How Academic Coaching Can Help Improve Executive Skills Online

According to a recent study, it was discovered that those who received coaching and mentoring saw a 10% to 15% increase in retention rates in education. Are you finding it difficult to keep up with the ever-changing educational landscape?

As a parent or caregiver, academic coaching could help. In this article, we look at all the ways academic tutoring can boost your learning. We’ll go into the numerous academic coaching benefits of investing in coaching services.

Students of all ages are about to improve their executive functioning skills online. Our team of experts provides an evidence-based curriculum. This helps boost critical thinking, time management, and problem-solving skills. We offer personalized tutoring services which can be tailored according to individual needs and learning styles.

Find out how we can help make sure that your son or daughter succeeds both inside and outside the classroom! Read this helpful guide on the benefits of academic coaching services.

What Is Academic Coaching?

Academic Coaching is a type of one-on-one instruction. It focuses on supporting students in realizing their potential. It helps them achieve their academic goals, and make the most of their educational opportunities.

It is designed to provide personalized guidance and support to students. Through exploring study habits, setting achievable goals, and clarifying learning objectives students succeed. It also helps to develop self-advocacy skills and provides resources for further development.

It seeks to provide students with the tools necessary to become independent learners. They are more about successfully managing their academic journey.

What Is Executive Functioning Skills Training?

Executive functioning skills training differs from regular coaching. This type of training is an evidence-based approach to improving cognitive skills. These are essential for independent learning and daily living.

This type of training focuses on improving the ability to plan, organize, and prioritize. It also helps them self-monitor and regulate behavior, among other skills.

Executive functioning skills for students involve breaking down complex tasks into smaller parts. It helps them to set goals and teaches problem-solving strategies. This allows students to be more independent and successful in their academic careers.

Executive functioning skills training is built on an evidence-based executive functioning curriculum. It’s based on neuroscience research. It’s proven to be an effective way to help children and adults improve their abilities to think clearly. It helps them to remain organized to achieve success.

ADHD and Executive Functions?

Children developing their executive functions with ADHD may face more challenges than ever before. Many of the core symptoms associated with ADHD put them at a disadvantage. This includes difficulty focusing, managing emotions, and remembering tasks. This has a direct impact on their academic performance.

Executive functioning skills for ADHD children help them to overcome these obstacles. It provides them with strategies and tools that can improve their cognitive skills. It helps reduce impulsivity and improve overall self-confidence.

What are Executive Functions?

Children with ADHD often struggle with eight key executive functions. These are summarised below.

1. Impulse Control

This involves taking the time to weigh the pros and cons of any action before making a decision. The discourages reacting impulsively or without thought.

For children with ADHD, this may manifest itself in different situations. One could be blurting out something inappropriate at an inappropriate time.

Developing impulse control can have a positive impact on overall behavior. It also helps with decision-making skills for a child with ADHD.

2. Emotional Control

Regulating emotions can be particularly difficult for children with ADHD. In children and, teens their emotions are still maturing. This may manifest itself in reactions such as overreacting to a “no” or taking too long to come back from criticism in academic settings.

Executive training can support children with ADHD by providing strategies. These encourage positive behavior and self-regulation. This includes engaging in activities that improve focus and concentration. It helps the student practice delay of gratification and provides positive reinforcement.

3. Flexible Thinking

Unsurprisingly, children with ADHD may struggle with this due to the tendency to fixate on one thought or idea. They frequently create rigid thinking patterns. They do this instead of allowing for easy transitions to different topics.

This can lead to frustration when presented with a new challenge or topic requiring a shift in perspective. Executive education gives students the tools they need. It works by modeling flexible thinking. Coaching provides an environment that encourages problem-solving and creative thinking.

With practice, children with ADHD can learn how to effectively apply flexible thinking skills in their day-to-day lives.

4. Working Memory

Neurotypical people typically have working memories with a capacity of up to 10 pieces of information. People and children with ADHD may only be able to remember 3 pieces at once.

This could cause difficulty in scenarios such as following a verbal list of 5 tasks. A child with working memory issues may struggle to remember the last few when their peers do not.

Executive academic coaching resources allow students to develop strategies that improve working memory. This includes mnemonic techniques and visualization exercises.

5. Self-Monitoring and Self-Regulation

Children with ADHD may struggle with the following structure. What existed in the classroom environment may be challenging to replicate studying remotely.

They may have difficulty evaluating their work and progress. This could lead to incomplete assignments and unexpected poor results. Executive skills training provides an interactive and structured learning experience at home.

It gives feedback on tasks that were completed to ensure students understand how they are progressing.

6. Planning and Prioritizing Tasks

This often manifests itself as a tendency to procrastinate. Students may find it difficult to organize tasks and plan out their time. To aid in this tasks are structured by breaking down larger tasks into smaller steps.

Coaches help by setting clear expectations and providing progress updates. By creating these processes that are tailored to the individual student’s needs, children with ADHD can learn how to set and reach their own goals.

7. Task Initiation

Students with ADHD may find it difficult to prioritize and start tasks. This can lead to a feeling of paralysis and eventually cause them to give up on the task completely.

This can have serious repercussions for their academic success. With proper coaching, students are encouraged to create a structure. This is based on constant reinforcement. Students are given progress rewards and moral support when needed.

8. Organization

Organization can be challenging, both mentally and physically. This may result in a messy backpack, objects that are consistently misplaced, or difficulty keeping track of tasks.

To help address this issue, parents and students are given tools to help provide structure. These create systems that make it easier to stay organized. This includes setting up a designated space for items like phones or books. It can also include breaking down large tasks into smaller steps.

Distance Learning and ADHD

Distance learning can be especially challenging for children with executive dysfunction. This is because it requires more self-motivation and independence than traditional schooling.

These students may struggle to stay focused in an environment with fewer external cues. This makes it more difficult to complete tasks independently.

To help them succeed, parents and teachers should provide structure. Do this by setting expectations and breaking down large goals into smaller achievable steps. Additionally, providing frequent feedback and encouragement. Rewards will also help reinforce good habits needed to complete tasks on their own.

Improving Executive Functioning Skills Online

For parents of children with ADHD, creating a learning environment that works for their child can be a challenge.

Schools are often not designed to cater to the particular needs of those with ADHD. This makes distance learning particularly problematic. To help your child succeed online, providers and teachers should create an organized schedule. This should break down tasks into achievable steps. Have a system to provide frequent feedback and reinforcement.

Additionally, use executive functioning software programs and apps tailored to help children with ADHD. These can provide valuable tools for organization, planning, and goal setting.

Remember to always use these tools in combination with doctor-recommended therapy and medication for best results.

Using Apps

Apps are a great way to provide structure and help with executive functioning skills. To-do list apps, reminder apps, and calendar apps can be used to help track assignments and due dates.

Organizational apps aid in time management and staying on task. Examples of these types of apps include:

  • Evernote
  • Todoist
  • Trello
  • Goalbook Toolkit
  • Bear
  • iHomework 2

To help with feeling overwhelmed, you might also find meditation and mindfulness apps useful. These can help improve focus and concentration over time as they are used regularly.

Create Structure

Children who struggle with executive functions may not be able to self-structure their study plan.

An external source of structure can help guide them.

Creating a schedule that includes blocks of time set aside for each class and an alarm system can help make sure they are getting the most out of their online learning experience. It’s important to create a consistent study routine and stick to it.

Try blocking time out like this:

  • Monday Morning: Complete Science lesson and homework
  • Monday Afternoon: Complete the English lesson and exercises
  • Tuesday Morning: Complete the Math lesson and quiz
  • Tuesday Afternoon: Complete Reading exercises and physical activity

Blocking out time to complete specific tasks gives your child structure. An organizer with tasks and deadlines accompanied by plenty of reminders can help them keep track of what needs to be done.

To make organization easier, use a system such as these:

  • Color coding
  • Using shapes or symbols
  • Wall calendars
  • Organiser folders
  • Visual cues

Use Push Notifications

Push notifications can be a great help for children with ADHD who need an external source of structure to stay organized and on track.
They provide reminders of upcoming deadlines, so your student won’t fall behind. Lots of apps have this function built in.

Having their phone or laptop close by helps ensure they don’t miss any notifications. If you’re not sure how to set up push notifications, reach out to the IT support at your child’s school.

Encourage Play and Interaction

Playing can be a great way to help students with ADHD learn better online. Besides improving executive functioning skills, such as planning, organization, and time management. Unstructured play and sports can also foster positive peer interactions and build social skills.

Play can also help students with ADHD learn how to cope with failure. Failure is an inevitable part of learning and growing, but it can be difficult for students to handle their own mistakes. By encouraging them to accept their errors as a way of gaining knowledge, they will become more comfortable in their learning environment and build resilience.

Does Executive Academic Coaching Online Work?

Yes!

Academic coaching online can be a great way to help children with ADHD learn and grow. Working closely with an experienced coach one-on-one allows them to develop new strategies for success in both school and life.

What’s more, academic coaching is convenient and flexible, so it can fit into your family’s busy schedule.

How Academic Coaching Improves Executive Functioning for Students

Academic coaches can be a great help for students with ADHD who are struggling with executive functioning skills.

Coaches work one-on-one to develop personalized strategies and techniques that promote academic success. They can also provide support and guidance, creating an environment of understanding where mistakes can be accepted and used as learning opportunities.

Through this method, students gain the skills necessary to succeed in school. Here are some of the benefits:

  • Boost in grade levels
  • Ability to manage time more efficiently
  • More confidence in learning new material
  • Classroom anxiety is reduced
  • Enhanced structure

Looking for Executive Academic Coaching?

Academic coaching is a great way to help students with ADHD build executive functioning skills and achieve academic success. Not only does it provide them with structure, but it also teaches them how to manage their time and gives them the confidence to succeed.

With an experienced coach by their side, children can develop personalized strategies for success in both school and life. This will stay with them as they continue growing and developing. If you’re looking for ways to support your student’s learning journey online, consider reaching out to an academic coach at Peak Academic Coaching today!

Get Started Today

To learn more about the programs offered by Peak Academic Coaching, visit our Academic Coaching and Executive Functioning Skills Coach pages. We also specialize in academic coaching for students with ADHD.

Call us at
(800) 710-5242