They participate wonderfully in class, but turn in their essays or long-term projects late (if at all). Their low achievement is due to their difficulty planning and organizing time and materials. It is the result of thinking, “If it’s not due tomorrow, then it isn’t homework tonight.”

They may do a page of math homework perfectly, yet fail a test if the teacher changes the format. This problem stems from difficulty with thinking flexibly (shifting) and with generalizing concepts from one format to another.

These students might recount a full set of details about a historical battle, including how many lived or died, the food eaten, even the color of the uniforms. However, they are perplexed when you ask them a “big picture” question such as, “What country or time period are you studying?” This indicates a difficulty with shifting attention from the details to the whole picture.

Socially as well, these students experience challenges. Literal thinking (difficulty with shifting) causes them to miss the nuances of the slang and jokes of their peers. Their difficulty planning could cause them to miss play dates without parents’ intervention. Their inflexibility might cause these children to insist rigidly upon certain activities, irritating their friends.

Overall, poor problem-solving might make these children appear either to give up too easily or to adhere to a failing strategy.

Developmentally, younger students may exhibit fewer signs of EF difficulties because parents and teachers manage more of their academic and social activities. As organization and independent problem-solving become required in middle school, children 's lack of EF skills becomes more evident. 

How Does Executive Function Work? What Happens When it Doesn’t?

How can EF be developed?

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