Along with math and English, executive functioning rounds out the most impactful 20% of learning. Organizing, planning, task management, and prioritizing—you can think of executive functioning as the tools your child needs to get things done. Here are a few tips for helping your child with executive functioning:

Keep a daily routine

Elementary school children should be reading and writing for at least an hour each, every day. For the majority of elementary level students, the key to reading and writing development is time on task. Consistency is key. It’s also important to make sure your child’s reading material is at the right level. Too easy and the student won’t progress. Too hard and you can turn your child off to reading.

Make it visual.

Make sure your child is reading at least 30 minutes a day. Consider making it a family event, where at the end of each session, each family member takes a couple of minutes to share what they are reading while other family members ask questions. We also recommend setting aside time for weekly writing prompts based on your child's interests. Encourage creativity as well as spelling and good grammar.

Move targets closer.

When working on executive functioning, make sure to start with easily achievable goals and pick your battles. Don’t start out with a long, intimidating to-do list. Instead, start off with a simpler list and focus on being consistent. Develop the habit of consistent success and build from there.

Learning from home doesn’t have to be plagued with missed opportunities, stress, and failure. With the tips outlined above, it can actually be an opportunity for many students to develop skills that may have been skipped over during in-school classes.