Parents will often hear educators using the term “executive functioning skills” without providing any explanation or definition. This is why we thought it might be helpful to provide some information about what they are and why you should care in the following post. Please note that much of this information is from a website called Understood.org, which is a terrific resource.

What are executive functioning skills?

There are three main areas of executive function:

1) Working memory (how well someone can absorb and apply new information)

2) Cognitive flexibility (how well someone can consider different approaches)

3) Inhibitory control (how well someone can control their impulses)

Executive function is responsible for many different skills, including:

Paying attention
Organizing, planning, and prioritizing
Starting tasks and staying focused on them to completion
Understanding different points of view
Regulating emotions
Self-monitoring (keeping track of what you’re doing)

In other words, executive function is a very important part of how we operate on a daily basis.

The better prepared a student is for a tutoring session, the more effective the session will be.

Why Should You Care About Executive Functioning Skills?

Everyone uses executive functioning skills all the time— not just in classroom settings. This means deficits in executive functioning can impact every aspect of a student’s life, from the amount of sleep they get at night to how much they eat throughout the day, which can then impact energy levels, test scores, and ultimately, grades.

The sooner students start working on honing their executive functioning skills, the quicker they’ll find their schoolwork improves.

It can be helpful for the student & tutor to share a copy of the book if available.

What Can You Do to Improve Executive Functioning Skills?

A lot of skill-building to improve executive functioning involves good habit-forming. Habits can take a while to form, but it’s worth a bit of investment (and potential frustration) given the potential a few small changes can have on a student’s GPA.

For example, a student who can’t seem to start their homework before 9pm might make a commitment to starting an hour earlier on homework every night for two weeks. As a result, that student might find they get an hour more of sleep, which means they are not so groggy for class the following morning.

Another way to hone executive function skills is to practice breaking down longer-term projects into smaller more bite-sized chunks and taking on those chunks one step at a time.

What Does It Mean to Have Executive Function Disorder?

Some people work extremely hard to hone their executive function skills and still find they get nowhere. It may be that they have Executive Function Disorder, which can stem from a variety of causes, including brain development differences, genetics, and other learning challenges.

Often the kids and adults with EFD have an extremely hard time with organization, time management and scheduling. For people with EFD, it’s especially important to have a lot of scaffolding in place to support organization, such as folder & filing systems, calendars, reminders, and other helpful organizing tools. EFD goes beyond typical disorganization and can be an extreme obstacle for people who are diagnosed, especially when it comes to academics.

Executive Functioning Coaching

Tutor Corps provides expert coaches to support students struggling with executive functioning skills. The coaching includes helping students with habit-forming and providing systems & structures to set them up for success. If you would like to set up executive functioning support, please reach out at info@tutorcorps.com.

What are "Executive Functioning Skills" and Why Should You Care?