Special School District webinar offers parents practical steps to support students with executive functioning challenges

Tony Chambers, an AVA coordinator for the Special School District, told parents and educators in a webinar that simple, concrete supports can make measurable differences for students with executive functioning challenges.

Chambers — who said he oversees behavior teams across several districts and that his son, Daniel Chambers, has Prader-Willi syndrome and autism — opened by defining executive functioning as the brain's “control board” that governs working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control and planning and organization. "Executive functioning is just a big fancy word," he said, adding that the goal of the session was to help families and teachers recognize how deficits in those areas show up and how to respond.

Why it matters: Chambers said executive-function issues commonly overlap with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and anxiety disorders and told attendees that “approximately 80% of children with autism display clinically significant executive functioning deficits.” He warned that deficits can manifest as frequent interruptions, difficulty starting or finishing tasks, trouble transitioning between activities, and heightened anxiety when routines change.

Practical classroom and home strategies: Chambers emphasized low-cost, concrete techniques that caregivers and teachers can use immediately. He recommended visual reminders, timers, schedules and checklists to reduce cognitive load, and said pairing a picture with a verbal direction often cuts response time from several seconds to one or two seconds. He illustrated the approach with a common example: instead of saying "go over there," say "walk to the desk, sit in the chair," and, where appropriate, place a visual next to the task.

Chambers also advised breaking tasks into smaller, sequential steps and giving one instruction at a time. "Give one instruction at a time and have them come back to you," he said, describing how stepwise prompts and checklists build routine and independence. He urged adults to "practice your pause" — allow extra response and transition time and accept repeated questions as a need for validation rather than defiance.

On interventions: Chambers said behavior-analytic approaches such as applied behavior analysis (ABA) are compatible with supporting executive functions and recommended celebrating incremental progress through positive reinforcement. "Celebrate the small stuff," he told the webinar, saying praise for tiny steps increases motivation and likelihood of repetition.

Resources and next steps: Chambers encouraged parents to collaborate with their child’s school team, mirror school supports at home where possible, and contact him for follow-up resources. He said changes from interventions can take several days to several weeks to appear and urged consistency.

The webinar concluded with a question-and-answer period and an offer from Chambers to provide additional materials and one-on-one follow-up by email.