Executive Function Coaching Goes Mainstream

The word is out that Executive Functioning (EF) underpins academic success. Students who can effectively plan, manage their time and resources, craft an environment conducive for work, and recruit help when needed will do better in school and will typically have better outcomes later in life.

Previously a specialized intervention for a small number of students with ADHD or autism spectrum disorders, EF coaching has experienced significant growth among a broad range of students and has effectively joined the mainstream. Educators now focus on developing EF skills as early as elementary school and integrate explicit EF instruction into their curriculum. 

Why the growing popularity? Several factors have fueled the rise of EF coaching:

1. Greater awareness of the how the brain works
2. The challenge of focusing in the age cell phones
3. Increasing academic stress 
4. Decreasing stigma of getting help
5. Student receptivity to coaching 
6. The rise of virtual coaching
7. Recognition that early investment pays long dividends

We now know why some students need unique support.

Today we have much more data on how the brains of students with ADHD and attentional challenges differ from those of neurotypical students. We can see differences in brain volume, activation patterns, dopaminergic pathways, functional connectivity to other brain regions, and delays in development for students with ADHD. We know that many well-intentioned kids are not being “lazy” but may have underlying biological bases of their attentional and motivational challenges. Providing these students some support while their brains catch up to their neurotypical peers is supported by our understanding of differential brain development.

Deep focus and attention is tougher in 2025.

We live in the age of distraction and fragmented attention. The dopamine-drip from our devices can pull many students away from their work, impacting sleep and academic outcomes. Many students need help learning how to better manage their work environments, inhibit distraction, and manage self-rewards and consequences.

As schedules are overstuffed, time management is paramount.

Many students today have too much on their plates. Expectations for academic rigor have increased, leading high school students to take more college-level classes with corresponding increases in homework and assignments. Further, the increasingly competitive nature of selective college admissions has pushed many students to stand out from the pack by taking on more activities. Sleep and mental health can suffer in this high-pressure environment. Some students need help learning how to optimize their schedules, become more strategic and efficient with their time, and reduce their commitments and workload when necessary. 

It’s okay to get help.

There has been a cultural shift in the perception of early interventions for students. More students are being diagnosed with learning differences and disabilities at an earlier age and are receiving accommodations and getting additional support. As parents have become better informed, they have become more open to seeking outside help for their kids. Students similarly seem more receptive to working with coaches and learning specialists to increase their skills and compensate for their specific learning challenges.

Students often attend differently to information from parents and outside coaches.

Adolescents have a powerful drive to individuate and separate from their parents, which can occasionally involve ignoring parental guidance. Many parents have attempted to impart Executive Function strategies, the ones which may have helped them achieve success in their own lives, to their children. Sometimes these gems are met with resistance or dismissal.  Students may be able to accept guidance from an EF coach, attending to information with far fewer filters. In many cases, having an EF coach provide support can actually remove a significant stressor from the parent-child relationship.

Technology facilitates EF coaching.

Students are now much more comfortable with instruction and coaching delivered electronically. This transition towards online coaching has allowed coaches to deliver tailored and targeted communications in online sessions that can be as short as 15 minutes. Students like the ability to check in quickly, review the tasks and immediate challenges, and then log off and dive right into their work. Without traffic or transition times, EF coaching has become much more efficient.

Teach a man to fish…

A good EF coach will impart skills to a student that will be durable and highly transferrable beyond the domain of academics. When students learn how to manage their time, start and complete projects, get help, and gain insights from their experiences, this will make them more successful today and well into the future. Parents see EF coaching as an opportunity to increase their child’s resources in the present moment and to help them have an easier time tomorrow.

Going Forward

Given the particular challenges of the present educational environment, students will need to develop robust executive function skills to thrive. Some students will develop these skills naturally and on time, while others will benefit from supplemental support. Explicit instruction works, and students can learn to develop these EF skills in a supportive environment. If your student could benefit from some support in this area, please don’t hesitate to reach out to determine if our Executive Function Coaching program is a good fit for your family.

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