As a classroom teacher or parent, it can be difficult to fit in practice with executive functioning skills along with all the other skills that your neurodivergent teen or young adult is currently working on. Yet without also prioritizing executive functioning skills like time management, organization, and problem-solving, your teen is likely to hit barriers. Embedding executive functioning skills practice into your teen’s daily routines and classroom activities can make a big difference in unlocking their academic and professional success.
Ready to find out more?
Let’s jump into our “how to” guide to boosting academic success with embedded EF skills.
Click here to jump to the TL;DR summary.
Why Embed Executive Functioning Skills into Classroom Routines?
Note: This article assumes that you’re already familiar with the basics of executive functioning skills. If you’re new to EF skills, we recommend that you open a new browser window and take a few minutes to read through our article: What is Executive Functioning? And view our Executive Functioning 101 Resource Hub. Then meet us back here!
What if we could not only accomplish all the academic skills required in the classroom–at the same time as we were teaching the real-life skills our teens need to thrive as young adults? That’s precisely what happens when we embed executive functioning skills into the daily rhythm of the classroom and at home.
Parents and teachers can create an environment that not only supports academic growth but also nurtures independence. For students facing academic challenges or those with unique learning needs, research from the Harvard Center on the Developing Child shows improving EF skills can have the following benefits:
- Improvements in academic performance and juggling a variety of academic demands.
- Better social interactions with peers at school, and others at home and in the workplace.
- Making positive choices regarding health, nutrition, and exercise.
- Reductions in interfering and disruptive behaviors in the classroom, showing better emotional and impulse control. (For more on this, see our article: Understanding The EF Ripple Effect)
Incorporating executive functioning into the routine enhances students’ abilities to grasp and retain information, manage their time effectively, and engage more actively in the learning process. When done well, the integration of these skills becomes a cornerstone in fostering a supportive and inclusive educational setting where every student can thrive academically and develop essential life skills for future success.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Embedding Executive Functioning Skills
So, how do you get started embedding executive functioning skills into your teen’s daily routines? What are the ways you can incorporate practice into the classroom, extracurricular activities, or your morning/evening routines at home?
Step 1: Identify Target Skills.
The first step in embedding EF skills into routines is pinpointing the specific executive functioning skills your teen or young adult may need to foster. Start by identifying strengths, considering the EF skills that your learner already does well or activities where they’re most successful. Then, assess the unique needs of your learner, including academic challenges, individual learning needs, or behavioral challenges.
We recommend our free .pdf downloadable Executive Functioning Assessment Workbook to get started. This tool has easy-to-use questionnaires that help you identify which skills are most important to embed into your learner’s routines.
Step 2: Identify The Routines.
As we work through this process with clients, we sometimes discover that there aren’t well-established routines in place at home or in the classroom. Once you’ve determined which skills you plan to work on, the next step is to sketch out the routines. Depending on your learner’s needs, sketching can be done for a segment of the day (e.g., Homeroom, Morning Routine, Tutoring Session), for an entire day, or your learner’s whole week.
Step 3: Research Key Strategies.
Using the skill and routine information you have gathered, now comes the most difficult part–identifying the strategies and supports that you plan to embed. This can be done with a simple web search like “how to teach organization skills to my teen” or by consulting materials like The Real Life Executive Functioning Workbook.
Some common strategies we see used in the classroom to boost EF skills:
- Post daily schedules or have teens create their daily schedules.
- Using visuals to teach organization, problem-solving and mind mapping
- Give mini-deadlines on larger projects to teach students to break bigger tasks into smaller parts.
- Require teens to use a planner or time management app
- Engage students in goal setting and self-monitoring of their own behavior
- Spend time in self-reflection, helping teens look back on how they did or didn’t use good time management, planning, problem-solving, etc., and what they might do differently next time.
In addition to these, there are many websites like Life Skills Advocate’s Executive Functioning 101 Resource Hub and Teachers Pay Teachers, that offer easy to use, free materials for embedding EF Skills.
Step 4: Write Measurable Goals (and Plan for Data!)
There’s no point in getting started with EF skills in the classroom unless you have a way of knowing if what you’re doing is helping. That’s why we recommend writing a clear goal before you begin and creating a way to measure if your learner is meeting that goal.
We work hard with parents and their neurodivergent teens on writing SMART goals. We also work hard with teachers and coaches on writing IEP goals that focus on the outcomes of executive functioning skills.
Regardless, you’ll want a way to measure progress and evaluate if the changes to routine are helping.
Step 5: Get Started.
We commonly hear from teachers and parents that embedding EF skills into classroom routines is difficult–and when we ask what’s been tried, we hear, “I just didn’t know where to start.”
The key to any good intervention is not only to make a plan but also to get started. Determine the length of time you’re going to try the new embedded activities. Commit to this time and use the data collection tools along the way. For many neurodivergent teens, it takes multiple learning opportunities before concepts like executive functioning are learned and maintained. All the more reason to get started.
Step 6: Reflect and Revise.
As you continue with embedding learning opportunities for your teen, it’s important to stop at regular intervals and reflect on what’s working and revise what’s not working. Ask for feedback from your student or child. What do they believe is working well? What do they still find difficult? Have they learned a skill and are ready to move on to something new or more challenging? Successful interventions always have milestones to mark progress and make revisions along the way.
Tips for Success & Common Mistakes
Embedding executive functioning skills into daily routines can be a transformative process, but it’s not without its pitfalls. Common mistakes often arise from a lack of understanding or implementation challenges. Below is a list of common mistakes to avoid:
- Setting Unrealistic Expectations: Setting goals that are too ambitious or expecting immediate results sets your learner up for failure.
- One-Size-Fits-All Approach: Neglecting the unique needs and learning styles of each teen or young adult. Each of us has our own strengths and challenges when it comes to executive functioning. While some strategies can be universally helpful, a tailored approach is best.
- Lack of Communication: When you start making changes to classroom or home routines, it can cause inadvertent changes in other environments, too. Insufficient coordination between parents and teachers can lead to inconsistent implementation, confusion, or even behavioral challenges if not everyone is on the same page when routines are changed.
- Overlooking Positive Reinforcement: Underestimating the power of positive feedback and rewards in reinforcing desired behaviors can be a big barrier to progress. Know what motivates your teen or young adult before you begin teaching something new.
Being mindful of these potential pitfalls allows you, as a parent or teacher, to navigate the process of embedding executive functioning skills more effectively, fostering a supportive environment for the growth and success of your learner.
Conclusion
Embedding executive functioning skills can be a game-changing strategy for parents and teachers. As we’ve explored the intricacies of integrating these skills into daily routines, it’s evident that the benefits extend far beyond academics. By fostering executive functioning skills in neurodivergent teens and young adults, we can enhance their academic performance and nurture essential life skills crucial for their success as young adults.
Remember, the key lies in making a plan and taking that crucial first step.
Embark on this journey with your teen or young adult, measure progress, and be ready to adapt. Avoid common pitfalls, celebrate achievements, and create an inclusive environment where learners can thrive academically and beyond.
TL;DR – (Too Long, Didn’t Read)
Embedding executive functioning skills into the daily routines of neurodivergent teens and young adults is a transformative strategy for parents and teachers.
This guide provides a step-by-step process, from identifying target skills to incorporating effective strategies into routines.
The benefits extend beyond academic success, positively impacting social interactions, health choices, and emotional control.
The article covers common pitfalls when embedding EF skills into classroom routines, like setting unrealistic expectations and using a one-size-fits-all approach.
Positive reinforcement and consistent communication between parents and teachers are crucial.
The key is to start, measure progress, and adapt, creating an inclusive environment where every learner can thrive academically and develop essential life skills.
Further Reading
- Center on the Developing Child (2012). Executive Function (InBrief). Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu.
- Chris Hanson – What is Executive Functioning?
- Chris Hanson – Understanding The EF Ripple Effect
- Life Skills Advocate – Executive Functioning Assessment
- Life Skills Advocate – Executive Functioning 101 Resource Hub
- Teachers Pay Teachers