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Scaffolding Success for Executive Functioning

By Sarah Earles, MS, LPC, NCC | March 28, 2025

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Kids from hard places often struggle with executive functioning skills. They forget things, fail to complete tasks, neglect to use skills caregivers know they have practiced, etc. This can create frustration in caregivers. Caregivers can begin to grow hopeless, wondering if kids will ever “learn.” Kids can grow hopeless and despondent, thinking they will never achieve the expectations their caregivers place on them. What can be done? Scaffolding! This can help both kids and caregivers experience success.

What is executive functioning? Executive functioning is the set of skills used to manage everyday life (Cleveland Clinic, 2024). These skills focus on memory, cognitive flexibility, and self-control. Specific executive functioning skills include organization, focus, shifting attention, self-regulation, emotional control, memory recall, and self-monitoring (CHADD, n.d.). Executive functioning leads to setting and accomplishing goals (Psychology Today Staff, n.d.). Because of this, use of executive functioning skills contributes to, or detract from self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-worth.

Why do kids struggle with executive functioning? Kids can struggle with executive skills for a number of reasons. Brain differences such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can contribute to lagging skills (Cleveland Clinic, 2024). Brain damage or degeneration (for example, a traumatic brain injury or brain tumors) can lead to struggles to use the full brain. Experience of early childhood trauma can also delay development of executive functioning skills, as constant danger causes the fight/flight/freeze part of the brain (amygdala) to grow more than the reasoning (frontal lobe) part of the brain (Administration for Children & Families, n.d.). Frequent changes in caregivers (as happens in foster and adoptive care) can also disrupt development of executive functioning (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2011). Children’s brains are plastic, however (Johnston et al, 2008). Just because they struggle greatly with executive functioning skills does not mean they will always continue to struggle at those levels. They can learn.

How can kids learn executive functioning skills? Children can learn executive functioning skills through a variety of means. Co-regulation is an important one (Gobbel, 2022). By modeling things for kids, and then doing things with kids, caregivers can build a ladder of learning for their children. Sometimes supervision is a form of teaching executive functioning skills. By being with kids and stepping in to offer organization, focus, shifting attention, self-regulation, emotional control, memory recall, and self-monitoring, caregivers help form new neuropathways in children’s brains (CHADD, n.d.). Allowing kids to fail and then supporting them in having a “re-do” can also help build skills (Winters & Herron, 2021). Creating small wins can help kids grow more confident in using new skills and continuing to practice them, too (Kircher-Morris, 2024). Sometimes caregivers want a quick fix to get executive functioning skills up to a child’s chronological age level, but change does not work that way. Change in executive functioning is slow and steady, just like climbing a ladder, when done safely.

Conclusion. Executive functioning skills are difficult. Many children lack them or at least lack them to the extent that the skills match their chronological age. This is particularly true for children who have experienced early childhood abuse or neglect, or who have brain differences. The future is not hopeless for these children, however. They can learn. They just need kind caregivers to support them in scaffolding the learning process.

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Kids from hard places often struggle with executive functioning skills. They forget things, fail to complete tasks, neglect to use skills caregivers know they have practiced, etc. This can create frustration in caregivers. Caregivers can begin to grow hopeless, wondering if kids will ever “learn.” Kids can grow hopeless and despondent, thinking they will never achieve the expectations their caregivers place on them. What can be done? Scaffolding! This can help both kids and caregivers experience success.

What is executive functioning? Executive functioning is the set of skills used to manage everyday life (Cleveland Clinic, 2024). These skills focus on memory, cognitive flexibility, and self-control. Specific executive functioning skills include organization, focus, shifting attention, self-regulation, emotional control, memory recall, and self-monitoring (CHADD, n.d.). Executive functioning leads to setting and accomplishing goals (Psychology Today Staff, n.d.). Because of this, use of executive functioning skills contributes to, or detract from self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-worth.

Why do kids struggle with executive functioning? Kids can struggle with executive skills for a number of reasons. Brain differences such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can contribute to lagging skills (Cleveland Clinic, 2024). Brain damage or degeneration (for example, a traumatic brain injury or brain tumors) can lead to struggles to use the full brain. Experience of early childhood trauma can also delay development of executive functioning skills, as constant danger causes the fight/flight/freeze part of the brain (amygdala) to grow more than the reasoning (frontal lobe) part of the brain (Administration for Children & Families, n.d.). Frequent changes in caregivers (as happens in foster and adoptive care) can also disrupt development of executive functioning (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2011). Children’s brains are plastic, however (Johnston et al, 2008). Just because they struggle greatly with executive functioning skills does not mean they will always continue to struggle at those levels. They can learn.

How can kids learn executive functioning skills? Children can learn executive functioning skills through a variety of means. Co-regulation is an important one (Gobbel, 2022). By modeling things for kids, and then doing things with kids, caregivers can build a ladder of learning for their children. Sometimes supervision is a form of teaching executive functioning skills. By being with kids and stepping in to offer organization, focus, shifting attention, self-regulation, emotional control, memory recall, and self-monitoring, caregivers help form new neuropathways in children’s brains (CHADD, n.d.). Allowing kids to fail and then supporting them in having a “re-do” can also help build skills (Winters & Herron, 2021). Creating small wins can help kids grow more confident in using new skills and continuing to practice them, too (Kircher-Morris, 2024). Sometimes caregivers want a quick fix to get executive functioning skills up to a child’s chronological age level, but change does not work that way. Change in executive functioning is slow and steady, just like climbing a ladder, when done safely.

Conclusion. Executive functioning skills are difficult. Many children lack them or at least lack them to the extent that the skills match their chronological age. This is particularly true for children who have experienced early childhood abuse or neglect, or who have brain differences. The future is not hopeless for these children, however. They can learn. They just need kind caregivers to support them in scaffolding the learning process.

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References

Administration for Children & Families. (n.d.). Executive function. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/trauma-toolkit/executive-function

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2011). Building the Brain’s “Air Traffic Control” System: How Early Experiences Shape the Development of Executive Function: Working Paper No. 11. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu.

CHADD. (n.d.). Executive function skills. https://chadd.org/about-adhd/executive-function-skills/

Cleveland Clinic. (2024, March 15). Executive function. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/executive-function

Gobbel, R. (2022, May 31). Scaffolding is a form of co-regulation {Ep 82}. Robyn Gobbel. https://robyngobbel.com/scaffolding/

Kircher-Morris, E. (Host). (2024, April 25). Phases & stages: Executive function growth throughout life. (No. 222). [Audio podcast episode]. In The Neurodiversity Podcast. https://neurodiversitypodcast.com/home/2024/4/25/episode-222-phases-amp-stages-executive-function-growth-throughout-life

Johnston, M. V., Ishida, A., Ishida, W. N., Matsushita, H. B., Nishimura, A., & Tsuji, M. (2009). Plasticity and injury in the developing brain. Brain & development, 31(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.braindev.2008.03.014

Psychology Today Staff. (n.d.). Executive function. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/executive-function

Winters, B., & Herron, A. (2021, August 22). Correcting behavior through redos. Nurturing change. https://nurturing-change.org/blog/f/correcting-behavior-through-redos

References

Administration for Children & Families. (n.d.). Executive function. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/trauma-toolkit/executive-function

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2011). Building the Brain’s “Air Traffic Control” System: How Early Experiences Shape the Development of Executive Function: Working Paper No. 11. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu.

CHADD. (n.d.). Executive function skills. https://chadd.org/about-adhd/executive-function-skills/

Cleveland Clinic. (2024, March 15). Executive function. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/
articles/executive-function

Gobbel, R. (2022, May 31). Scaffolding is a form of co-regulation {Ep 82}. Robyn Gobbel. https://robyngobbel.com/scaffolding/

Kircher-Morris, E. (Host). (2024, April 25). Phases & stages: Executive function growth throughout life. (No. 222). [Audio podcast episode]. In The Neurodiversity Podcast. https://neurodiversitypodcast.com/home/
2024/4/25/episode-222-phases-amp-stages-executive-function-growth-throughout-life

Johnston, M. V., Ishida, A., Ishida, W. N., Matsushita, H. B., Nishimura, A., & Tsuji, M. (2009). Plasticity and injury in the developing brain. Brain & development, 31(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.braindev.2008.
03.014

Psychology Today Staff. (n.d.). Executive function. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/
basics/executive-function

Winters, B., & Herron, A. (2021, August 22). Correcting behavior through redos. Nurturing change. https://nurturing-change.org/blog/f/correcting-behavior-through-redos

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