What's All This Buzz about Executive Function Skills? Why Do They Matter So Much?
- kswellman3
- Aug 19
- 5 min read
As parents and educators, we all want to help our
children grow into independent, capable,
and successful individuals. But there’s one group of skills that quietly powers everything from getting dressed on time to finishing a science project or resolving a playground conflict—and many adults don’t even know they exist.
They’re called executive function skills, and they’re essential for success not just in school, but in life. The skills that make up executive function are better predictors of success in school, career, and beyond than test scores, IQ, or socioeconomic status.
Read more to learn how TGlearn explains and provide practical solutions.
What Exactly Are Executive Function Skills?
Executive function (EF) skills are like the brain's "air traffic control system." They help us plan, focus attention, remember instructions, manage emotions, and juggle multiple tasks.
Think of them as the control tower at an airport. Without that tower, planes can’t land or take off safely. Similarly, without EF skills, it’s hard for kids (and adults) to stay organized, manage time, or even transition from one activity to another without frustration.
Some key executive function skills include:
Sustained Attention: The capacity to maintain attention to a situation or task over a period of time despite distractibility, fatigue, or boredom.
Examples: A high schooler studies for two hours, resisting the urge to check social media. A college student sits through a long lecture and takes useful notes without zoning out.
Response to Inhibition – Thinking before acting, resisting impulses.
Examples: An elementary student wants to call out the answer but raises their hand instead. A middle school student resists texting during class when they feel their phone buzz. A football player resists the urge to push another player after the whistle when frustrated understanding the implications that could have on his team.
Planning & Prioritizing – The ability to create a road map to complete a task or teach a goal. Being able to make effective decisions about what is most important to focus on first and what may not be important or urgent.
Examples: A high school student creates a schedule to study for finals, prioritizing harder subjects. A college student balances work, classes, and social life by planning weekly assignments and prioritizing deadlines.
Time management- the capacity to estimate how much time one has, how to allocate it, and how to stay within the given time limits and deadlines.
Examples: An elementary child is prompted that they have 15 minutes before they must leave for school, so they stay on task to brush their teeth and pack their backpack, instead of going to watch TV with their toddler sister. A high schooler knows they have a tennis match 30 minutes away from home on Thursday night, so they plan to study for their Friday test earlier in the week.
Task Initiation – Getting started without procrastination.
Examples: An elementary child starts their homework without being reminded five times. A high school or college student begins researching for a term paper a few weeks early to avoid last-minute stress.
Organization – Keeping materials and thoughts in order.
Example: An elementary student puts their papers in their take home folder neatly instead of stuffing them in their backpack.
A middle school student keeps their locker and Google Drive organized so they can find assignments and materials easily.
Emotional Control– Managing feelings to respond appropriately and productively
Examples: An elementary child loses a game at recess but doesn’t have a meltdown. A high school student manages nerves before a big test by using breathing techniques. A college student doesn’t wait for overwhelm to get the best of them and schedules a meeting with an advisor, coach, or counselor to make a plan.
Goal Directed Persistence: The capacity to set a productive goal, follow through with the completion of the goal, and not be driven off course by distractions or competing interests.
Example: A middle school student sets a goal to finish her summer reading by the end of July and sticks to a reading schedule, continuing even when they feel tired or unmotivated. A high school student wants to make the school play and practices their lines every day. A college student applies to multiple internships even after being rejected by the first few.
Flexibility: The ability to revise plans and behavior in the face of obstacles, setbacks, new information, or mistakes; adaptability in changing conditions.
Examples: An elementary child planned to use blue paper for a craft, but it's gone—so they use green without a meltdown. A middle school student’s science partner is out sick, so they adapt and do the experiment solo. A high schooler’s plans for prom change last minute, and they adjust without getting overly upset.
Metacognition: The ability to stand back and take a “birds-eye view” of oneself in a situation and react accordingly. It involves self-monitoring and self-evaluative skills that help one evolve, adjust, and progress.
Examples: An elementary student keeps making the same mistake in math, so they ask the teacher for help. After failing a science test, a high school student reflects on how cramming the night before didn’t work and decides to space out study sessions for the next one. A lacrosse player is able to watch game film and recognize areas to improve on and work on them during practice.
Stress Tolerance: The ability to thrive in situations that involve pressure or stress and cope with uncertainty, change, and performance demands.
Examples: An elementary child stays calm during a fire drill even though it's loud and confusing. A high schooler copes with pressure during final exams by using breaks and positive self-talk. A college student handles a full schedule, financial stress, and job responsibilities without giving up.
Why Are These Skills So Important?
Executive function skills play a role in almost everything kids do:
Academics: EF impacts how students approach homework, follow directions, problem solve, recall and apply information, and stick with tasks.
Social Skills: Kids use EF to manage emotions, take turns, maintain conversations, maintain friendships, and navigate conflicts.
Independence: Whether it's packing a backpack, making it to classes on time, remembering to get gas, or scheduling for second semester classes, EF helps kids function in daily life on their own.
Struggles in these areas aren’t always about motivation or behavior—they’re often signs that a child’s executive function skills need support.
The Good News: Executive Function Skills Can Be Strengthened
If you’re like us, at TGlearn, you may be thinking, “Well, I struggle in some of these areas too!” In reality, no one is perfect in all areas of EF, and one’s abilities may fluctuate with circumstances or stressful periods in our lives. EF skills all work together, so when one is suffering it may bring another one down. For example, when someone is struggling with stress tolerance, it may impact their working memory capacity or when someone is struggling with task initiation, it may impact their time management skills. However, the great news is, just like physical muscles, EF skills can be built and improved upon with the right exercises, tools, and support. At TGlearn.com, you’ll find a growing library of research-backed resources, tools, activities, and supports designed specifically to boost executive function in elementary kids, teens, and young adults.
Simple Ways to Start Supporting EF Today
Here are a few everyday strategies that make a big difference:
Break big tasks into smaller steps.
Use visual schedules and timers.
Move to a paper planner that has a monthly and weekly view.
Model and practice “thinking out loud” to show problem-solving.
Build in movement breaks to help with focus and regulation. t
Praise effort and strategies, not just results.
Stay tuned for future blogs with TGlearn.com for more specific strategies and tools to support each area of executive function.
Final Thoughts
Helping children strengthen their executive function skills is one of the most powerful ways to set them up for long-term success—academically, socially, and emotionally.
It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress.
Visit TGlearn.com to explore hands-on tools and strategies you can use right away—because when we understand how executive function works, we can better support the amazing kids we care about every day.
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