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Executive Function Disorder and its Co-occurrence with Dyslexia

Writer's picture: Designed to LearnDesigned to Learn

At Designed to Learn, we recognize that students with dyslexia and other neurodivergent profiles often face significant challenges with executive function skills, which are crucial for success both in and out of the classroom.


What Is Executive Function?

Executive function encompasses the cognitive processes that help us plan, focus attention, remember instructions, juggle multiple tasks, and regulate our behaviors. Think of it as the brain's "command center" – the system that helps us organize our thoughts and activities, prioritize tasks, manage time efficiently, and make decisions.


The Neuroscience Behind Executive Function

Executive function skills primarily reside in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, but they work in concert with other brain regions to filter distractions, control impulses, manage emotional responses, and oversee task completion.


For individuals with dyslexia and other neurodivergent profiles, these neural pathways often develop differently and at a slower rate. While neurotypical individuals typically achieve full executive function development around age 25, those with executive function differences may continue developing these skills into their early 30s.


This delayed development can manifest in the classroom as difficulties with task initiation, organization, time management, and working memory, impacting a student’s ability to start assignments, transition between activities, manage materials, and remember instructions.


Supporting executive function development in dyslexic and neurodivergent students requires understanding, patience, and consistent implementation of supportive strategies.


By explicitly teaching these skills and providing appropriate supports, we can help students develop the executive function capabilities they need for success in school and life.


Remember that development occurs at different rates for different individuals, and that's okay. The goal is to build skills progressively while maintaining the student's confidence and engagement in the learning process.


 

For more specific strategies and support, consider an evaluation to provide individualized recommendations based on your student's unique profile and needs.

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Structured Literacy Trained Reading Expert in Kansas
Academic Language Therapy Association Certified Dyslexia Professional in Wichita, Kansas
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