What does “executive functioning” mean? Why is it so important for school success?

Executive functioning is more than just a single skill. It’s a set of skills that involves planning, organizing, focusing, and managing tasks effectively.
This article will explain executive functioning to you in simple terms and will help you understand when specialized coaching may help your child.

What is executive functioning in children?

Executive functioning is essentially the brain’s management system. It includes skills such as:

• Task initiation
• Staying organized
• Planning assignments
• Managing time
• Following multi-step directions
• Remembering multi-step instructions
• Finishing assignments

When executive functioning works well, students can typically stay on top of their assignments and overall workload, and school usually feels manageable. When students have weak executive functioning skills, however, school can feel overwhelming.

Explore ADHD study skills and executive functioning strategies for kids to help your child stay organized and focused at Executive Functioning Coaching | Build Organization, Time Management & Study Skills | EBL Coaching.

Main executive functioning skills

What are the primary executive functioning skills?

Time management skills

Time management is a key skill for success in school and in life. It involves having a strong grasp of how long tasks take and being able to plan accordingly.

Time management challenges may look like:

• Always rushing
• Constantly running late
• Underestimating homework time
• Turning in assignments late
• Struggling to start assignments at an appropriate time

Organizational skills

Organization can affect all aspects of school. It involves keeping track of materials and assignments.

Organizational challenges may look like:

• Losing homework assignments
• Having a messy backpack or locker
• Forgetting due dates
• Leaving assignments at home

Working memory

Working memory is an integral part of many different skills at school, including reading comprehension, writing, and math. It involves holding information in one’s mind long enough to use and apply it.

Working memory challenges might include:

• Forgetting instructions, especially when there are multiple steps
• Needing repeated reminders
• Losing track mid-task
• Struggling to complete math word problems
• Challenges with remembering information from a passage and then answering questions about it

Task initiation

Most aspects of school and life involve initiating tasks efficiently. Students who struggle with task initiation typically have trouble getting started without delays.

• Task initiation challenges might look like:
• Procrastinating homework
• Avoiding starting projects
• Staring at a page but not starting a writing assignment
• Needing constant prompting and reminders

Self-monitoring

Self-monitoring is a key component of executive functioning. It involves skills such as checking work and noticing errors (and then correcting them).

Self-monitoring challenges might include:

• Making careless mistakes
• Not checking for mistakes after completing an assignment
• Incomplete assignments
• Not reviewing work before turning it in

Emotional regulation

Emotional regulation involves effectively managing frustration and stress. Emotional regulation challenges might include:

• Homework meltdowns
• Avoiding challenging tasks and assignments
• Becoming easily frustrated

Why executive functioning is important 

When parents don’t know what executive functioning is, they might assume that these challenges are related to:

• Laziness
• Poor effort
• Lack of motivation
• Not trying hard

However, executive functioning helps translate effort into results in a structured, efficient manner.

Learn more about executive functioning coaching for kids and how it builds organization, time management, and study skills at Summer Study Skills for Kids With ADHD | EBL Coaching.

Students with executive functioning challenges are often:

• Intelligent
• Articulate
• Creative
• Highly capable

Yet despite these strengths, they can still struggle in school if their executive functioning skills are weak.

Common signs of executive functioning challenges

Many students struggle with their executive functioning skills, and these challenges often become more pronounced as students move through upper elementary school into middle school and beyond. When students struggle with executive functioning, you might notice your child:

• Takes much longer than expected to complete homework
• Needs constant reminders to start tasks
• Loses their belongings
• Turns in incomplete assignments
• Has trouble finishing tasks
• Is disorganized
• Has emotional reactions related to schoolwork

These executive functioning challenges are particularly common in students with ADHD and learning differences.

Can executive functioning be improved?

Yes! Executive functioning skills can absolutely be improved with the right tools and strategies.

Students can build stronger executive functioning skills when they receive:

• Organized lists
• Structured routines
• Step-by-step instructions
• Organizational systems
• Time management strategies
• Tools for planning and prioritizing

Students must be taught directly with concrete tools and strategies to develop their executive functioning skills effectively.

How executive functioning coaching helps

Executive functioning coaching teaches students how to manage their schedule and assignments – not just homework help or general academic skills building.

Executive functioning coaching might include:

• Breaking down large tasks into smaller steps
• Setting up organizational systems
• Teaching time management strategies
• Improving task initiation
• Reducing anxiety related to schoolwork

How EBL Coaching helps students with executive functioning coaching in NYC and New Jersey

At EBL Coaching, we specialize in helping students in New York City and New Jersey who struggle with executive functioning challenges, ADHD, learning disabilities, and academic skills.

Unlike traditional tutoring that focuses only on subject content, we teach students research-based, multi-sensory strategies to develop stronger executive functioning and academic skills.

We help students develop:

• Effective organization systems
• Step-by-step tools for completing assignments
• Strong time management and study habits
• Tools for starting and finishing schoolwork
• Strategies for prioritization
• Tools for building working memory

Discover effective ADHD and executive functioning strategies for kids to improve focus, organization, and follow-through at Summer Strategies for ADHD: Build Executive Function Skills | EBL Coaching.

Many families seek tutoring from EBL Coaching when they notice that their child:

• Is bright but underperforming in school
• Is easily overwhelmed by multi-step assignments
• Needs constant reminders to start and complete their work
• Struggles to stay organized across subjects
• Becomes easily frustrated with schoolwork
• Has poor self-esteem

Our coaching teaches students strategies for building their executive functioning skills and learning how to apply those strategies to their relevant schoolwork.

When to consider support

Many parents may be unsure as to when their child needs support. It might be time to seek executive functioning coaching if your child:

• Struggles to complete their homework independently
• Regularly loses assignments
• Has trouble managing their time
• Struggles to prioritize tasks
• Becomes easily overwhelmed by multi-step tasks
• Is struggling in school and performing below their potential

Seeking executive functioning support early can significantly improve your child’s academic performance and self-confidence.

Closing thoughts

Executive functioning skills are key components of academic success.

When these skills are weak, students can struggle immensely in school, and they likely need systematic instruction on how to learn, organize, and manage their homework effectively.

With the right coaching, students can move from feeling overwhelmed and disorganized to feeling confident and self-sufficient.

FAQs about Executive Functioning Coaching 

What is executive functioning in basic terms?
Executive functioning involves the brain’s ability to manage tasks such as planning, organizing, time management, and initiating tasks.

Why does my child struggle with executive functioning? 
Executive functioning weaknesses are often associated with ADHD, learning disabilities, developmental delays, or underdeveloped skills. These challenges are not caused by laziness or a lack of effort.

Can executive functioning skills be improved?
Yes! Executive functioning skills can absolutely be improved. These skills can be strengthened through structured tutoring, concrete strategies, and repeated practice.

How do I know if my child has executive functioning issues?
Common signs of executive functioning challenges include disorganization, forgetting schoolwork, trouble starting tasks, weak time management, and emotional breakdowns related to schoolwork.

Does EBL Coaching offer executive functioning coaching in NYC and New Jersey?
Yes! EBL Coaching provides executive functioning coaching to students throughout New York City and New Jersey. We help students build their executive functioning and academic skills through structured, research-based support.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, holds her Doctorate Degree in Education and her Master’s Degree in Special Education. She has helped thousands of students with executive functioning challenges for over twenty years. She is also 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 program, used by students and schools nationwide.

The post What Are Executive Functioning Skills? A Simple Guide for Parents appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Spring is a great time for fresh beginnings. Flowers are blooming and the chilly weather will soon be behind us. As the school year progressed, many students developed habits that may not be serving them well. Spring is a wonderful time to reset these habits and help your child boost their academic performance. Try some of these strategies with your child to improve their study skills, organization, reading, and writing skills this spring.

Study skills strategies

Your child may have started the year off with well-organized materials and intact study skills strategies. Yet as the school year progressed, these habits may have faded. They may now be completing their homework at random and inconsistent times, studying at different spots in your home, turning in assignments late, or losing their belongings. Help your child kick-start spring with these refreshed study habits:

Set a consistent homework time

Your child may come home and decide to have a snack, which then leads to TV time, a few video games, and another snack – and they don’t start their homework until well into the evening. Other days they might do their work right when they get home from school or just before dinner. For many students, this inconsistency can create chaos and can negatively affect their grades. Spring is a great time to help your child recreate a consistent homework time. Talk to them about the time they feel is best for completing their homework. Some students prefer doing their homework right after school, when they are still in “school mode.” Others prefer a snack or physical activity break before completing their work, and some prefer doing schoolwork in the early evening. Any of these options can work; the key is picking a consistent time and sticking with it. If there are days when your child has an after-school activity, come up with a plan for the time they will complete their homework on those specific days. Having a consistent homework time can help your child increase their focus, improve their productivity, and reduce parent-child homework battles that might otherwise ensue.

Set up a dedicated study space

As the school year has progressed, your child may have moved their homework spot all around your home, completing their work in different places just about every night. Take advantage of spring to help your child recreate a consistent study space. This space should ideally be a desk in their bedroom, but a spot on your kitchen or table or another room can work too. The key is having them complete their homework at this same spot on a regular basis. Also make sure they have all of the supplies they need for completing their school work at this spot – pens, pencils, scissors, highlighters, etc. If the supplies run low, fill them up to make sure your child doesn’t wander around during homework time looking for supplies they need, losing focus on their work. If your child works at a spot in another room, help them create a portable supplies bucket containing all of the supplies they need to complete their homework that they should carry with them to and from their room during homework time.

Create a reading routine

With phones, televisions, video games, apps, and so many options for entertainment, reading often falls by the wayside. Yet reading regularly is critical for success in school, as reading affects essentially all academic subjects. This spring, help your child get back into reading by creating a daily 20-minute reading routine. For young children, this ritual might take place right before bed, where you read to your child and discuss the events in the book. As children get older, you can alternate reading – you read a page, then they read a page, and discuss the book as you read to help your child develop active reading and comprehension skills. Talk about the characters, setting, and plot, and ask them prediction and inference questions. Later, when children are independent readers, have them read on their own for 20 minutes and then ask them to tell you about the book. You can even have them write a chapter summary at the end of each chapter in a notebook and create character maps describing each character in the book. The more children read, the more their fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary skills will improve.

Daily writing work

Spring is a great time to encourage your child to practice daily writing – something they should ideally continue into the summer months to further develop this skill. Have them start a journal and write a daily journal entry about something that happened to them that day. If daily is too frequent, even 2-3 times per week would work. You can also have them peruse newspapers or online news sources and have find articles that interest them – then write a summary about the article, or write a written response on whether they agree or disagree with it and why. Alternatively, you can have them pick any topic that interests them – rainbows, tornados, dogs – anything works, and each week write one paragraph per day (or as many days as possible) about that topic. Later, you can encourage them to self-check their writing using a checklist like COPS, which stands for Capitalization, Organization, Punctuation, and Spelling. The more they practice writing, the better.

Spring is a great time for renewal, and there’s still time in the school year for your child to improve their academic skills. Try these strategies with your child to help them end the school year on a confident and positive note.

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 Spring Is a Great Time to Reset Academic Habits appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Practical Homework Tips for Kids With ADHD

Children with ADHD often struggle with completing their homework. They may forget to bring home the proper materials, start their homework at erratic times, lose focus when doing their work, or turn in their assignments late. As a parent, there are many tools you can use to help your child with ADHD build stronger homework habits. Try some of the ideas below:

Time Management Strategies For Kids With ADHD

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Many students with ADHD struggle with time management, which can affect their ability to complete their homework efficiently.

Help your child build stronger time management and homework skills by creating an organized homework schedule.

If they have four assignments to complete, for example, have them decide on the order in which they plan to complete them and label the assignments 1, 2, 3, 4 (either in their assignment or on a separate sheet of paper or digital document). Then teach them the Estimated Time vs. Actual Time, or ET vs. AT, strategy. Starting with their first assignment, have them predict how long they think it will take to complete it and write down the ET, or estimated time. Then have them note how long it actually takes to complete that assignment and write the AT, or actual time. They should use this strategy for all of their assignments every time they work on their homework.

For students who struggle with time management, there is usually a large discrepancy between the ET and AT when they start using this strategy, but the more they practice it, the more realistic they tend to become with their time, and the more their time management skills improve.

Crafting the Perfect ADHD Study Space

Setting up an organized study space can help your child with ADHD build stronger homework skills. To do so, select a space where your child will complete their homework on a regular basis. This spot should ideally be a desk in their room, but an area on your kitchen or dining room table can work too. The key is consistency: anytime your child sits down to do their homework, they should work at their designated study spot.
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Make sure this space contains all of the supplies they need to complete their homework, including pens, pencils, paper, scissors, highlighters, and any other related supplies. If the supplies run low, refill them right away to make sure your child doesn’t wander around mid-session looking for more supplies. If your child works at a communal spot like a kitchen or dining room table, create a supplies bucket filled with the materials they need to complete their work, and have them take the bin to and from their room for their homework sessions.

Create a Consistent Homework Time

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Some children with ADHD complete their homework right when they get home from school; others start later; and many are completely inconsistent with when they do their homework. They might begin their assignments immediately after school, then take several breaks, become distracted by items around your home, and finally complete their work late in the night (if at all).

Help your child build better homework habits by setting a consistent homework time. Talk to them about when they feel they work best. If they prefer to work on their homework right after school to “get it over with,” that’s great. Some children may want a snack or physical activity break after school before starting their homework, while others may work best after dinner.

Any of these options can work; the key is consistency. If your child has after-school activities on some days, plan accordingly and help them find different times for completing their schoolwork on those days.

Pomodoro Technique For ADHD Kids – Give it a Try!

The Pomodoro Technique is a great strategy to help students with ADHD improve their homework and focusing skills. To use this strategy, your child should set a timer for 25 minutes and work consistently for that period until the timer goes off. Then they should take a five-minute break, followed by another 25-minute segment of dedicated work.

After they have completed four of these cycles, they should take a longer break of roughly 15–30 minutes. Your child can also tweak the time windows if need be; if 25 minutes is too long for them, they can start with 15 minutes of work followed by a five-minute break and gradually increase their work time to build stamina.

This strategy can help your child create a structured homework routine and complete their work more efficiently and effectively.

You Can Do This!

As students progress through school, homework demands increase quickly. Teach your child these strategies for building stronger homework and executive functioning skills, and you will set them on a path towards academic success.

For more information on ADHD, coaching, and tutoring, checkout www.eblcoaching.com

The post Homework Help for ADHD: Strategies That Actually Work appeared first on EBL Coaching.

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.