Helping Your Middle-Schooler with Executive Functioning Challenges: 6 Practical Strategies

Middle school can be overwhelming for kids—especially those struggling with executive functioning skills like planning, organization, and flexible thinking. The good news? There are simple, practical ways to help your child navigate these challenges and feel more confident in school. Let’s dive into some common struggles and how you can support your middle-schooler effectively.

Ever noticed your child staring at a blank page, unable to start their book report? This isn’t just procrastination—it’s often difficulty with planning and organizing thoughts.

Try This:

• Use graphic organizers like mind maps or concept trees to help brainstorm ideas before writing.
• Encourage them to outline key points before they begin drafting.
• Set small, manageable writing goals—“Let’s just get the first sentence down!”—to ease them in.

Math homework turns into frustration when you suggest a different approach than the teacher’s? Kids with executive functioning challenges often struggle with flexible thinking.

Try This:

• Ask the teacher to provide multiple problem-solving methods.
• Teach your child to keep a “strategy notebook” with different ways to approach problems.
• Reinforce the teacher’s preferred method at home to avoid confusion.

Reading a whole chapter only to forget what it was about? That’s often a sign of weak working memory.

Try This:

• Encourage highlighting or underlining key points while reading.
• Have them jot down a quick summary after every few paragraphs.
• Use sticky notes to track main ideas and review them before moving on.

Your child makes the same math mistake on every problem—even after you pointed it out on the first one. This is a common struggle with self-monitoring.

Try This:

• Help them create a simple checklist to review before turning in work.
• Encourage them to say each step out loud while solving a problem.
• Teach them to compare their answers with examples in their notes or textbook.

Three big projects due next week, and they haven’t started? Prioritization and time estimation can be difficult for kids with executive functioning issues.

Try This:

• Break projects into smaller tasks with individual deadlines.
• Use a visual calendar to map out what needs to be done each day.
• Set up a reward system for completing steps on time to build positive habits.

Teachers say your child struggles with teamwork—maybe they dismiss others’ ideas or dominate conversations. Understanding different perspectives can be challenging.

Try This:

• Role-play group situations at home.
• Teach active listening skills—making eye contact, paraphrasing, and asking clarifying questions.
• Encourage the use of “I” statements, like “I see your point, but I feel this approach could work too.”

Middle school is a time of transition, and executive functioning challenges can make it even tougher. But with the right strategies—checklists, organization tools, and social coaching—you can help your child develop the skills they need to thrive.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Break tasks into smaller steps to avoid overwhelm.

✅ Introduce tools like checklists, calendars, and strategy notebooks.

✅ Encourage flexible thinking and social awareness through practice.

With a little patience and the right approach, your child can build confidence and success in school and beyond!

 

 

Coach Benjamin Mizrahi. Educator. Learning Specialist. Family Coach. Father. Husband. 

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