Executive Function (EF) refers to a set of skills required to complete the tasks one might encounter in one’s daily life, from simple chores to long-term projects. EF skills include the ability to plan for the future; prioritize and initiate tasks; manage time; organize space, possessions, and thoughts; stay focused; self-regulate emotions; and develop long-term memory. In other words, EF skills are associated with “adulting.”
In contrast, executive dysfunction refers to a disruption in a person’s ability to control their thoughts, actions, and feelings, which may interfere with such daily activities. Students who struggle with executive dysfunction may find themselves unable to regulate their emotions effectively in public, plan ahead for long-term tasks, or maintain organization.
How Does ADHD Impact Executive Functioning?
In a similar vein, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of behavioral disorders that include difficulty focusing, hyperactive behavior, and impulsive decision-making. While executive dysfunction is not a symptom of ADHD, those who are diagnosed with ADHD are more likely to experience executive dysfunction. (Of course, the Enrichery recommends seeking an official diagnosis from a doctor if you believe your child is experiencing symptoms of ADHD or executive dysfunction.) As such, the overlap between ADHD and executive dysfunction most commonly manifests in the following ways:
- Getting easily distracted from tasks,
- Struggling to organize, schedule, and plan events,
- Forgetting or showing up late to commitments, and
- Lacking motivation to complete activities.
Support for Executive Dysfunction
Due to the overlap between ADHD and executive dysfunction, targeting improvement in specific Executive Function skills can help students with ADHD succeed in their personal and academic lives alike.
The Enrichery offers Academic Coaching (AC) sessions to students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. While incorporating Executive Functioning skills into one-on-one sessions with your child, Enrichery Academic Coaches assist in schedule maintenance, student-teacher communication, homework completion, project planning, and exam preparation. Enrichery coaches are trained to assist students in the management of their daily lives, providing a guiding hand through a student’s academic, extracurricular, and personal obligations while also setting them up for independence and success in the future.
A typical Academic Coaching session at the Enrichery begins with a twenty-to-thirty-minute homework and grades check-in, during which the Academic Coach reminds their student of the goals they had set together at the beginning of the semester and discusses ways to achieve these aims in the current session. This is often followed by another twenty-to-thirty minutes during which the coach assists the student in updating their planner and calendar with upcoming academic, personal, and extracurricular events. Once a student’s upcoming week has been mapped out, a supervised homework completion period may follow. For students with ADHD and/or executive dysfunction, this type of guided planning can significantly ease the stress of everyday life.
Throughout our Academic Coaching sessions at the Enrichery, our Academic Coaches take note of students’ preferred learning methods and implement this awareness into future sessions; for example, a student might benefit from repeating instructions back to their Academic Coach to ensure full understanding, while another student may prefer blank paper and a pen to a computer for note-taking. Our trained Academic Coaches cater to your child’s individual goals and needs, helping them stay on track until the very end.
Contact us today to schedule your appointment!
