How All About Math Can Improve Executive Functioning

First, what is executive functioning? Executive functioning refers to a set of cognitive self-management skills: working memory, planning and organizing, impulse control, self-monitoring, and cognitive flexibility.¹

Children with well-developed executive functioning skills are better able to:

• stay focused on multi-step tasks
• switch between different methods or tasks (flexibility)
• hold information in mind while planning (working memory)
• resist distractors and control emotions (impulse control)
• monitor and correct their own errors (self-monitoring)

In mathematics, these capabilities are especially relevant. For example, solving a multi-step word problem requires your child to hold information in her mind, decide which operation comes next, resist the impulse to rush through the work or stare out the window at a passing truck, and check her results.

Research reflects that specifically targeted math tasks, such as step-by-step incremental problems, encourage children to activate and practice crucial executive functioning skills.

In children with learning difficulties such as various autism spectrum disorders, dyslexia, ADHD, or even obsessive-compulsive disorder, challenges with executive functioning are especially prevalent. A math curriculum that includes lessons with elements specifically targeting areas of difficulty can significantly improve the child’s executive functioning skills across all areas.

Why the right math curriculum matters for children with learning disabilities

Autism and Executive Functioning

Poor executive functioning is common in, and often a defining feature of, autism spectrum disorders. Autism disorders are characterized by:

• Finding it hard to plan tasks, do tasks in the correct order, and organize
• Trouble with mental flexibility, adapting to changes in routine, or unexpected transitions between activities
• Attention – either trouble focusing or too tight a focus on small details
• Challenges in regulating emotions and impulses
• Struggling to hold multiple pieces of information in memory at once

Experts believe abnormal neuron structures or “mis-wiring” in the frontal lobe of the brain are responsible for the challenges faced by children with autism. Those same structures are crucial for appropriate executive functioning.

While no curriculum can fix brain abnormalities, a well-designed math curriculum, such as All About Math, includes lessons and activities that can help build strengths in other areas of the brain to support learning and improve executive functioning skills.²

Dyslexia and executive functioning

Dyslexia is typically associated with difficulties in reading and word decoding. Research indicates that children with dyslexia often show weaknesses in executive functioning, including working memory, self-control, planning, and flexibility. One study of children with reading disability (RD) versus co-occurring reading + math disability (RD+MD) found that the RD+MD group showed significantly worse working memory and executive function performance.⁴

Not all dyslexic children struggle in math. The research indicates that about 43% of students with dyslexia have a co-occurring math disorder. For children who struggle with math, finding a curriculum that supports executive functioning skill-building is essential to their success. The challenge primarily lies in working memory issues.

Working memory is the area of the brain where memories are temporarily stored while you use the information—long lessons, asking the child to remember multiple steps, and text-heavy problems all tax working memory.

A program like All About Math includes short, step-by-step lessons with explicit instructions, consistent routines and structure, and visual and auditory components. All of these elements relieve the strain on working memory, ensuring children can learn the material in a way that aligns with how their brain works.

Executive Functioning in ADHD

The commonalities between ADHD and the five main components of executive functioning are clear: impulsivity, focus, switching between tasks, short-term/working memory, and self-monitoring activities are all uniquely challenging for children with ADHD.

Therefore, when homeschooling a child with ADHD, selecting a math program with built-in scaffolds, clear structure, and self-monitoring is particularly beneficial. It becomes an evidence-based math intervention for executive function rather than purely rote memorization of math facts.

What research shows: studies linking mathematics to Executive Functioning skills

A growing body of research supports the interconnection between mathematics and executive functioning, and this highlights the value of integrating executive functioning goals into math instruction.

Thus, executive function strategies in math class show promise when the EF demands are built into the math lessons, rather than tacked on separately.

When selecting a math curriculum, it is wise to ask: Does this curriculum include opportunities for children to strengthen their executive functioning skills? In other words, is it integrating executive function into the math curriculum rather than simply presenting math facts?

How the All About Learning Press math curriculum can support executive functioning

Here are ways a curriculum like All About Math can help build EF skills, along with practical suggestions for the homeschool setting.

1. Plan and Visualize the Task (Planning / Working Memory)

• Before beginning a new topic or lesson, prompt the child to preview the steps: “Today we will first review the previous lesson, then practice the new concept, then apply it in a word problem.”
• Use a visual checklist: “1. get materials, 2. review, 3. warm-up, 4. new examples, 5. independent practice, 6. error check.”

This kind of scaffolding helps children strengthen the executive functioning skills of planning, task initiation, and working memory (holding the sequence in mind). All About Math‘s structured lesson-plan format supports this by providing predictable scaffolding, which reduces executive load and frees up working memory for the math content.

See the sample lessons here.

2. Break Tasks into Manageable Chunks (Self-Monitoring/ Cognitive Flexibility)

• All About Math structures lessons to include a predictable pattern of review, introduction of the new concept, guided practice, independent practice, and reflection on the learning.
• Encourage the child to monitor when each part is done, check their own work, and reflect: “Did I line up the place values correctly before starting to subtract?”
• To support self-monitoring, All About Math includes follow-up question in every lesson such as: “What did you find easy? What challenged you? What steps did you follow?

These regular opportunities improve executive functions in children by integrating self-monitoring and metacognitive reflection, helping build cognitive flexibility (shifting to a different approach when needed) and self-regulation.

3. Support Working Memory and Self-Assessment during Problem Solving

• Word problems and multi-step tasks tax working memory; to support your student encourage the use of scratch paper, verbalizing steps, or other math tools such as graphic organizer and manipulatives.
• For older children, encourage the child to pause and ask: “Am I distracted? Have I accidentally jumped ahead? Is my result reasonable?”

This scaffold explicitly addresses executive dysfunction barriers in math for children who struggle to hold information or to resist impulsive responses.

4. Embed Executive Function Prompts within Regular Lessons

• At the start of each lesson, ask: “What strategy might you use today if you get stuck?”
• In guided problems, ask: “If step 2 doesn’t work, what can you try next?”
• Always end with: “Check your answer: does it make sense? Could you solve it differently?”

These prompts ensure the curriculum is not just procedural but also engages in math activities that build executive function skills. By prompting your child to think about strategy use, error-checking, and alternative approaches, you can make executive functioning part of the math work rather than an add-on.

5. Address Math Anxiety and EF

Many children who struggle in math (especially those with executive functioning deficits) also experience math anxiety. Anxiety can sap working memory and increase distractibility, reducing executive functioning capacity.

To mitigate this: provide low-stakes warm-up activities where the goal is effort and strategy rather than speed or perfection; model self-talk: “It’s okay to pause, check my steps, correct mistakes.” Use explicit instruction during review sessions and model how even advanced learners review mistakes and learn from them.

This supports overcoming executive function barriers in math by reducing anxiety, increasing a sense of control, and avoiding overload of working memory.

Practical tips for homeschooling using All About Math

• Schedule a regular time and use the lesson-planning structure the curriculum provides; children thrive with consistent routines when building executive functioning.
• At the beginning of each week, review the upcoming lessons and invite the child to set a goal (for example: “By Friday, I want to complete Lesson 5 and check errors independently”).
• Use a visual checklist or planner: as each component of a lesson is completed, the child ticks it off. This builds task initiation and working memory support.
• Incorporate reflection moments: after working on a lesson, ask the child to reflect: “What strategy did I use? How did I check for errors? If I did it differently, what might change?”
• When teaching a new concept, model thinking-aloud: “First, I need to ask: what operation? Next, I need to hold this number in mind while computing the next step. Then I’ll check: does the answer seem reasonable?” You will gradually remove this scaffolding as your child develops the ability to perform multiple steps independently.
• For children with dyslexia, ADHD, or executive functioning challenges, provide additional scaffolding: visual math tools, shortened independent practice, and explicitly teach self-monitoring questions (“Have I included all steps? Is my work organized? Did I check for careless errors?”).
• Celebrate progress in executive functioning as well as math accuracy.

How to get started with All About Math

1. Use the math placement tests to determine the best level for your child
2. You will need: The complete math materials kits, including the teacher’s manual, student packet, activity book, math tools, and stickers & All About Math manipulatives kit
3. A consistent, daily schedule to work on lessons that your child can count on as a regular part of each day. Predictability and stability build confidence, so he doesn’t use up brain resources trying to cope with unexpected changes in routine.

FAQ’s

Resources:

1. Zelazo, P. D., Blair, C. B., & Willoughby, M. T. (2016). Executive Function: Implications for Education (NCER 2017-2000). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Research, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from https://ies.ed.gov/ncer/2025/01/executive-function-implications-education

2. Cragg, L., & Gilmore, C. (2014). Skills underlying mathematics: The role of executive function in the development of mathematics proficiency. Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 3(2), 63-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tine.2013.06.00

3. Farah, R., Ionta, S., & Horowitz-Kraus, T. (2021). Neuro-behavioral correlates of executive dysfunctions in dyslexia over development from childhood to adulthood. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.708863

4. Marks, R. A., Pollack, C., Meisler, S. L., D’Mello, A. M., Centanni, T. M., Romeo, R. R., … Christodoulou, J. A. (2024). Neurocognitive mechanisms of co-occurring math difficulties in dyslexia: Differences in executive function and visuospatial processing. Developmental Science, 27(2), e13443. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13443

5. Advocates for the Science of Math. (2021). Common misconceptions: Executive function interventions will improve math outcomes. The Science of Math. Retrieved from https://www.thescienceofmath.com/misconceptions-executive-function-interventions-will-improve-math-outcomes