When parents and students search for extra academic support, two common options often arise: executive function, or “study skills” coaching, and academic tutoring. While both approaches can significantly benefit students, they serve very different purposes and address different aspects of a student’s learning journey. Understanding the difference between these two can help parents make an informed decision on what type of support is best suited for their child’s needs, especially when it comes to high school students.
What Is Executive Function Coaching?
Executive function coaching focuses on helping students develop the fundamental skills necessary to succeed academically and beyond. Rather than concentrating solely on the content of specific subjects, executive function coaching addresses executive functioning skills, which are crucial for self-regulation, time management, and independent learning. This type of coaching helps students become more self-sufficient, ultimately turning struggles into empowerment.
Key Components of Executive Function Coaching
Executive function coaching targets several critical areas of a student’s academic life:
- Organization and Planning: Coaching helps students break down complex tasks into manageable steps, such as writing an essay or preparing for an exam. Students learn how to create schedules, set priorities, and use organizational tools like planners or digital apps to stay on track.
- Task Initiation: Many students struggle with procrastination. Study skills coaching teaches them how to get started on tasks by developing strategies to overcome hesitation and distractions.
- Sustained Attention: Many students find it challenging to maintain focus, especially on longer tasks. Coaching helps students learn to sustain attention by breaking tasks into smaller segments, taking regular breaks, and minimizing distractions.
- Problem-Solving: Whether it’s figuring out how to approach a difficult math problem or determining the best way to manage multiple assignments, problem-solving is crucial. Study skills coaching encourages students to think critically and find solutions to challenges.
- Impulse Control: Some students may act impulsively, whether it’s by rushing through assignments or jumping from one task to another. Study skills coaching teaches mindfulness techniques and strategies to help students pause, reflect, and make intentional decisions.
- Motivation: Lastly, staying motivated is key to long-term academic success. Coaches work with students to identify their internal and external motivators, helping them stay engaged with their goals.
Who Can Benefit from Executive Function Coaching?
Executive function coaching is particularly beneficial for students who struggle with study skills. This can include students with ADHD, learning disabilities, or those who generally find it challenging to stay organized and on top of their academic work. It’s also ideal for high school students who are preparing for the transition to more independent learning in college.
Unlike subject-based tutoring, executive function coaching equips students with lifelong skills that they can apply to various situations, both in school and in everyday life. It is especially valuable for students who may excel academically but find it difficult to manage their time, set priorities, or stay organized.
What Is Academic Tutoring?
Academic tutoring, on the other hand, is much more content-specific. Tutoring focuses on helping students understand and master the material in a particular subject. A math tutor, for example, may help a student improve their algebra skills by going over problems and teaching specific techniques to solve equations.
Tutors usually work with students to clarify confusing topics, offer additional practice, and reinforce what the student is learning in the classroom. While tutoring can help improve a student’s grades in a specific subject, it may not address the root causes of their academic struggles, such as poor time management or lack of organization.
Key Components of Academic Tutoring
- Subject-Specific Knowledge: Tutors specialize in particular subjects such as math, science, or language arts. Their primary goal is to help students understand and retain the information they need to succeed in their classes.
- Test Preparation: Tutors can help students prepare for quizzes, exams, and standardized tests by reviewing material, teaching test-taking strategies, and providing practice problems.
- Homework Assistance: Many tutors assist with homework, ensuring that students understand how to complete their assignments correctly and efficiently.
- Skill Reinforcement: Tutoring often involves reinforcing skills that the student may have missed or misunderstood during class instruction. This can help boost the student’s confidence and overall performance in the subject.
Who Can Benefit from Academic Tutoring?
Academic tutoring is ideal for students who are struggling to understand specific subjects. It’s also beneficial for students who need help with test preparation or homework completion. Tutors can provide targeted support for those who need additional instruction in a particular academic area.
However, academic tutoring does not always address broader issues like procrastination, disorganization, or lack of focus, which can be at the root of a student’s difficulties. For high school students, tutoring can help improve grades, but it may not fully prepare them for the demands of college or the workforce, where executive functioning skills play a more prominent role.
The Difference Between Executive Function Coaching and Academic Tutoring
While both executive function coaching and academic tutoring aim to improve a student’s academic performance, they approach this goal in fundamentally different ways. Understanding these distinctions can help parents and students determine which option or combination of both best suits their needs.
Focus on Content vs. Process
Academic tutoring focuses on what students need to learn, emphasizing subject-specific knowledge and skills. Tutors work to ensure students understand the material they’re learning in class, helping them improve their performance in specific subjects.
Executive function coaching, on the other hand, focuses on how students learn. Coaches work with students to develop the underlying skills that support academic success, such as time management, organization, and sustained focus. While tutoring may help with a particular test or assignment, executive function coaching equips students with strategies they can use across all subjects and throughout their academic careers.
Short-Term Gains vs. Long-Term Benefits
Tutoring often delivers immediate results in terms of improved grades or better performance on an upcoming test. It’s a short-term solution that can quickly address content gaps or help students catch up in a specific subject.
Executive function coaching, in contrast, offers long-term benefits. By developing strong executive functioning skills, students become more independent learners who can manage their workload and approach tasks systematically. These skills extend beyond the classroom, benefiting students in college, the workforce, and everyday life.
Customization and Approach
Tutors typically focus on the areas where the student is struggling within a particular subject. They may provide practice problems, review concepts, or explain material in a different way to help the student understand.
Executive function coaching is more holistic, focusing on the student’s overall approach to learning. Coaches tailor their sessions to address the specific executive functioning skills that the student needs to develop. This customized approach ensures that the student is equipped to handle academic challenges across all subjects.
Combining Executive Function Coaching and Academic Tutoring
In some cases, students may benefit from both executive function coaching and academic tutoring. For example, a high school student struggling with algebra may work with a tutor to master the material while also working with a coach to develop better time management skills and improve their focus during study sessions.
By combining both approaches, students can receive the subject-specific support they need while also building the executive functioning skills that will serve them throughout their academic journey and beyond.
Choosing the Right Support for Your Child
When deciding between study skills coaching and academic tutoring, it’s important to consider your child’s unique needs. If your child struggles to understand material in a specific subject, academic tutoring may be the best option. However, if your child’s challenges stem from issues like procrastination, disorganization, or lack of focus, executive function coaching may offer a more effective solution.
Uluru specializes in helping students develop the executive functioning skills they need to succeed in school and life. Our platform is unique in that it helps students with organization, task initiation, sustained attention, and problem-solving, empowering them to take control of their learning journey. And unlike traditional executive function coaches, who are only available to assist students at scheduled times, Uluru is an always-on tool that scaffolds students with the skills they need to thrive.
Ready to turn your child’s struggles into empowerment? Contact us today to learn more about Uluru and how it can help your child develop executive function skills for school and beyond!