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Every school day asks students to do much more than complete assignments. They are expected to plan ahead, stay organized, manage their time, shift between activities, solve problems, regulate emotions, and remember multi-step directions. These abilities are known as executive functioning skills, and they influence nearly every aspect of a student’s educational experience.
When executive functioning challenges interfere with a student’s ability to access the curriculum, school-based occupational therapists (OTs), physical therapists (PTs), and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) collaborate with educators and families to develop strategies that support meaningful participation in school.
Rather than teaching executive functioning in isolation, school-based therapists focus on helping students use these skills during authentic classroom routines and educational activities.
Executive functioning refers to a group of cognitive processes that help us manage our thoughts, actions, and behaviors to achieve goals.
These skills include:
Students use executive functioning from the moment they arrive at school until they leave for the day.
Some ways executive functioning are used by students include:
When these skills are underdeveloped, students may appear forgetful, disorganized, distracted, or overwhelmed.
Executive functioning skills are directly connected to classroom participation and educational success.
Challenges with executive functioning may impact a student’s ability to:
Because these skills influence educational performance, they are often addressed through collaborative, school-based supports when appropriate.
School-based occupational therapists help students develop the routines, habits, and strategies needed for successful participation in school.
Evidence-informed occupational therapy interventions may focus on:
The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) emphasizes that school-based occupational therapy should support participation in educational activities through evidence-informed interventions that are meaningful within the student’s school environment.
Executive functioning and communication are closely connected.
School-based speech-language pathologists often support students who experience difficulties with:
According to ASHA, intervention should be individualized and may include environmental modifications, explicit strategy instruction, metacognitive interventions, external supports such as visual schedules and planners, and collaborative IEP goal development. ASHA also emphasizes selecting interventions based on the best available evidence and each student’s functional needs.
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in School Services
Although executive functioning is often associated with OT and SLP, school-based physical therapists also contribute to student success.
PTs may support executive functioning by helping students:
Because executive functioning influences how students engage in everyday school activities, PTs are valuable members of interdisciplinary teams working toward shared educational outcomes. AOTA, APTA, and ASHA jointly encourage collaborative, student-centered goal development in school-based practice.
Research and professional guidance consistently support interventions that are embedded within meaningful daily activities rather than isolated drills.
Examples include:
ASHA also highlights the use of metacognitive strategies, external aids, and environmental supports to improve executive functioning within real-life contexts.
Executive functioning is not the responsibility of one professional.
Successful interventions occur when therapists collaborate with teachers, special education teams, school psychologists, families, administrators, and other related service providers.
This team approach helps students practice executive functioning strategies throughout the school day rather than only during therapy sessions.
Executive functioning supports more than academic achievement.
These skills prepare students to become independent learners by helping them advocate for themselves, manage responsibilities, build confidence, and solve problems independently. By addressing executive functioning within authentic educational environments, school-based therapists help students develop skills that extend well beyond graduation.
Executive functioning is foundational to learning, participation, and independence. When challenges arise, school-based occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists play an important role in helping students develop practical strategies that improve success in the classroom and beyond.
At Austill’s Educational Therapy Services, our therapy teams’ partner with educators and families to provide evidence-informed, student-centered services that promote meaningful participation in school. Through collaboration, individualized intervention, and a deep understanding of educational practice, we help students build the skills they need to thrive both today and in their future.
