EBL Coaching.

As students move through school, the executive functioning demands increase rapidly. Their school work will typically require stronger executive functioning skills, including planning, organization, task initiation, time management and other related skill areas. Without well-developed executive functioning skills, students may have difficulty excelling in school. Help your child develop stronger executive functioning skills with the ideas detailed below.

Visual Schedules

Children with executive functioning difficulties often become easily overwhelmed with a large workload and struggle to complete all the tasks they need to do in a given day. Help your child feel less overwhelmed and more in control of their day by creating a visual schedule. Start by creating a poster for morning tasks; list each item they need to complete when they wake up, such as brush their teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast, and put their belongings in their backpack, and draw a picture next to each item to visually display the task. You might even add check boxes next to each item for every day of the week so they can check off each item as they complete it. Create a similar checklist for tasks they might do when they get home from school, like have a snack, complete their homework, go to an activity, eat dinner, shower, and brush their teeth, along with the corresponding visual images. The more structure and order you can bring to your child’s day, the more you can improve their executive functioning skills.

Distraction-Free Workspace

It’s important that your child has a quiet, distraction-free workspace that they use each day for completing their homework. This might be a desk in their bedroom or even a spot on a communal table, like in a kitchen or dining room. Make sure they have all of the supplies they need for completing their homework, including pens, pencils, paper, highlighters, scissors, and so on. When the supplies run low, help your child re-stock them before they start their homework to ensure they don’t wander around your home mid-homework session searching for supplies. Also set a consistent homework time, which might be right after school or after a short snack or movement break. Try to make the time and space where your child completes their schoolwork as consistent as possible.

Time Management

Many students with executive functioning challenges struggle with time management. Help your child develop stronger time management skills with the ET/AT strategy, as follows:

Have your child choose one assignment to start with and ask them to predict how long they think it will take to complete that task, and write the ET, or estimated time. Then have them track how long it actually takes them to complete the assignment and write down the AT, or actual time. They should do this for each assignment, comparing the ET to the AT, and they will likely note that when they first start using this strategy, there will be a big difference between the ET and the AT. However, the more they practice this strategy, the more realistic they will become with their time and the more these times will start to merge.

Incremental Breaks

For children with executive functioning challenges, sitting for long stretches of time to work on homework can be extremely difficult and can feel overwhelming. As a result, they might do anything possible to avoid starting their work. Try an incremental break strategy, where your child sets a timer and works for 20 minutes, then takes a 5 minute break. Have them do this cycle three times: 20 minutes of work followed by a 5 minute break, then take a longer break, around 20-30 minutes, and then start that cycle again until they are done with their school work. This approach helps them chunk their workload into smaller increments so it feels less overwhelming and more manageable.

Working Memory

Working memory is an aspect of executive functioning that plays a role in many academic tasks. It involves one’s ability to hold and manipulate information in their mind, which can affect most aspects of school, including reading, writing, and math. You can help your child build stronger working memory skills by playing games! Try playing the game Memory, where you flip over a series of cards and each player has to match two of the same cards to make a match. This game requires your child to remember the placement of a previously turned over card while looking for a match. You can also play a family story telling game, where one family member starts a story and the next person repeats what was already told in the story and then adds the next few lines, then moves onto the next family member, and so on. It’s a great game to play with friends as well!

Executive functioning skills become increasingly important as children move through school. Help your child develop stronger executive functioning skills with these ideas and they will be well on their way to success in school.

The post Help Your Child Develop Stronger Executive Functioning Skills appeared first on EBL Coaching.

With the school year halfway complete, your child may be starting to coast. They might have started the school year off on a strong note, only to slowly lose focus, motivation, and organization. Help your child have a GREAT second half of the school year with the ideas detailed below.

Organizational System

Some students start off the school year with well-organized notebooks, folders, and binders. They set up systems and begin the year on a high note. Yet as the year progresses, many students use these systems less and less. Oftentimes their piles of papers begin to rise, their backpacks turn into a mess, and they consistently lose or forget materials. Mid-way through the school year can serve as a great time to sit down with your child and re-evaluate their organizational systems. Have them show you the strategies they are currently using (or not using) and take a look at their backpacks, notebooks, and folders. If their organization is lacking, help them revamp or create new systems. For instance, you might try this two-tier organizational system: tier 1 is a notebook or set of folders that contain only what they absolutely need to carry with them to and from school on a regular basis. One day per week should be designated as “clean out day”, where your child cleans out any papers or materials they no longer need to carry with them and files them into an accordion file (tier 2). This accordion file should contain three section per class: homework, notes, and tests/quizzes. Your child should file away lose papers into the appropriate section of this accordion file, which they keep at home. For older students, you can help them organize their computer files by creating digital files for each subject and sub-files within each subject for homework, study guides, projects, and so on.

You can also help your child create a color-coded system for their materials by designating one color per class. For example, math may be blue, science may be green, English may be purple – and all folders and notebooks should be utilized in the appropriate color for that class.

Set up a Work Space

You might find mid-way through the school year that your child moves around to a new space every day when they work on their homework. Encourage them to select one spot for competing their school work. This might be a desk in their room or even a table in a common space, like a kitchen or dining room. Make sure this space is fully stocked with all of the materials they may need for completing their work, including pens, pencils, paper, highlighters, and so on, and consistently fill the supplies as they run low. If your child works in a common area, you may want to help them create a portable supplies bucket filled with all the supplies they may need for completing their work that they carry with them to and from their room before and after they do their homework.

Pick a Study Time

Similar to having a consistent space for doing school work, your child should also select a consistent study time. Some students work best right after school, while others need a small break for a snack or physical activity. Discuss with your child which time works best for them and encourage them to work on their homework at that same time every day. There may be some days when your child has a sports game or other activity after school and the time needs to be modified – that’s completely fine! If that’s the case, sit with them before the school week begins and come up with a study plan for the upcoming week.

Reflect With Your Child

Mid-way through the school year is a great time to reflect with your child on their school performance. Are there areas in school where they are doing well? Areas that are more challenging? If your child indicates that some subjects are more difficult, try to did a little deeper. What is it about those subjects that makes them more challenging? If English class is a struggle, is it the writing? Reading assignments? Try to gather as much information as possible from your child – then reach out to their teacher if necessary to gain more information so you can help them accordingly.

Address Areas of Struggle

If your child is struggling with a skill or set of skills, take action! Reach out to their teacher to discuss these areas of struggle and see what kind of support the school can offer. If the struggle becomes even greater, you may want to consider having your child evaluated for a learning or attentional challenge. You may want to also consider outside academic tutoring to help build their skills in reading, writing, math, executive functioning, or content-area skills. Try to be as proactive as you can in seeking this support to prevent future challenges your child may have.

Mid-way through the school year is a great time to reflect and take action. Try these strategies at home to help your child excel through the rest of this school year.

The post 5 Mid-Year Tips for School Success appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Students with ADHD typically have many strengths. They are often very bright and excel at thinking critically and solving complex problems. However, they tend to struggle significantly with their executive functioning skills, including planning, organization, time management, and task initiation. As students progress through school, these executive functioning skills become increasingly important. Furthermore, weak executive functioning skills can negatively affect one’s self-esteem. Help your child with ADHD develop stronger executive functioning skills with the ideas detailed below.

Time Management Technique

Time management is often a significant area of struggle for students with ADHD. They may underestimate how long a task might take to complete or procrastinate starting their work, thinking they have more time to complete it than they actually do. Help your child develop stronger time management skills with the Estimated Time versus Actual Time strategy. To use this technique, ask your child to predict how long they think it will take to complete a task, such as a math worksheet, and have them write down the ET, or estimated time. Then tell them to keep track of the actual time it takes to complete the assignment and note the AT, or actual time it took. They will likely notice that there is a big discrepancy between the ET and AT when they begin using this strategy, especially if they have weak time management skills, but the more they practice this strategy, the more realistic they will become with their time, and the more their time management skills will improve.

Create an Organized Space

Students with ADHD should set up an organized study space to use consistently for completing their school work. This could be a desk in their bedroom or even a table in a common space, like a kitchen or dining room. Make sure this area is fully stocked with all of the supplies your child may need for completing their work, including pens, pencils, paper, scissors, highlighters, and so on. If the supplies start to run low, make sure you or your child refills them so they don’t wander around your home searching for supplies mid-homework session. If your child works in a common area, you may want to create a portable supplies bucket containing the supplies they need for completing their work and fill it on a regular basis as needed. It is important to create consistency; your child should use this same study space on a daily basis and it should always be organized with the school supplies they need for completing their work.

Set a Study Time

Along with creating an organized study space, your child should also designate a consistent time for completing their school work. This could be right after school, after a snack or physical activity break, or even later in the day. Each student is different and tends to work best at a different time of day. Try to encourage your child to consistently complete their work at this pre-set time as regularly as they can. Of course, there will be some days when they may have after school activities, games, or other obligations that may alter this time, but the more consistent they can be with their study time, the better.

Take Breaks

To strengthen focusing skills and help avoid distractions, your child should build in regular study breaks. They may want to try an approach like the Pomodoro Method, where they set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on their work for that time period without any distractions. At the end of the 25 minutes, they can take a 5 minute break and do any activity they choose. Then they should do that same cycle again three times – 25 minutes of work followed by a 5 minute break. Once they have completed three of these cycles, they can take a longer 30 minute break. Feel free to adjust these times slightly based on what suits your child best.

Create Organizational Systems

Students with ADHD benefit from organizational systems. Try setting up a color-coded system to help your child organize their materials for each class. For instance, they may designate blue for math, green for science, yellow for English, and so on. They should create a folder for each subject in the selected color. They can even highlight assignments in their assignment book (which they should also use regularly!) in the appropriate color for that subject. Additionally, you may want to help your child create checklists for items they need to remember to bring to school and take home from school on a daily basis. The more systematic and organized the approach is, the better.

Executive functioning skills can affect all aspects of school and life. Students with weak executive functioning skills often go on to struggle in the workplace and with personal relationships. The younger students can learn executive functioning strategies, the better off they will be as they move through life. Try these strategies with your child to help them thrive academically as the workload at school and the demands of life continue to increase.

EBL Coaching offers one-on-one in person and virtual tutoring for students in grades pre-K-12 with specialized learning needs. They use research-based, multi-sensory techniques, including the Orton Gillingham method, to develop students’ reading, writing, math, note taking, test taking, and executive functioning skills. Each student is evaluated and then receives an individualized learning plan to address their specific academic needs. Learn more at http://www.eblcoaching.com/. Dr. Emily Levy, Founder & Director, is happy to hear from anyone who is in need of help for their child. You may reach her through her website.

The post How to Improve Your Child’s Executive Functioning Skills appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Students with ADHD often struggle with study and organizational skills. They may lose their belongings, forget to turn in assignments, or wait until the last minute begin working on their homework. Study skills play an increasingly important role as students progress through school. Help your child with ADHD develop stronger study skills with the ideas detailed below.

Set up a study space

Help your child set up a well-organized study space for completing their school work. This might be a desk in their room or even a spot on the kitchen or dining room table. It’s important that your child uses this same space on a regular basis for completing their school work and doesn’t wander around your home during study time, landing on different spot each day. It’s also important that this space is always fully stocked with the supplies your child needs for completing their homework, like pens, pencils, paper, highlighters, and so on. Make sure you or your child refills the supplies when they run low so they don’t lose focus when studying, searching around for more supplies. If your child studies in a communal spot, create a portable supplies bucket, which contains all the supplies they need to complete their school work and, again, be sure to refill it as the supplies run low. The key is maintaining a consistent study spot with fully stocked supplies at all times.

Build in breaks

Many students with ADHD struggle to stay focused for long stretches of time in order to complete their homework. They may be easily distracted by background noises or think about other tasks they could be doing while trying to work on their school assignments. Help your child effectively complete their school work using structured breaks with an approach like the Pomodoro Technique. To use this strategy, your child should identify which assignments they need to complete, then set a timer for 25 minutes. They should focus strictly on their school work for that 25 minute period, then take a 5 minute break. After completing that cycle three times (25 minutes of work followed by a 5 minute break per cycle), they should take a longer break, around 30 minutes. By building in these structured breaks, your child will learn to focus on the task at hand while avoiding distractions, knowing that a break will soon be coming. Feel free to adjust the time increments based on your child’s needs – some may need a 7 minute break instead of 5 minutes, for instance – but maintaining a structured approach to study time and break time is key.

Regular study time

Just like your child should have a consistent study space, they should also set a regular time for studying. Some students with ADHD like doing their school work right after school, while others prefer a snack break or some physical activity after school before beginning their work. Others like to do most of their work later in the day. Any of these options can work; the key is identifying the time that works best for your child and sticking with it. This designated time may change on certain days based on sports games or other obligations, but if that is the case, you should look at the calendar with your child before the school week begins, identify any days when they may not be able to complete their school work at their “usual” time, and help them come up with an alternate study time for those days.

Active reading strategies

For many students with ADHD, staying focused on a passage, especially a longer one, while reading, can be challenging. As a result, their comprehension of the material may be compromised. To build your child’s ability to focus on passages when reading, help them become an active, rather than a passive reader. For younger children with ADHD, when you read a book out loud to them, stop along the way and ask them questions about the plot, setting, and characters, like, “Why do you think that boy was sad?”, “Why do you think she forgot to bring her lunch to school?” or “What do you think may happen next in the story?”

Older students may benefit from a tri-colored highlighting strategy to help them become active, rather than passive readers. Teach them that when they read, there are three elements they should look for: the first is the topic, which is one, two, or three words describing the passage (like rainforests or the Civil War). They should highlight the topic in blue. Next, they should look for the main idea, which is what the author is saying about the topic. For instance, if the topic is “rainforests”, the main idea might be “rainforests are found in many places”. They should highlight the main idea in green. Finally, they should look for important details describing the main idea found throughout the passage and highlight them in yellow. Learning to engage with the text and becoming a more active reader will help your child stay focused on the passage they are reading and ultimately improve their comprehension of the material.

ADHD Tutoring

If your child continues to struggle with their study skills or has difficulty with time management, planning, organization, task initiation, or related skills, they may benefit from ADHD tutoring. This specialized tutoring can be individualized to your child’s needs and teach them concrete strategies to help them build these key skills.

As students move through school, the workload and studying demands increase quickly. Teach your child with ADHD these study skills strategies and you can help them improve their overall school performance.

The post Study Skills Strategies for Your Child With ADHD appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Interviewing Dr. Levy, an educational expert, business owner, public speaker and author that specialized learning needs in grades Pre-K to 12, you will sure be inspired by this short interview.

Coming from a family of educators, she finds her calling at her young age and started her teaching journey since 1993 as a speaker of an event hosted by Ministry of Education.

We journey with her on her 31 years of teaching journey to become the founder of her own education business in 2004 helping kid and young teens learn better using research based multi-sensory techniques, and here is her story.

The post Dr. Emily Levy: Founder of EBL Coaching & Expert in Student Success appeared first on EBL Coaching.