From Frazzled to Focused: Supporting Students With Executive Function Deficits

Executive functions are the skills needed to execute tasks such as planning, organizing, and problem solving. Deficits in executive functions impact all aspects of a student’s life including academic performance, social relationships, and daily living skills. When a teacher directly teaches her students how to develop executive function skills, she is providing them with a skill set that will benefit them in and outside the classroom. This article explains how to use behavioral principles to teach students higher-order executive function skills. Readers will learn how to identify, define, teach, and assess the specific skills their students need. Classroom examples and specific strategies are discussed.