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Executive Function Coaching

What is Executive Function?

Executive Functioning is the brain’s “management system” and helps us to get things done.

Executive Function Skills help you to: 

  • Plan a task and see it through to completion 

  • Organize ideas, thoughts, and physical materials  

  • Pay attention and shift attention 

  • Understand and manage time for short terms tasks and long term projects 

  • Multi-task - mentally and physically 

  • Problem solve 

  • Remember and follow multi-step scenarios

  • Initiate tasks 

  • Adapt and thrive in novel or unexpected environments 

  • Understand and take into perspective other people’s feelings and ideas

Click here to learn more about Executive Function Skills

Executive function deficits can look different for different age groups - but here are some examples:

  • Difficulty following multi-step directions

  • “Last minute” completion of projects 

  • Difficulty finishing a test in the allotted time 

  • Appearing as though they are being defiant or aren't listening 

  • “Seemingly” careless errors

  • Needing lots of reminders to start or keep working 

  • Not turning work in 

  • Messy/unorganized desk, backpack, locker, etc

  • Not following classroom routines, even after months of doing it the same way

  • Misplacing, losing, or forgetting personal item 

  • Failing tests even though they know the material 

  • Reduced motivation and negative associations with learning and/or school 

  • Inability to problem solve independently, even the most basic scenarios

  • Needing things repeated many, many times before acquiring a new skill

Click here to learn how deficits may look for specific age groups

What might Executive Function Deficits look like for children at school?
Who can benefit from an EFC

Kids with ADHD, by definition, have difficulty with executive function skills. However, there are many children who do not have an ADHD diagnosis or children who do not have ADHD who still experience difficulty with many of these skills. 

How we can help

As an EFC, our priority is to get to know the child, learn their strengths and challenges, but through the lens of executive function skills (vs academics). This is done through strategic observation and informal assessment. Once we determine is it not an academic skill based deficit, we work with the child to provide the necssary tools to to self-monitor, self-manage and get things done!

EFC services are provided with an ongoing emphasis of building and repairing the child's confidence and motivation to learn

Executive Function Coach

We tackle executive function skills head on.

 

We prioritize teaching students strategies on how to self-monitor, self-correct, and succeed! Goals will be completely individualized to your child. Examples include things like independent use of checklists, visuals, organizers, breaking down problems or projects into smaller parts, re-reading, highlighters, timers/clocks, planning and planners, self-advocacy, and so much more.

 

We also prioritize getting many practice opportunities using these strategies in order to create effective new habits and behaviors! Just knowing them isn’t enough. Many children who benefit from these services know what needs to be done and even how to do it, but it’s the follow through in the moment where we often see the breakdown.

Strategic Academic Instruction

Many children who have executive function deficits, frequently also learn differently than what is often available in a traditional classroom setting.

 

Some children do not inherently have deficits in an academic area (i.e., a reading or math disability), but because of their executive function challenges, they are now behind academically because they have not been able to access the academic material along the way.

 

Often, children with executive function challenges thrive when given explicit 1:1 instruction to learn new materials - we can help.

 

Our goal is to teach in the way the child learns. We will work with the child  until we find an approach that “clicks” for them.

 

We utilize the science of learning and behavior to provide many successful trials for the new skills to be achieved in a 1:1 setting, and most importantly to be generalized to other settings (home, school, “real-life”).

EFC services are most often provided at the school in collaboration with the teacher.

Check out this great article describing a day in the life of a child with Executive Function Challenges 

https://www.understood.org/articles/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-child-with-executive-functioning-issues

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