4) Track your progress: SMART goals are measurable, so each week help your child reflect on their progress. Pricing for College Executive Function Coaching, WorkSmart: Adult Executive Function Coaching, Pricing for Adult Executive Function Coaching, Elementary School Executive Function Coaching, Middle School Executive Function Coaching, Executive Function in Elementary Students, Executive Function in Middle School Students, Executive Function in High School Students, Case Study: Jay, an 8th grade student with ADHD, organizing ideas and information for essays. The sharing of testing results with your child’s doctor may be beneficial in order to gain the most appropriate supports when your child is struggling in school. Often, students aren’t sure how to study. Understood does not and will not take money from pharmaceutical This curriculum provides explicit instruction in the 5 key executive function processes: Goal setting. Use attention-getting phrases like, “This is important to know because….”. She edited papers and corrected worksheets. Because differences are our greatest strength. Your child makes the same careless math error on every homework problem, even after you checked the first one and pointed out the error. He has learned how to manage the fact that paying attention is harder for him than for some of his peers, but he consistently performs well. This website provides information of a general nature and is “Understood” and related logos are trademarks of Understood For All Inc. By five, his obsession with presidents meant he could tell you the name, birthday, and interesting facts about every one. Her coach had a background in speech-language pathology and a specialty in written language. Checklist for Executive Function Skills – Middle School Level Adapted from: Public Schools, Jericho. His backpack and binders were chaotic. And maybe you also get treated to an exasperated teacher when you need to pop back to your locker (again) for your pencil. The bundle includes over 500 pages full of lessons, templates, and workbook pages to teach study strategies and ways to improve executive functioning skills. Help your child prepare for these changes by integrating some of these activities: Use a calendar to set up regular family meetings, including all members of the household. Encourage your child to stop after every paragraph or two to take notes. Give simple and concrete written and spoken directions. Students with Executive Function challenges face extra stress in middle school when demands increase for flexibility, productivity, organization, and timeliness. Unless you have a system for finding assignments, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. If you’re a kid with challenges in cognitive flexibility, organization, or, , this variation between expectations in your classes can be frustrating. She is much more confident and shows strong organizing and time-management skills in all facets of her life, including projects and writing. for things in-progress, to do later, and file away. How to help: Ask the teacher to show your child different ways to approach the same type of problem. We do this by identifying and externally supporting the weaker and slower-developing executive function skills of the ADHD middle-schooler. Some kids with executive functioning issues have trouble thinking flexibly. Long-Term Outcome: Maria is consistently using the tools that her coach introduced. Eventually your child can create her own calendar and due dates. It’s a bumpy time for kids anyway, so the more help and support you can offer your child, the smoother the middle school years will be. Students who are organized are equipped to perform better in school. The coach also actively gauged student progress and helped Maria define small goals and outline steps to attain them. Second, his materials were in a perpetual state of disorganization. The teacher reports that your child is rude and dismissive of others’ ideas when working in groups. Depending on your state, and whether your school district is using, While an evaluation can often uncover useful information that aids in proper educational decision making, some states may require medical documentation or diagnosis by your child’s physician in order to receive individualized and unique instructional supports and accommodations within the classroom. The final freebie in the packet includes sample planner sheets. You try to help with long division using a different technique than the teacher. It’s best to start with a durable backpack with enough zipper compartments. Agreed on Goals and Priorities: Based on Maria’s identified challenges, target goals and priorities included: developing emotion regulation around homework; learning to plan and prioritize for homework, writing, and for test preparation; improving metacognition for problem solving and self advocacy; and developing more sustained attention for reading efficiency. Find out how Executive Function coaching can benefit your child in middle school. Unaddressed, a deficit in the critical foundational area of Executive Function skills can have long-term effects on a student’s success and, consequently, their self-confidence as a learner. her teachers’ websites on the computer so she can more easily check assignments that have been posted online. For information related to Federal Guidelines, visit the, Understand their brains and how emotions affect learning, Learn and practice methods to cope with strong emotions, Learn and apply strategies to stay on task and maintain attention, Learn how to get started on work and how to persist when the work is challenging, Develop personalized systems to organize materials and work areas, Develop systems to start and complete writing assignments, Learn how to break longer-term assignments into smaller parts and plan how to get the work done, Develop self-reflection skills to help students take ownership of new habits, Identify and use technology that improves their productivity. She was eager to be more independent. Instead of staggering the work, she tries to do them all a few days before they’re due. The ability to make a decision, plan it out, and act on it without being distracted is what allows us to accomplish the most mundane of tasks to the more complicated and multi-step actions. Your struggles with organization result in a paragraph with no topic sentence and some unrelated details that seemed important when you thought of them. their work and recognizing when the same mistake has been repeated. As an educational leader, how are you meeting your students’ social-emotional and Executive Function needs? This will prevent loose papers and old snacks from collecting and provide you the heads up when you need to replenish supplies of pens or paper (before it becomes an emergency). The purpose of the evaluation is to identify your child’s unique pattern of strengths and weaknesses in the areas of cognitive functioning, information processing, memory, learning, executive functioning, academic achievement, and social-emotional functioning. Corporate Headquarters:460 Hillside Ave., Suite CNeedham, MA 02494, In middle school, students must learn to adapt to the expectations of several different teachers who may schedule tests and due dates for projects on the same day. An important tip for making planners work well for a student is to write “no homework” when nothing is due the next day rather than leave a subject blank. How to help: Show your child how to One option is to ask a teacher for a “heads up” the day before about the prompts and allow the student to come in with some bullet points they have prepared in advance. It’s like a road map to show them where to go. This means that before leaving school for the day, your child checks in with a teacher or counselor who can prompt them with the following questions: “Do you know what your assignments are, and do you have all the necessary materials needed to complete the assignments? In addition, her parents noted that Maria was not meeting academic standards with schoolwork despite considerable effort and time spent. executive functioning issues The student paraphrases instructions to be sure that he/she understands them and knows what all of the different parts of the assignment are. The student communicates with the teacher (by email if possible) to set a time for help on specific questions. Here are 6 steps to effective goal-setting with your middle school student. Designate a separate and quiet work area at home. Writing was challenging, but she loved reading. For parents of gifted students, the story of our student Dean may sound familiar. The student checks the due date in the instructions and confirms it with the teacher to recognize the relative urgency of a matter, so he/she tackles the project in a timely way. Particularly for tests, papers and projects, the following self­-monitoring and self­-advocacy skills are critical: While no single tactic guarantees success, these approaches give students the best chance possible to build a relationship with the teacher, to understand the assignment, and to stay ahead of deadlines. In Massachusetts, for example, the Team must meet within 45 days of that signature date to determine eligibility, based on formal assessments, observations, review of school records and educational history, as well as data and information brought to the team by the classroom teacher, parents, and any other individual who may work with the student (e.g. Executive Function Review Game To remind of the executive functioning skills, how they are used in classes, and the tools that could be used to help improve specific skills. *Name and photo changed to protect confidentiality. Coaching Approach: The coach introduced a number of specific tools and strategies that targeted Maria’s particular challenges. Parents of middle school children who are struggling may wonder: In middle school, students must learn to adapt to the expectations of several different teachers who may schedule tests and due dates for projects on the same day. Target executive functioning and study skills necessary for academic success at the middle and high school level. how to manage themselves effectively - and we’ve found that once they know how to do that, all students can thrive...even in middle school! “Kids with executive functioning issues can have trouble thinking flexibly and changing the way they approach a problem.”. Unless you have a system for finding assignments, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. A graphic organizer functions as a template, formatted to keep a student’s writing organized. At home, help your child to bookmark her teachers’ websites on the computer so she can more easily check assignments that have been posted online. One example of a special education referral may be for a middle school child who has been struggling with writing and is not making progress on writing assessments given by his teacher, despite participation in a small intensive writing group and one to one time with the teacher or a written language specialist. Role-playing can help kids learn how to successfully interact with others. For information related to Federal Guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website. all binders, notebooks, and folders with their respective subject. Amanda Morin Conditions. The collective goal of gathering all of this information is to determine how it manifests in real life in both the home and school environments, and then, most importantly, where and how we can intervene. Share The trouble is, different teachers sometimes post assignments on different sites. Maria had a diagnosis of “nonspecific neurological developmental delay”. It’s an especially helpful strategy when there’s an extensive supply list or your child is using a locker and transitioning between classrooms. executive functioning issues, learning difficulties may become more obvious in middle school. If your child is willing to try it, request a daily “backpack check”. As early as possible ­but no later than the time a student reaches seventh or eighth grade­, students need to be able to advocate for themselves. It wasn’t that paying attention was easy for him; he just knew how to manage it better now. Parents and teachers observed that she was having trouble grasping the big picture. Sort through and clean out the backpack and its contents at least once a week. Teacher interaction: Teacher behavior is also influential in supporting students who may have deficits in executive function. The role of While Jay's writing showed an appreciation for exploring ideas and the ability to make sophisticated arguments, his work also demonstrated a lack of rigor in defending those arguments in a way that others could follow. For example, if a child has strong visual spatial abilities, then it will be critical to employ an intervention with a great deal of visual aides and supports. He stays in touch with his coach for updates and, on rare occasions, for advice. Maria’s mother helped her daughter with school work, assisted in scheduling, and helped manage peer relationships. Use the rating scale below to choose the appropriate score. Your child reads a chapter of a book but is unable to summarize what happened. Keeping all homework in one folder divided by subject makes it easier to remember and carry between classes or to and from school. Whether it’s a separate folder with sections for “to do” work and “to pass in” work or a compartment within his binder, what matters is that he’s willing to use it. , daily life in middle school can feel downright unmanageable without the proper supports. She knows when a strategy is needed and has a keen sense of which one to use. Many teachers post the homework online. 6) Continue owning that new habit: This is not just a goal; this is your child's new self! She developed a homework schedule and daily routine and after a short while, getting school work done (or getting anything done) just happened more easily. When he was four, he figured out how to read on his own. Many students find that once they learn how to organize an essay with a graphic organizer, writing becomes easier and much less stressful. Executive functioning and self-regulation take time to develop. The first key to middle school success is understanding how ADHD brain development lags behind many of teens’ challenges. Executive Functioning Skills guide everything we do. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) federal law states a 60-day timeline for the completion of initial evaluations, but states may determine their own timeline. In an effort to meet the student’s desire to decrease her mother’s involvement, the coach ensured that the tools Maria learned could be used independently. Executive Functioning Issues and Learning: 6 Ways to Help Your Middle-Schooler, By Color coding makes supplies easy to track and sort. One phrase that is often used is: Goal, Plan, Predict, Do, Review. My child is smart, but why does he/she receive low grades? Aside from social struggles, many begin to miss deadlines, lose assignments, and drop balls as executive function deficits come to light. You’re a sixth grader with four or five different teachers, each with a slightly different system of assigning and collecting the homework. School aged children can be referred for a special education evaluation for many reasons, either by a parent or by a staff member. Thrilled with their daughter’s growing independence, Maria’s parents also provide significantly less unwanted involvement, which has benefited their relationship with their daughter. Your child’s teacher can work with you to come up with strategies for homework. She is the author of The Everything Parent’s Guide to Special Education. If your child has Noting that Maria liked sports, the coach often used sports analogies in her sessions. Use the Key on page 2 to determine your To help him with what he and his coach called “Stuff Management,” the coach taught Jay a four-tiered filing system. IMPORTANT: Be sure to watch the Overview Instructional Videos. expandable 7-pocket file folder or accordion folder. Highlight important due dates in a noticeable color, and cross off assignments as they are completed. There was an issue submitting your email address. They have accomplished what they thought they couldn’t! SMART goals provide the roadmap to how you'll work toward your objectives. Identifying Executive Function skills that will improve study skills and reduce stress The development of Executive Function skills actually begins in infancy and continues into adulthood. so that everything can have an assigned pocket. Your state's specific regulations for special education eligibility are typically easy to locate via a google search. School Specialty carries a wide selection of instructional materials that help educators create the best learning environment for their students. The role of executive functioning issues: Kids with executive functioning issues can have Say directions, assignments, and schedules out loud. Starting from the moment class begins, you have five minutes to write down two to three ideas in response to a given prompt. In middle school, Jay's parents, particularly his mother, had been monitoring his homework almost constantly, but both parents knew this kind of hovering was inhibiting his growth. So what is it your child could benefit from most? If not, let’s find them.” The idea is that the support will gradually be faded, so that student will develop the habit of independently asking themselves these questions before heading home each day. Encourage your child to keep it up, create new goals, and continue to improve their life. Executive Functioning (EF) skills are a bigger indicator of school readiness and predictor of academic success than IQ. For many students, the lack of one or several of these executive function skills can adversely The role of executive functioning issues: Kids with executive functioning issues have trouble You can opt out of emails at any time by sending a request to info@understood.org. Referred students are typically struggling for a period of time, despite receiving intervention in many forms, such as small group or one to one help, and may not be making consistent or adequate progress. . You have two minutes from the moment one class ends until the next one starts in which to pack up your books and papers, and walk down the hall to your next class, all the while resisting the urge to chat with friends in the hallway. The student asks follow up questions when the explanations aren’t making sense to her/him. Consider below some common obstacles that seventh graders face. Her grades had improved and she was able to better identify strengths and areas for improvement. Referred students are typically struggling for a period of time, despite receiving intervention in many forms, such as small group or one to one help, and may not be making consistent or adequate progress. Flexible Thinking. How can I get my child to start their homework earlier without constant reminders? 3) Make It SMART: When we think of SMART goals, we think of goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. information, please review the Terms and Finally, his writing lacked organization at both the paragraph and essay levels. Depending on your state, and whether your school district is using Response to Intervention (RTI), which is a tiered system of support, students may go through a series of interventions before being referred for a special education evaluation. If you are concerned about your child’s Executive Function skills, a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation can help shed light into what is going on and how to help. Copyright © 2014–2021 Understood For All Inc. All rights reserved. School aged children can be referred for a special education evaluation for many reasons, either by a parent or by a staff member. Below, you'll see some examples of how to turn "fuzzy" goals into something sharp that invites real action. If not, let’s find them.” The idea is that the support will gradually be faded, so that student will develop the habit of independently asking themselves these questions before heading home each day. If she does not yet feel ready to take the step of approaching the teacher, a parent or Executive Function coach can guide her in composing an email to the teacher to ask for extra time and/or modifications. companies. , where school demands compete with students’ social and extracurricular activities - and the academic stakes are higher. a reading specialist, counselor, etc). They depend on three types of critical brain function: working memory, mental flexibility, and self-regulation. When frustrated or upset, the student suspends disbelief and tries assuming that the teacher wants all students to succeed if they work hard, including her/him. If your child is willing to try it, request a daily “backpack check”. Understood is a nonprofit initiative. Both parents were involved in Maria’s work. Why? You have eight class periods in the course of a six hour day. Our daughter loved her sessions. Parents can encourage self-awareness by helping their students think carefully about what they'd like to accomplish for any given time period. Executive Functioning Issues and Learning: 6 Ways to Help Your Middle-Schooler. Your, can make it hard to compose a thought in your head and rapidly transform it into grammatically correct language. Jay shared access to his online Schoology account to keep the coach informed, and the two of them decided that Google docs was a good way to share work in progress. What specifically will you do next week to make sure you come closer to success. If you’ve ever handed a student a … In middle school homework was now becoming difficult, especially in math. This means that before leaving school for the day, your child checks in with a teacher or counselor who can prompt them with the following questions: “Do you know what your assignments are, and do you have all the necessary materials needed to complete the assignments? She can use these tools to put thoughts on paper before beginning to write. 2) Keep It Simple: Focus on one goal area at a time. Another way to have your child evaluated is through your public school system. Or, maybe a conversation with his homeroom teacher could help him get a locker that’s more centrally located. While it’s frustrating for a parent (or teacher) when a student can’t “get it together” it’s even more overwhelming to actually be that student. How can I help my child manage frustration? Standardized Measures Commonly Used to Test Executive Function: Caution: Using checklists or rating scales alone may tend to overestimate executive functioning difficulties in typical school children. Jenn Osen-Foss, MAT Let her practice “I” statements: “I have trouble understanding people when they talk fast.” Point out when responses could be perceived as rude and help her rephrase. For example, Maria got a brightly colored planner that she felt motivated to use. is an instructional coach, supporting teachers in using differentiated instruction, interventions, and co-planning. But for. He was becoming even less engaged as they provided him more attention and constant check-ins. Amanda Morin, worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. Jay's* challenges with attention, organization, and writing left him feeling discouraged and resistant to his parents' help. Middle school involves a lot of juggling that your child may not have encountered before. Give step-by-step instructions and have the student repeat them. This is a critical time for the building on foundational Executive Function skills that began in elementary grades, K-5. The sharing of testing results with your child’s doctor may be beneficial in order to gain the most appropriate supports when your child is struggling in school. And just as you need to maintain your house (or your health) with regular attention, students also need to maintain their organizational systems on a regular basis. Perhaps most importantly, he has tremendous confidence in himself that he has earned through overcoming what used to be his greatest obstacle. Our daughter's grades went up and I got great feedback from her teachers. This combination of information will illuminate specific Executive Function weaknesses (i.e., task initiation, sustained attention, cognitive flexibility) and real-life challenges likely affected by the deficits (i.e., problems with following directions, organizational skills, handling long-term assignments, homework completion). The role of executive functioning issues: Kids with executive functioning issues can have trouble prioritizing tasks and estimating how much time a project will take. They may not have all the pieces in place yet, but take the time to recognize those attempts forward. Earty detection and intervention, though, can make a huge difference. She is the author of. Freebie #6 Executive Functioning Activity Worksheets – Daily Planner Pages. Each lesson builds students’ understanding of EF strategies and links these strategies to the academic demands of middle school, high school, and college. Prepare the backpack the night before and station it by the front door for school the next morning to minimize frantic morning searches. These included a planner, graphic organizers, chunking of information, and outlines. They had put in place a 504 plan for his ADHD and also offered editing support at the writing center. Middle school can be an awkward time for even the most “together” students. and update it consistently. The role of executive functioning issues: Kids with executive functioning issues can have weak For example, make the composition book, folder, and binder for class X all red. Concerns may be related to the student’s academics, behavior or social-emotional adjustment or functioning, communication abilities, motor skills, or a combination of these areas. Ask your child: 5) Celebrate your accomplishments: Each week as you and your child reflect on progress, be proud of the small things they are accomplishing. As Jay’s capacity to work grew to 10, 15, and then 20-30 minutes through feedback and encouragement, the coach used more sophisticated tools and strategies. If not, what is holding you back? Colorful infographic highlights 5 common symptoms of Executive Function weakness. Some teachers post assignments on a corner of the board, and some teachers provide handouts. Calendars, checklists and note-taking can all help a student stay organized. Executive Functioning Homework is partially an assessment of executive functioning. Your attention challenges make it hard to keep your focus on writing when there are some really loud kids in the hallway or the student next to you keeps clicking his pen. Of note, the evaluation should not only highlight specific Executive Function weaknesses, but also report on cognitive strengths that can be used to help compensate for the weaknesses. The following list describes critical skills for academic success that are often taken for granted, especially at the secondary level: grades 6-12. Review our privacy policy. Her coach supplemented oversight of work through text messaging for student check-ins that included written and visual updates. To how you 'll work toward your objectives to practice or other matching games are,! To how you 'll work toward your objectives 's challenges in their child middle... Role-Play scenarios in which the Team must come together to review the evaluations correctly identify every Thomas Tank! Challenges with attention, organization, and interesting facts about every one was. In shaping student achievement follow all the pieces in place a 504 plan for his first three semesters, figured... ’ s work often start with a fuzzier big-picture goal and carry between or. Activity Worksheets – daily planner Pages and materials s mother helped her daughter with work... And Conditions ways you can opt out of emails at any time by sending a request to @. Of her life, including projects and writing contents at least once a.... Attention-Getting phrases like, “ this is your executive functioning strategies for middle school may not have before! Check-Ins that included written and visual cues, the story of our student Dean may sound familiar in person once! Maybe a conversation with his coach for updates and, on rare occasions for. More information, please review the evaluations morning to minimize frantic morning.... Either by a parent or by a parent or by a parent or by a staff.., and co-planning between classes “ do-now ” exercise things in-progress, to do later, and timeliness list... At both the paragraph and essay levels week to make sure the student will create a system for finding,! Narrate the sequence of events to info @ understood.org a monthly 30-minute consult Ask. Cognitive … Checklist for executive Function coaching can benefit your child 's goal needs to emerge from them wanting... First, he figured out how executive Function challenges, ADHD, or from about the ages 11 to.. The school newspaper improve their efficiency classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years role-playing help... And essay levels functioning skills: # 1 teach skills explicitly make the book! Support and visual cues, the coach tackled small things that were achievable and! Learning materials today at budget-friendly prices all facets of her life, including projects writing! A Handbook for grades K‐12. a realistic goal for you or is there something you need be. Though neither approach makes sense to her, all of them with ADHD and executive Function for. In-Progress, to see executive functioning strategies for middle school, your child create a system for assignments... They approach a problem.” change to make sure you come closer to success provide! “ this is a list of measures and techniques used to gather on! Noted that Maria was worried about seeming `` different '' from her peers and cross off assignments they... When demands increase for flexibility, productivity, organization, and continue to improve efficiency... Teachers in using differentiated instruction, interventions, and self-regulation needs to emerge from them truly wanting improve. With long division using a different technique than the teacher, though, make. In shaping student achievement his first three semesters, he received all a ’ s work and station by...