Executive function (EF) skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus our attention, remember instructions, stay organized, and successfully manage our time. These skills are crucial for student success, but many children with ADHD, learning differences, and co-existing conditions lag behind in EF.

We will provide educators with the tools they need to teach these skills through an academic lens. Integrating these strategies in a classroom helps all students, those with and without ADHD and co-existing conditions.

In this webinar, you will learn how to:

• Implement clear classroom expectations and routines
• Set up learning management system portals to decrease student questions and limit confusion
• Manage and follow student accommodations (504 Plans and IEPs)
• Incorporate movement in your classroom to improve focus—while avoiding chaos
• Teach students how to advocate for themselves through role play

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Executive Function Skills for Students: More Resources

• Self-Test: Could Your Child Have an Executive Function Deficit?
• Read: A Classroom Exercise That Teaches Self-Advocacy and Celebrates Differences
• Get: The Ultimate Executive Function Guide
• Read: The Misconceptions That Stifle Students with ADHD

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on February 22, 2024, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Brandon Slade is the founder and CEO of Untapped Learning, an executive function coaching organization. Slade was diagnosed with ADHD at an early age, but it wasn’t until college that he fully recognized his brain did not work like those of his neurotypical peers. Since then, Slade’s goal has been to better understand the ADHD brain. After teaching special education for 12 years, he started Untapped Learning. Untapped’s mission is to help students with executive function challenges to develop the skills they need to succeed academically and beyond.

Listener Testimonials

“Amazing! My boys’ school sent out info on this webinar. It was my first exposure to ADDitude, and I am so impressed! Great practical info! And wonderful encouragement, as a parent and homeschooling mom.”

“Absolutely outstanding! You are truly a gifted educator! Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge.”

“This was an excellent webinar. The suggestions were clear and concise. So often I find that other webinars out there do not give practical, real-life, implementable advice. This was different and I’m ecstatic to try these with my son (and even myself). Thank you!”

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Recommended by teachers, loved by students: Time Timer® visual timers display the passage of time with a disappearing colored disk. These powerful tools have been recommended by educators and ADHD experts for over 30 years and are research-proven to help all ages focus – in the classroom and at home. www.timetimer.com 

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Hi TiredinTennessee:

Your daughter’s ADHD may be significantly impacting her decision-making skills in several ways.

First, ADHD often makes it challenging to filter and organize information effectively. This can lead to difficulties in weighing options and making decisions. She may experience decision paralysis if she struggles to prioritize or sequence tasks or choices or because of the sheer volume of information and possibilities.

The executive function challenges inherent in ADHD, such as difficulties in planning, organizing, and managing time, also play a significant role in decision-making overwhelm, as many individuals find it tough to break down complex decisions into smaller, more manageable steps. The constant bombardment of distractions and difficulties maintaining sustained attention may prevent individuals from gathering the necessary information to make reasonable decisions.

ADHD can heighten emotional reactivity and sensitivity to stimuli. In decision-making scenarios, heightened emotions can cloud judgment, making it harder for teens to assess options rationally. This emotional intensity can add another layer of overwhelm to the decision-making process.

[Take This Test: Could Your Child Have an Executive Function Disorder?]

Impulsivity, a hallmark of ADHD, can also play a pivotal role. You may not see it, but your daughter might rush into decisions without fully considering the consequences. This could lead to added stress, decision fatigue, or regret as she faces the repercussions of her impromptu choices.

So, what can you do to help?

Indecisive Child: Solutions

1. Limit Choices

I can’t stress this enough. Offering a wide array of options may seem to be liberating or give your daughter agency, but for kids with ADHD, too many choices can induce decision paralysis. Instead, narrow down choices to a manageable few. For example, two or three options for dinner, two stores to visit, and two television shows to watch, rather than an assortment of possibilities.

2. Establish Routines and Structure

Setting times for certain activities, such as homework, chores, or even specific places for items to go, can reduce the number of decisions needed throughout the day.

3. Break Tasks into Smaller Steps

Big tasks can cause decision fatigue. Help your daughter break large tasks into small, more manageable steps. This approach makes it easier to focus on one step at a time, reducing the burden of how to tackle the whole task simultaneously.

4. Offer Time Limits

This is one of my favorites. Sometimes, setting deadlines for decision-making can be beneficial. Encourage your daughter to make decisions within a specific timeframe. This prevents overthinking and minimizes the stress associated with prolonged indecision.

[Get This Free Download: The Eisenhower Matrix for Prioritization]

5. Use Decision Guides

These really work! You create the frameworks or guides for the everyday choices your daughter faces. For example, if she can’t decide what to wear, create a guide based on weather, activity, or comfort.

6. Move the Decision Making

If shopping in a brick-and-mortar store is too overwhelming, order items to be tried on at home. If your pantry is overflowing with snacks, create one drawer or shelf in your kitchen that belongs solely to your daughter. This practice should help calm her sensory overload and allow her to stay in the moment to decide.

And I saved the best for last.

7. Write Down Past Decisions

I practice this strategy with my students, and I used to do this for my son when he was younger. Here’s how and why it works.

When I can gently remind or show a past decision my students have made that went well for them, it’s easier for them to make a similar decision. For example, for my son, I would write down the scenario at the end of the day, including a description of the situation, his decision, and its outcome (especially if it went in his favor). If a similar scenario appeared a few weeks later, I would show him what I wrote, pointing out the similarities and the decision that worked, and asked if he “Would you consider making the same one now?”

And here’s some food for thought: The only way to get better at something is to practice it. So try to avoid making decisions for your daughter because it may be easier or faster. My favorite “line” to say to my children or students is, “The choice is all yours. And I have all the confidence in the world you’ll make a great one.”

Good luck!

Indecisive Child with ADHD: Next Steps

• Read: Defeating Indecision — Decision-Making Made Easy!
• Q&A: “How Do I Help My Teen Make Better Decisions?”
• Download: Organizing Strategies for Children with ADHD

ADHD Family Coach Leslie Josel, of Order Out of Chaos, will answer questions from ADDitude readers about everything from paper clutter to disaster-zone bedrooms and from mastering to-do lists to arriving on time every time.

Submit your questions to the ADHD Family Coach here!

by William Dodson, M.D., LF-APA

“Most people, clinicians included, have only a vague understanding of what ADHD means. They assume it equates to hyperactivity and poor focus, mostly in children. But when we step back and ask, What does everyone with ADHD have in common, that people without ADHD don’t experience? a different set of symptoms take shape. From this perspective, three defining features of ADHD emerge: an interest-based nervous system, emotional hyperarousal, and rejection sensitivity.”

• Continue reading 3 Defining Features of ADHD That Everyone Overlooks

2. 5 Overlooked Signs of ADHD – the Inattentive Type

by Sharon Saline, Psy.D.

“People with inattentive ADHD are not lazy, stupid, unwilling, or oppositional. They are creative, outside-the-box thinkers whose minds stray from uninteresting tasks. They have a biologically based challenge with attending to an uninteresting task, maintaining their focus, and sticking with it until finished. All too often, their brains tire more quickly.”

• Continue reading 5 Overlooked Signs of ADHD – the Inattentive Type

3. The 5 Things Every Doctor (and Parent) Should Know About Girls and ADHD

by Ellen Littman, Ph.D.

“The tendency of girls with ADHD to mask their inattentive traits and internalize their feelings make their symptoms harder to recognize. As a result, they are often diagnosed later in life, after comorbidities have begun to interfere with healthy behaviors, when unhealthy coping skills start to undermine their sense of self. When in treatment, girls tend to censor themselves. They hesitate to articulate their feelings to a doctor without encouragement. They may respond to questions by saying ‘fine,’ when what they mean is ‘there’s no way I’m telling you these pills aren’t working.’”

• Continue reading 5 Things Every Doctor (and Parent) Should Know about Girls and ADHD

4. Intention Deficit Disorder: Why ADHD Minds Struggle to Meet Goals with Action

by Russell Barkley, Ph.D.

“Think of ADHD as a performance disorder. People with ADHD know what they need to do, but they struggle – greatly, at times – to transform intention into action, whether that’s preparing for a test or finalizing an important project at work. It’s an issue directly tied to the executive function difficulties inherent in ADHD. And yet, this very real challenge of ADHD is often mistaken for laziness and lack of motivation, which many breed low self-esteem and even depression.”

• Continue reading Intention Deficit Disorder

5. Carrots vs. Sticks: The Science of Reward and Punishment for Children with ADHD

by Gail Tripp, Ph.D.

“Science suggests that children with ADHD differ from their neurotypical peers in their responses to positive reinforcement and punishment. The central differences: Children with ADHD are not effectively motivated by promises (of privileges to be earned or lost); and positive reinforcement is particularly powerful, but also ephemeral, in ADHD brains. In most scenarios, positive reinforcement is a more effective motivator than is punishment, which may carry serious long-term consequences if the child’s emotion regulation skills are weak.”

• Continue reading The Science of Reward and Punishment for Children with ADHD

6. How Can We Improve Outcomes for College Students with ADHD?

by Kevin Antshel, Ph.D.; Anne Stevens, Ph.D.; Michael Meinzer, Ph.D.; and Will Canu, Ph.D.

“The population of college students with ADHD has increased substantially in the past 20 years — from roughly 2 percent of the student body to about 11.6 percent. ADHD in college is also associated with a range of challenges. According to clinical psychologist Arthur Anastopoulos, college freshmen with ADHD encounter a ‘perfect storm’ of increased interpersonal and cognitive demands alongside decreased parental involvement and support, all with lingering executive function challenges and symptoms of inattention and impulsivity/hyperactivity.”

• Continue reading How Can We Improve Outcomes for College Students with ADHD?

7. ADHD Minds Are Trapped in Now (& Other Time-Management Truths)

by Ari Tuckman, Psy.D.

“Life brings a constant barrage of stimuli competing for our attention and goals needing our efforts. It is hard to disconnect from the distractions and temptations of the moment to create the space where we can mull over our options and make the best decision. Individuals with ADHD are more absorbed than others by what is happening now. It’s harder to create that space to give the future its due until the future becomes the present and the scramble begins.”

• Continue reading ADHD Minds Are Trapped in Now

8. Face It — People with ADHD Are Wired Differently

by Oren Mason, M.D., Tamara Rosier, Ph.D.

“For decades, we weren’t sure how ADHD brains worked, and this led to many misunderstandings about the syndrome. Many doctors, therapists, social workers, and coaches tried to teach children with ADHD to slow down using the self-control methods that neurotypical children use. ‘Take a deep breath and press the following buttons on your activity thermostat’ makes sense if the wiring is standard, but not if the wires are connected differently, as they are in children and adults with ADHD. The most current research on brain imaging is starting to let us trace the wiring, so we can untangle the misconceptions that experts, as well as those with ADHD, have about the disorder and the brain.”

• Continue reading Face It — People with ADHD Are Wired Differently.

9. Don’t Mistake Your Child’s ADHD Symptoms for Bad Behavior

by James M. Greenblatt, M.D.

“Bottom line: Your child is not a bad child. You are not a bad parent. Nobody is to blame for ADHD. Therefore, assigning blame for your child’s bad behavior — and trying to correct it with criticism — is useless. But how do you stop yourself from being ‘overly critical?’ How do you show your child respect rather than subjecting him to a barrage of negativity? How do you change your behavior to help your child’s behavior? The strategy I’ve used with many parents is called SAIL.”

• Continue reading Don’t Mistake Your Child’s ADHD Symptoms for Bad Behavior

10. How Autism in Women Is Different: Unique ASD Symptoms, Risks

by Theresa Regan, Ph.D.

“A woman with autism may show a larger range of emotion in her face and voice. She might be able to adopt social standards fairly well but find it exhausting and stressful. The drama of female peer relationships can feel really overwhelming and not enjoyable. Autism in women can also present with an eating disorder. In fact, research shows that around 23% of females with eating disorders are on the autism spectrum.”

• Continue reading How Autism in Women Is Different

11. Fight, Flight, Freeze … or Fib?

by Monica Hassall, R.N., and Barbara Hunter, M.Ed.

“Faced with a threat, the human brain must react in a split second; deciding how to best protect itself. This is widely referred to as the ‘Fight, flight or freeze’ response.Today, psychologists are beginning to observe and document a fourth ‘F’ that manifests in times of real or perceived danger for children, adolescents, and even adults with ADHD: ‘fib.’ Often, a ‘fib’ or ‘fabrication’ does allow an individual to escape from fear, embarrassment, judgment, guilt, or shame — at least for the time being.”

• Continue reading Fight, Flight, Freeze … or Fib?

12. New Insights Into Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

by William Dodson, M.D., LF-APA

“Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is one of the most common and disruptive manifestations of emotional dysregulation — an under-researched and oft-misunderstood symptom of ADHD, particularly in adults. Dysphoria is the Greek word meaning unbearable; its use emphasizes the severe physical and emotional pain suffered by people with RSD when they encounter real or perceived rejection, criticism, or teasing. The emotional intensity of RSD is described by my patients as a wound. The response is well beyond all proportion to the nature of the event that triggered it.”

• Continue reading New Insights Into Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

13. Why the ADHD Brain Chooses the Less Important Task — and How CBT Improves Prioritization Skills

by J. Russell Ramsay, Ph.D.

“A combination of ‘procrastinate’ and ‘activity,’ the term ‘procrastivity’ aptly describes a tussle common among adults with ADHD who are always busy but never seem to make headway on life’s important goals. At its root is an implementation problem: the individual knows what they need to do, but they won’t or can’t do it, so they keep occupied with more palatable but less critical tasks.”

• Continue reading Why the ADHD Brain Chooses the Less Important Task

14. The Social Executive Function Skills That Elude Kids with ADHD

by Ryan Wexelblatt, LCSW

“Dominating conversations. Not showing interest in others. Telling cringey jokes. Struggling in unstructured social situations. Children and teens with ADHD know these social struggles and misunderstandings too well. Navigating social interactions requires various mental processes, or executive function skills. Deficits and delays in these skills – which I refer to as social executive function skills – are common in ADHD, and they explain many of our kids’ problems in the social realm.”

• Continue reading The Social Executive Function Skills That Elude Kids with ADHD

15. ADHD and Eating Disorders: Research, Diagnosis & Treatment Guidelines

by Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D.

“Numerous studies show that individuals with ADHD are at three to six times greater risk for developing eating disorders compared to non-ADHD individuals. In a study of patients being treated for bulimia, a quarter of subjects had ADHD. What’s more, eating disorders appear to grow in severity alongside ADHD symptoms. Several factors – biological, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional – may explain why ADHD predisposes individuals to eating disorders and challenges. Understanding these factors is essential when devising an appropriate and effective treatment plan.”

• Continue reading ADHD and Eating Disorders: Research, Diagnosis & Treatment Guidelines

16. 7 Surprising Ways ADHD Shows Up in the Classroom

by Mark Bertin, M.D.

“A student who doesn’t seem to have a learning disability isn’t progressing in reading. A student seems to be disliked by her peers, is socially isolated, and eats alone. A teacher gives a two-minute warning to the class that independent reading time is about to end, and a student does not stop reading. These are all less-recognized ways ADHD symptoms show up at school — and here are productive ways to address each one.”

• Continue reading 7 Surprising Ways ADHD Shows Up in the Classroom

17. The Dyslexia-ADHD Overlap: Why Evaluators Confuse the Conditions

by Cheryl Chase, Ph.D.

“Considerable overlap exists between dyslexia and ADHD – from reading challenges to heritability – and both conditions frequently co-occur. ADHD and dyslexia are both linked to problems in school and with learning, but for different reasons. Ultimately, these overlapping traits complicate evaluations for ADHD and dyslexia, especially when both conditions are present. A thorough evaluation that carefully considers each symptom cluster is critical to receive appropriate support.”

• Continue reading The Dyslexia-ADHD Overlap: Why Evaluators Confuse the Conditions

18. ADHD Needs a Better Name. We Have One.

by Edward Hallowell, M.D., and John Ratey, M.D.

“ADHD is an inaccurate — and potentially corrosive — name. The term ‘deficit disorder’ places ADHD in the realm of pathology, or disease. Individuals with ADHD do not have a disease, nor do they have a deficit of attention; in fact, what they have is an abundance of attention. The challenge is controlling it. Therefore, we argue that a more accurate descriptive term is needed — and we have it.”

• Continue reading ADHD Needs a Better Name. We Have One

19. ADHD and Trauma: Untangling Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

by Kerry J. Heckman, LICSW

“Imagine the intricate complexities of a spider’s web — one thread attaches to dozens of others; pull just one silky strand and the entire web collapses. Living with ADHD and trauma can feel similar — the symptoms are so intertwined a single tug may cause the whole thing to cave in.”

• Continue reading ADHD and Trauma: Untangling Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

20. The Educator’s Guide to Executive Functions: How to Understand and Support Students in Need

by Karen Hubert, M.Ed., and Maureen Bechard, M.S.

“Executive functioning refers to the mental processes that allow us to concentrate, plan, organize, complete tasks, and more. They often unlock — or preclude — success in the classroom. Executive dysfunction is ubiquitous in children with ADHD, which helps to explain why so many students with attention deficit are reprimanded for forgotten homework, disorganized projects, running out of time on tests, and more. But students with ADHD aren’t the only ones who struggle with EF skills. Educators should teach executive functioning language to all classroom learners, not just those who show deficits. When educators assist students with identifying their executive functioning strengths and areas of need, they also teach them how to advocate for their own needs in the classroom and beyond.”

• Continue reading The Educator’s Guide to Executive Functions

21. Secrets of Your ADHD Brain

by William Dodson, M.D., LF-APA

“Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a confusing, contradictory, inconsistent, and frustrating condition. My work for the last decade suggests that we have been missing something important about the fundamental nature of the ADHD brain — the feature that everyone with ADHD has, and that neurotypical people don’t have. That feature is the ADHD nervous system, a unique and special creation that regulates attention and emotions in different ways than the nervous system in those without the condition.”

• Continue reading Secrets of Your ADHD Brain

22. The Damaging Effects of Cannabis on the ADHD Brain

by Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D.

“The risk of developing cannabis use disorder (CUD), a problematic pattern of cannabis use linked to clinically significant impairment, is twice as high in people with ADHD. Contrary to popular belief, individuals can be mentally and chemically dependent on and addicted to cannabis. Contemporary marijuana has concentrations of THC higher than historically reported, which exacerbates this. What’s more, the adverse effects of cannabis are especially amplified in people with ADHD.”

• Continue reading The Damaging Effects of Cannabis on the ADHD Brain

23. Everything You Never Knew About the ADHD Brain

by Alison Kravit, Psy.D.

“The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the intersection through which attention, behavior, judgment, and emotional responses run (I think of them as cars). A person with ADHD will likely react to whatever is in his focus at that moment — in other words, the faster car. For people with ADHD, the PFC is unregulated; there are no traffic lights or stop signs controlling which message (car) gets through first. You could be the smartest, most motivated student ever, but if the teacher says ‘This species of dog…’ and your thought switches to ‘I wonder what my dog is doing right now?’ you get distracted.”

• Continue reading Everything You Never Knew About the ADHD Brain.

24. What Is Auditory Processing Disorder? Symptoms, Comorbidities, and Exercises

by Beverley Holden Johns

“Auditory processing disorder (APD) throws a child’s ears and brain out of sync. This misalignment can cause a range of challenges – struggles with auditory discrimination, with listening in noisy environments, with remembering what you’ve heard, and with recalling the sequence of words spoken. APD may cause communication difficulties, but it does not show up in traditional auditory tests for hearing loss. It is a misunderstood and largely overlooked condition that may appear in 3% to 5% of all children.”

• Continue reading What Is Auditory Processing Disorder?

25. The ADHD Medication Stopped Working! How to Troubleshoot Treatment

by Thomas E. Brown, Ph.D.

“Studies show that ADHD medication safely and effectively improves communication between neurons in the ADHD brain. Amphetamine has been around since 1937, and methylphenidate since 1956. There are more research studies done on these types of medicines than on any other medicine you will ever take. Most of the work of ADHD prescribers involves adjusting the titration, especially in the early weeks. In the process, we hear these questions most frequently from patients.”

• Continue reading The ADHD Medication Stopped Working!

Honorable Mention: What is Sensory Processing Sensitivity? Traits, Insights, and ADHD Links

by Bianca Acevedo, Ph.D.

“Recent research suggests that there may be three groups of sensitive people. About 40 percent of people fall into a moderately sensitive group (tulips). Low-sensitive individuals (dandelions) make up about 30 percent of individuals, and highly-sensitive individuals (orchids) make up another 30 percent. Some markers of highly sensitive people include needing privacy from stimulation, being easily overwhelmed by bright lights, strong smells, loud noises, clothing materials, and other stimuli, being affected by other people’s moods and feeling overwhelmed when asked to do too many things at one time.”

• Continue reading What is Sensory Processing Sensitivity?

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

“Executive function” is used frequently when explaining ADHD, but do you really know what this term means? Do you understand how ADHD fundamentally affects executive functions? Let’s start by getting clear on what executive functions are, what they aren’t, and which approaches are not considered executive functioning strategies.

The better you understand how executive functions operate, the better you will be able to design strategies that will help you get things done more reliably. A lot of this involves externalizing executive functions — creating better work environments, making important tasks or items stand out, pre-emptively reducing distractions, delegating certain tasks to better tools, making consequences quicker and more certain, and staying motivated by focusing on an effective process.

In this webinar, you will learn about:

• A more useful and sophisticated way of thinking about executive functions
• Why ADHD makes it harder to consistently convert intentions into actions
• The treatments and interventions that improve executive functions — and those that don’t
• How to tweak your environment, choose the right tools, set up the right blockers, consider consequences, and hold onto a resilient mindset

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the  symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Audacy; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

More on Executive Functions and ADHD

• Download: Is It Executive Function Disorder?
• Read: 7 Deficits Tied to ADHD
• Read: ADHD Minds Are Trapped in Now (& Other Time Management Truths)

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on November 9, 2023, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Ari Tuckman, Psy.D., MBA, is a psychologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. He is the author of More Attention, Less Deficit, and Understand Your Brain, Get More Done. (#CommissionsEarned) Dr. Tuckman also has a podcast about ADHD that has over six hundred episodes and more than 2 million downloads and speaks about succeeding with ADHD at CHADD each year. He is a former vice president of ADDA and practices in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where he works with adults and adolescents with attention challenges.

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Listener Testimonials

“Very different from other EF webinars. I learned a lot. Thank you!”

“Dr. Tuckman is always great!! Loved today’s webinar.”

“I thought the notion of making the process enjoyable was a fresh and very useful take.”

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is….

Inflow is the #1 app to help you manage your ADHD. Developed by leading clinicians, Inflow is a science-based self-help program based on the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy. Join Inflow today to better understand & manage your ADHD.

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

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These milestones are characteristic of neurotypical brains, but what about students with ADHD and learning differences? According to a survey conducted by ADDitude, most educators have at least one neurodivergent learner in their classroom. For these children, simple tasks like waiting to speak and turning in homework on time are often encumbered by executive function delays.

The educators in our ADDitude community recommend getting to know each student individually and having on hand a mixed bag of executive function supports that can meet the learning demands of a neurodiverse classroom. Read on for educator-recommended ways to develop independence among all students.

Executive Function Teaching Strategies

“I do not allow my students to be dependent on me. I use the phrase ‘three before me’ meaning they must go to three students to help them answer the question or solve the issue before asking me.”

“For my impulsive students who can’t help but speak out of turn or interrupt, I have given them Blurt Beans. They start the day off with five and each time they forget to raise their hand, a bean is taken away.”

[Free Class: The ADHD Learning Series for Educators]

“Read your students and their moods on a daily basis. Some days will be more productive than others; be flexible and willing to adapt the work. Lessons you had planned may need to be delivered differently. Offering additional resources can enhance the learning experience. It’s all about knowing your students.”

“Empowering each student to tell me what works for them and what does not has been most impactful over more than 10 years of teaching high schoolers. Too often, teachers try to dictate specific strategies that students must use to help them stay organized. Yet when a savvy student tries an approach and fails, they need to feel it’s okay to try something new.”

“Provide a high level of support with the goal of transferring some of the responsibility to the child gradually. It’s just like scaffolding a lesson — I do, we do, you do — but over a longer period of time when teaching executive function skills.”

“We have a lesson every two weeks on how to implement strategies like note taking, setting alarms, and using executive function apps.”

[Read: Text-to-Speech (and Speech-to-Text) Tools to Address Reading and Writing Challenges]

“I let students that can work more independently do so and ask them to aid their peers along the way. Teaching helps them learn better and develop positive socialization skills. I also don’t dismiss their feelings. I try to talk through and validate their emotions before we discuss solutions. Students need to be seen, heard, and taught how to manage their feelings in a positive way.”

“When they are stuck, my students write down the steps to completing the task. Then, I have them circle the step that they see as the most difficult and break it down into three further steps (even if it seems silly). I sometimes have them rate the perceived difficulty of the task from 1 to 5 before and after they complete it. This gives them a strategy that they can use on their own to increase self-confidence and follow through on tasks.”

“The particular mix of strategies and approaches depends on the individual learner and their context. In terms of increasing independence, I provide solid building blocks and frameworks, and then gradually reduce my active management as I hand responsibility over to the learner. It is important to move out of the ‘ringmaster’ role and become the ‘safety net.’ I keep detailed records of progress so that I can show the learner, and their parents and teachers, just how far they’ve come.”

“Students need a chance to practice new skills with room to make mistakes in a supportive environment. This has been one of the most valuable takeaways from our dual enrollment partnership with Landmark College.”

“The AVID program has proven to be helpful for a lot of students who struggle with executive functioning skills. There are homework checks, tutorials, focused note-taking sessions, and other tasks incorporated into the program. Most students in the AVID program at our school will have the same teacher for all four years of high school. This generally leads to stronger relationships among the student, parent, and teacher.”

“For my own daughter, I often ask her how long she thinks an assignment or task will take. If she has no idea, I still have her guess. She’s slowly getting better at her time estimates.”

“Give them ownership of their progress. Give them ownership of their data. If they graph their progress, it’s easier to identify growth and celebrate it. It’s also easier to identify what’s not working and make adjustments… Progress monitoring data is easily available.”

“Trying to make those students team leaders seems to help in my class. It allows them to see that sometimes leading is not all it’s cracked up to be. Usually, they do a really good job… Sometimes, inadvertently, other teachers don’t allow students to be as independent as they should be which can stunt their growth.”

How to Teach Executive Functions: Next Steps

• Download: Common Executive Function Challenges — and Solutions
• Read: “I Know! I Know!” Self-Control Solutions for Kids Who Blurt Out
• Read: Attention-Grabbing Teaching Techniques for Distracted Students

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

We asked a panel of veteran teachers to share teaching strategies and classroom accommodations that had made a real difference in the lives of real students with ADHD and learning differences. Here are some of their favorites:

ADHD Accommodations That Work

• Offer movement breaks.
• Allow quiet fidgeting while working.
• Provide noise-canceling headphones.
• Reduce homework load.
• Provide extra time on tests.
• Maintain a daily report card.
• Use preferential seating.
• Administer tests orally.
• Provide an extra set of books for use at home.
• Tap student on shoulder or use another cue to refocus.

[Download: Free Expert Resource for Teachers of Students with ADHD]

Teaching Strategies for More Engaging Instruction

• Focus on strengths. (An artistic student can draw pictures to summarize book chapters.)
• Start every class with a few minutes of mindfulness.
• Use a step-by-step format with visually matching cues.
• Break tasks into small, quickly achievable goals.
• Divide the class into small groups and use a buddy system.
• Create opportunities for students to self-correct their work to feel more motivated and in control.
• Help a student start a task, then move away and check in frequently.
• Give real-world examples to illustrate why the lesson matters.
• Use a daily check-in and check-out procedure for middle and high school students.
• Use their interests as a launching pad for learning skills.

Teaching Strategies to Boost Executive Function

• Use timers and visual aids to plan and get organized.
• Encourage self-directed goal-setting.
• Lead the class in developing collaborative solutions to a problem to increase awareness and flexibility.
• Identify students’ strengths and incorporate their successes into leadership opportunities.
• Reduce pressure and anxiety. Emphasize a growth mindset.
• Praise students for finding and correcting their own mistakes.
• Administer the executive skills test in the book Smart but Scattered and share ways to compensate for their deficits.
• Cultivate a child’s self-confidence.

[Download: The ADHD Learning Series for Educators]

Teaching Strategies to Improve Behavior & Emotional Regulation

• Give immediate rewards and consequences for behavior.
• After an emotional trigger, encourage self-reflection when students are calm.
• Help students brainstorm different ways to respond to a difficult situation next time.
• Incorporate physical challenges into brain-break times.
• Stay calm with your body language and words.
• Give a five-minute break to chat and snack.
• Lead the class in a quick burst of exercise to refocus their attention before starting the next task.
• Use checklists and constant communication to share a student’s victories with their family.
• Practice mindfulness strategies, from meditation to deep breathing, to build a bit of calm.
• Offer rewards (unstructured time, being a teacher’s helper) for working a specific amount of time.

Teaching Strategies for ADHD: Next Steps

• Read: Positive Teaching Strategies to Uplift Students with ADHD
• Read: 7 Surprising Ways ADHD Shows Up in the Classroom
• Read: 27 Classroom Accommodations That Target Common ADHD Challenges

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Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

When impairments impede learning, I suggest these novel memorization techniques:

1. Harnessing scents makes sense. The sense of smell is an incredibly powerful, and under-utilized, tool to aid memory recall. Stimulating the olfactory nerve produces dopamine, which the ADHD brain craves. So, when a student uses an apple-scented smencil (a scented pencil) to write the definition of “obstinate,” the association between the word and the smell will be stored in memory to be tapped later.

[Free Download: 10 Working Memory Exercises for Children with ADHD]

2. Get physical. It’s well known that physical activity improves students’ cognitive functioning.¹ Exercise also stimulates dopamine, in addition to other neurohormones, which motivates students with ADHD.

3. Keep a journal. Creating a to-do list in a small notebook, kept within arm’s reach, is one of the most effective working memory aids — a place to easily record tasks, thoughts, and ideas as they come up. Another helpful idea: Post sticky notes on bathroom mirrors as reminders.

4. Rhyme in time. When words are set to music and made to rhyme, they stick in your memory as if cemented there. Give students a catchy tune to help them memorize Spanish vocabulary, multiplication facts, the 50 states, and more. If a song doesn’t fit, try making an acronym out of the information, like this one: WIDMA. When in Doubt, Make Acronyms.

5. Organize with color. Color-coding information and materials aids organization and enhances memory performance. You can use color to separate information by subject: green for math, yellow for science, and so on.

[Read: Remembering to Remember — Easing the Working-Memory Strain on Students]

Bonus! More Tips to Boost Executive Functions

• For emotional control: Flash pass
  This academic accommodation allows an overwhelmed student to leave the classroom for five minutes, no explanation or excuses needed.
• For organization: Bathroom mirror sticky notes
  Stick reminders on the bathroom mirror and take great satisfaction in crumpling up each note as you accomplish it.
• For time management: Homework playlists
  Pair the dopamine-stimulating effect of music with the organizational benefits of a timer by setting up a 30-minute playlist for homework. When the music stops, the student takes a break. Play from a Bluetooth speaker, with the phone stashed away, to limit distraction.

Memorization Techniques: Next Steps

• Free Download: 20 Learning Strategies Designed for Students with ADHD
• Read: 15 Memory Exercises for Forgetful Kids
• Read: How to Sharpen Executive Functions — Activities to Hone Brain Skills

Kristin Seymour, MSN, R.N., AHCNS-BC, is a clinical nurse specialist at the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center in St. Louis.

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Sources

¹ Michael, S. L., Merlo, C. L., Basch, C. E., Wentzel, K. R., & Wechsler, H. (2015). Critical connections: health and academics. The Journal of school health, 85(11), 740–758. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12309

Click each image below to read detailed advice and strategies for the school year ahead.

In a recent ADDitude survey, less than half of educators said they receive formal training to help them understand and effectively teach students with ADHD and its comorbid conditions. Many teachers rely on the expertise and ideas of their students’ families, which is why ADDitude has created this guided, curated email learning series to equip caregivers with accurate, up-to-date information about ADHD, plus realistic and effective solutions to the specific academic and behavioral challenges associated with ADHD in the classroom.

Your training will begin immediately with an introduction to ADHD and executive dysfunction, myths and misinformation that impact learning and self-esteem, and ideas for starting off the school year right. Each week, you will receive a new lesson about effective accommodations, common learning differences and behavior problems associated with ADHD, homework strategies, social skills help, and much more…

PART ONE: ADHD Misinformation
PART TWO: ADHD Accommodations
PART THREE: Distractibility and Inattention
PART FOUR: Weak Executive Functions
PART FIVE: Behavior Challenges
PART SIX: Homework Problems
PART SEVEN: Learning Differences
PART EIGHT: Social Struggles
PART NINE: School Collaboration
PART TEN: Motivation and Resilience

NOTE: This resource is for personal use only.

Students who have ADHD and other executive functioning deficits are often misunderstood by educators. Chances are they have late or missing assignments, and they procrastinate on long-term papers and projects. Students’ frustration with learning, organization, time management, and planning may be perceived by teachers as laziness or disinterest. This disconnect may lead to less-than-desirable academic outcomes for many students with ADHD and learning disabilities.

Teaching the skills these students lack helps them to succeed academically — and in all areas of their lives. Through repetition, self-advocacy, and staying active, students with ADHD and LDs can thrive.

In this webinar, you will learn about:

• Research involving executive functioning skills development
• Proven strategies to help students establish consistency and reinforce accountability through home and classroom routines
• Actionable supports that can help level the playing field

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Stitcher; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

More on Improving Executive Function at School

• Download: The Top 6 Learning Challenges Associated with ADHD
• Read: The Testing Ground for Executive Functions? Sixth Grade
• Read: The 3 Rs of ADHD at School — Routines, Rules, Reminders

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on July 27, 2023, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Brandon Slade is the founder and CEO of Untapped Learning, an executive function coaching organization. Slade was diagnosed with ADHD at an early age, but it wasn’t until college that he fully recognized his brain did not work like those of his neurotypical peers. Since then, Slade’s goal has been to better understand the ADHD brain. After teaching special education for 12 years, he started Untapped Learning. Untapped’s mission is to help students with executive function challenges to develop the skills they need to succeed academically and beyond.

Listener Testimonials

“I will definitely be using this information in my practice.”

“Brandon is an incredible advocate for these kids!”

“Brandon’s suggestions about how to develop a class syllabus for neurodivergent students was extremely helpful. Overall, it was a terrific presentation and one I’ll share with colleagues for sure!”

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is…

Brain Balance is an integrative cognitive development program designed to help kids with ADHD, Learning Differences, Anxiety & beyond. An exploratory study with Harvard’s McLean Hospital found the Brain Balance Program to be as effective as low-dose stimulant medication in alleviating ADHD symptoms in children. Visit brainbalance.com to learn more about Brain Balance today.

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

Follow ADDitude’s full ADHD Experts Podcast in your podcasts app:
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What’s the secret to raising successful kids? The answer is simple and complex: seeing and supporting them fully.

When a child feels secure in their caregivers’ love and encouragement, strong self-confidence and self-esteem naturally follow suit. When a child’s ADHD is fully recognized and understood, that is when their strengths get unlocked and futures become clear. How do you get from here to there? One step at a time.

Step One: Learn Everything About ADHD

ADHD is like an iceberg. The complexities beneath its surface (including its high co-occurrence with other conditions) are seldom recognized and often criticized unfairly, leading many children with ADHD to develop damaging self-beliefs. They are not lazy or unmotivated or slow; they have a unique neurological footprint. Understanding and communicating that is key.

ADHD and Executive Function Deficits

ADHD impairs executive function — the brain skills we use to succeed in school, work, and other realms of life. You and your child must understand that deficits in executive skills makes it difficult to…

• …be on time
• …get started on tasks
• …juggle information in the mind
• …initiate work independently
• …set priorities
• …be organized
• …complete long-term projects
• …submit work on time
• …remain calm in stressful situations

ADHD and Delayed Maturity

Maturation of the ADHD brain lags about three to five years behind that of the non-ADHD brain.¹ The delay affects the brain’s prefrontal regions, which control the aforementioned executive functions and other important cognitive processes. What does this mean? You need to adjust your expectations about your middle schooler or high schooler in comparison to their peers. Developmentally, your 14-year-old’s “executive age” may be closer to 11 or 12 years old, for example. As is the case for many people with ADHD, your child might experience a maturation spurt in their early 20s as the brain continues to develop.

[Get This Free Download: Explaining the ADHD Iceberg to Teachers]

Learning Challenges

As many as 45% of children with ADHD have a learning difference like dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, or another condition that requires academic supports.²  It’s also common for students with ADHD to have learning challenges that affect written expression, memorization of facts, reading comprehension, complex multi-step math, and other areas. Be sure that your child understands how both their ADHD and learning differences show up in the classroom.

As you teach your child about ADHD, be sure to separate them from the condition. Depersonalize ADHD when you approach your child; educate and give your child a choice. Say something like “People with ADHD have trouble getting started, and I’ve noticed that sometimes that’s a challenge for you.”

Step Two: Establish Learning Habits for Ongoing Support

From disorganization to tardiness, the challenges that children and young teens face in middle and high school are essentially the same challenges that exist in college and at work. Identify your child’s unique learning and executive function challenges early on so that they can receive accommodations and practice using appropriate tools and compensatory strategies in school and beyond.

Bolster Executive Function Skills

For Help with Task Initiation

• Use timers, alerts, or verbal reminders to indicate that it’s time to start. Present these tools as choices to your child to increase compliance. Say, “Do you want to set a timer to start your homework or do you want me to remind you to get started?” Perhaps you may even have to sit with your child to help them get started.
• Review the instructions together. Have your child contact a classmate if the assignment is unclear.
• Start with physical activity. Some children focus better while moving, so let your child walk around and read if it helps with task initiation.
• Work in 10-20 minute chunks with breaks in between so that your child can reenergize their brain. This helps make the task feel less overwhelming.

[Read: Where Do I Start?!? How to Organize and Initiate a Big Project]

For Help with Time Awareness

• Externalize time. Use devices and tools like smartwatches, wrist devices, analog clocks, visual timers, smartphones, paper calendars, and white boards as appropriate to make time (an abstract concept) and important events (due dates, extracurriculars, etc.) stand out visually.
• Practice time estimation. Ask your child how long they think a task like homework will take them. Record their answer and compare it to the actual time to gauge and enhance their time awareness. Typically, students are surprised that the work takes less time than they predicted. Similarly, ask your child how long they think it takes to get to their first class of the day on time. Make sure your child accounts for things like getting ready, traffic, parking the car, walking to the building, going to their locker, saying hello to friends, and “oops” time.
• Schedule backwards. Make it a habit to start with the end in mind as a best planning practice. Scheduling backwards for a long-term school project, for example, will help your child see how far in advance they must start working.
• Ask others for help staying on task. Teachers, for example, can gently redirect your child if they get distracted. You can also ask a classmate to help keep your child on task with a signal.

To Enhance Working Memory and Help Your Child Remember

• Link new with old. Tie in new material to your child’s prior knowledge to reinforce learning.
• Information in multiple formats — posters, photos, video, hands-on projects, texts, graphic organizers, maps, and other mediums and tools — help to convey information.
• “Read to the clip.” Place a paper clip after every 8 to 10 pages of a long reading assignment, and have your child read until they get to the clip. This will segment the text and give your child time to digest information. Also, consider having your child write key text points on sticky notes as they read.
• Talk about it. The more your child talks about what they learned, the more likely they are to remember it.
• Use mnemonics. Set new information to the tune of your child’s favorite song, a rhyme, or an acronym. Humor helps jog memory, too.
• Short water and snack breaks give your child’s brain time to reenergize and reengage with information.
• Allow fidgeting or some movement to enhance concentration. The more difficult the task, the more movement required.

To Stay Organized

• A planner or organizer, whether digital or paper, is a must for all students.
• Color-code and use different folders for each class.
• Do a weekly bookbag cleanup together. Sort through papers and don’t throw out any documents until the end of the year, just in case they are needed.
• Keep a launch pad — a single place for your child’s bookbag, school supplies, and other must-haves — by the door. Place completed work and book bags on the launch pad the night before.
• Establish a homework routine. Agree on a start time and location. (Present them as choices to your child.) Double check assignments wherever they are posted (on paper, text, apps, the school’s online portal, etc.)
• Divide long-term projects into small segments to keep your child engaged. If possible, have the teacher assign due dates to the smaller segments and grade them.
• Monitor your child’s progress on homework and long-term projects for additional support.
• Ask the teacher for a sample of a completed long-term assignment for your child’s reference.

For Effective Studying

• Practice exams are great for previewing questions and concepts.
• Distributed study sessions will always be better than cramming. Your child should spend about 15 minutes reviewing for a test the night prior.
• Moderate exercise prior to studying can prime your child’s brain for maximum focus and retention.
• Slowly sipping a sugary drink can boost alertness as your child’s studies.

Step Three: Explore a Variety of Careers and Interests

Expose your child to as many careers as you can while they are in middle school and high school.

• Follow your child’s interests and skills. Seek lessons in music, acting, art, sports, robotics, gaming, and other activities they enjoy. You want your child to gravitate to a career that aligns with their best self.
• Match your teen to a summer job or a volunteer (shadow) position that aligns with their interests.
• Investigate the school’s career and college resources like career interest inventories/aptitude tests, career days, counseling services, transition plans, etc.

What to Do After High School? Don’t Fear the Gap Year

Many students with ADHD and learning differences rush into college without a clear path. As a result of this premature launch, they flounder and may ultimately drop out. A gap year can help your child plan out their future, increase their confidence, and seamlessly transition to a new, challenging environment. Most teens and young adults go to college within a year of the gap year experience, and colleges are eager to admit students with such experience.

If a gap year is the best option for your child, work together to create a structured gap year plan. Your child’s gap year may involve taking one community college or technical class, and working part-time or volunteering in a field of interest, for example. Ultimately, the goal is to help your child identify a career path.

Step Four: Prioritize a Positive Parent-Child Relationship

Experiencing success in school does wonders for a child, but grades don’t necessarily predict success in life. More often, happiness and wellbeing flow from a positive parent-child relationship.

• Protect and treasure your relationship with your child. Focus on the good and elevate your child’s strengths. Give yourself an attitude check-up if you are fixating on negatives.
• Manage your expectations. You will have to support your child longer than other caregivers, but it’s what your child needs. Give yourself permission to be involved and to do whatever it takes to help your child succeed. Be patient as you give your child the gift of time to help them become more and reach their full potential. By working together, you will get there.

What to Do After High School: Next Steps

• Free Download: 8 Ways to Strengthen Your Teen’s Executive Function Skills
• Read: How to Shepherd — Not Carry — Your Child Toward Fulfillment
• Read: The 4-Year College Track is Not Right for Everyone

The content for this article was derived, in part, from the ADDitude ADHD Experts webinar titled, “Getting Ready to Launch: Setting Up Middle and High School Students for Success and Independence” [Video Replay & Podcast #425],” with Chris Dendy, M.S., which was broadcast on October 13, 2022.

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Sources

¹ Shaw, P., Eckstrand, K., Sharp, W., Blumenthal, J., Lerch, J. P., Greenstein, D., Clasen, L., Evans, A., Giedd, J., & Rapoport, J. L. (2007). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is characterized by a delay in cortical maturation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104(49), 19649–19654. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0707741104

² DuPaul, G. J., Gormley, M. J., & Laracy, S. D. (2013). Comorbidity of LD and ADHD: implications of DSM-5 for assessment and treatment. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 46(1), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219412464351

Academic demands, self-regulation challenges, and unreliable motivation can hamper learning and academic success for students of all ages with ADHD. Many feel frustrated and stop trying to achieve what they consider unattainable goals related to their school performance. What can caregivers do to help neurodivergent students reach their academic potential?

In this webinar, caregivers will learn:

• How to build strategies specific to a child’s age and stage to help them stay focused and motivated at home and at school
• How to create daily routines that can make a difference in getting and staying organized, including tips for backpack organization and assignment prioritization
• About strategies that improve sleep routines so children wake without a fight
• About approaches to help your child connect with peers to build their self-confidence

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Stitcher; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

More on Student Self-Regulation and ADHD

• Download: Solving Behavior Problems Rooted in Executive Function Deficits
• Read: “I Remembered Not to Forget!”
• Read: Be On Time! Teaching Sequence and Schedules

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on March 8, 2023, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker:

Kristin Seymour, MSN, RN, is a clinical nurse specialist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University Medical Center. She is also a coach, blogger, and a contributor in the documentary about ADHD called The Disruptors. She credits her ADHD with making her a better nurse.

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is….

Accentrate® is a dietary supplement formulated to address nutritional deficiencies known to be associated with ADHD. It contains omega-3 fatty acids in phospholipid form (the form already in the brain). This Brain Ready Nutrition helps manage inattention, lack of focus, emotional dysregulation, and hyperactivity without drug-like side effects. | fenixhealthscience.com

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

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Does your tween or teen seem to lack all motivation? Do they need aggressive reminders to begin tasks — especially those they’ve put off for as long as possible? Is it almost always a struggle to finish?

Many adolescents with ADHD stall out when trying to start and/or complete assignments and tasks, especially when they are no fun, boring, or challenging. ADHD-related procrastination and disorganization, combined with perfectionism and low self-esteem, can hamper their ability to complete work or remember to turn in what they have accomplished. Successfully motivating and supporting these students means following a strength-based, collaborative approach that synthesizes cognitive behavioral interventions with practical routines and mindful awareness.

In this webinar, Dr. Sharon Saline, award-winning author, international speaker and consultant, explores how to motivate teens with ADHD and offers effective strategies for offering effective support while helping them build life-long skills.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• How to identify the executive functioning skills that affect motivation
• About strategies for developing enduring time-management skills, organizational skills, and goal-directed persistence
• About effective, collaborative routines with meaningful incentives to reduce procrastination and perfectionism
• How to reduce overwhelm and anxiety by increasing confidence and resilience
• How to determine appropriate levels of parent participation in kids’ lives
• How to help tweens and teens with ADHD develop the accountability and autonomy that fosters success in school and in life

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Stitcher; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

More on Motivating Teens with ADHD

• Download: Transform Your Teen’s Apathy Into Engagement
• Read: How Can I Make My Teen Care About School?
• Read: The Roots of ADHD Motivation Problems

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on January 11, 2023, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Sharon Saline, Psy.D., clinical psychologist and author of the award-winning book, What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life (#CommissionsEarned) and The ADHD Solution Deck (#CommissionsEarned) specializes in working with children, teens, emerging adults and families living with ADHD, anxiety, learning disabilities, autism, twice exceptionality and mental health issues. Her unique perspective – as a sibling in an ADHD home, combined with decades of experience as a clinical psychologist and educator/clinician consultant – assists her in guiding families and adults towards effective communication and closer connections. She lectures and facilitates workshops internationally on topics such as understanding ADHD, executive functioning, anxiety, motivation, different kinds of learners and the teen brain. Click here to read her full bio.

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is….

The first college in the U.S. to exclusively serve students who learn differently (dyslexia, ADHD, autism, executive function challenges, etc.), also offers short-term programs that help neurodivergent high schoolers make the successful transition to college, academically and socially. Visit www.landmark.edu/teen to learn more about residential and online options.

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

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Self-regulation challenges, heightened moodiness, social anxieties, and increased academic demands can intensify the pressure bearing down on middle and high school students with ADHD. With deficits in the areas of executive functioning and motivation, many teens become checked out and stressed out, frustrated by the constant struggle to keep up in class. These students appear unmotivated, and unwilling, to do class assignments and homework. Their refrain: Why bother?

This leads caregivers and educators to feel exasperated — unsure how to balance autonomy, support, and accountability for underperformance in their students. They want to motivate them to reach their potential, but they’re unsure how.

In this webinar, caregivers and educators will learn:

• How the biology of ADHD impacts motivation and executive functioning in adolescents and teens
• How to help students adopt self-motivation strategies and lifelong skills to manage their ADHD
• Practical approaches that teens with ADHD can follow to compensate for executive functioning challenges
• How to set goals to develop a teen’s self-confidence, and how to find a niche in which they can be successful and achieve autonomy from adults

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Stitcher; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

More on Teens with ADHD

• Download: What Are Your Teen’s Weakest Executive Functions?
• Read: Improving Executive Functioning Skills in Teenagers with ADHD
• Read: What Is Executive Function? 7 Deficits Tied to ADHD

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on November 9, 2022, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Margaret (Maggie) Sibley, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and researcher at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital. She also has an adjunct appointment at Florida International University, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. She studies executive functioning, motivation, and attention problems in adolescents and young adults.

Maggie is the author of Parent-Teen Therapy for Executive Function Deficits and ADHD: Building Skills and Motivation (#CommissionsEarned). This is a comprehensive guide for professionals. It gives information about how to work with families using a therapy she developed called Supporting Teens’ Autonomy Daily (STAND).

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Listener Testimonials

“I appreciate the background information provided before covering strategies. There were many ‘aha’ moments for me.”

“It was simply fantastic! So informative! I took pages of notes and hope to share the highlights with our faculty and RTI team as soon as possible!”

“An incredible presenter. She explained everything so well and offered some great insights and actionable steps! Thank you!”

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is….

Equazen^® Pro is a clinically proven nutritional medical food, designed to help improve focus, attention, academic performance and balance mood for those with ADHD.^† In fact, clinical studies have shown Equazen^® Pro can improve ADHD symptoms in as little as 12 weeks. Now is the perfect time to start supporting your child’s mind and get them ready for back-to-school.

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

Follow ADDitude’s full ADHD Experts Podcast in your podcasts app:
Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Amazon Music | RadioPublic | Pocket Casts | iHeartRADIO | Stitcher