The term “executive functioning” has become a common buzzword in schools and psychology offices. This is more than just a passing fad. Find out what executive function is, and what specific abilities are covered under the umbrella term of executive functioning.
Children use executive function to plan, organize, strategize, pay attention, manage details, and schedule themselves. Read this fact sheet from the National Center for Children with Learning Disabilities for helpful strategies.
Experts say there are ways to improve problems with organizational skills. Mental health professionals, educators, and others use the term ‘executive function’ when talking about ways that people exercise self-control and the skills we need to organize our lives.
Children with executive functioning difficulties are often given to impulsive actions that can be challenging in social and classroom situations. Here are some strategies to help a child manage these behaviors.
How can you help the child who does his homework, but then forgets to turn it in? Learn to help children with executive functioning problems plan and organize by reading these strategies.
Physical impulsiveness — such as grabbing things, pushing and shoving others, hitting, etc. — can cause problems for a child with executive functioning difficulties. Review these strategies to help a child manage physical impulsiveness.
Students’ emotional responses to challenging situations can influence their concentration, perseverance, application of learned skills, and interactions with others. Even with safe and supportive classroom environments, students often have difficulty because they lack the communication skills to address challenging situations.
Executive functions are the cognitive skills that help us manage our lives and be successful. Children with weak executive skills, despite their best intentions, often do their homework but forget to turn it in, wait until the last minute to start a project, lose things, or have a room that looks like a dump! The good news is that parents can do a lot to support and train their children to manage these frustrating and stressful weaknesses.
