Executive Function Skills for Teens: Sticking With It
This session teaches executive function skills for teens, helping older students get started on a task and stick with it even when it gets harder than expected. They watch a short video about being a self-starter, then discuss what to do when the work grows tough and their plan starts to slip. A quick game asks students to weigh two ways of handling a challenging assignment and decide which keeps them moving forward.
Extension activity
- Skill
- Self-Regulation
- Goal
- Executive Functioning
- Grade level
- Middle & High School
Get everything you need to teach the skill
These materials are part of a no-prep session designed by our clinical team, with all the structure, scaffolding, and support you need to teach included.
Engaging materials
Video modeling lessonSticking With It
This video lesson explores the concept of being a 'self-starter' and sticking with tasks even when they get challenging.
- Extension activity
Executive Functioning
Cover four areas of executive functioning in this points-based trivia game: task initiation, staying organized, time management, and self-monitoring.
Plus everything you need to teach them
Warm-up
- Video: 4-7-8 Breathing2:13
- Video: Obstacles into Opportunities Visualization1:19
- Video: Yoga Pose Library
Session Opener
Guiding Question: What helps someone keep going on a tough task?
Practice
- Discussion Question
- Role-Play Activity
- Mini Game
How to use it with your students
- 1Watch Play the video modeling lesson so students see the skill in action.
- 2Practice Try the skill together with a discussion prompt, role-play, or mini game.
- 3Extend Use the extension activity to help students carry the skill further.
What's Covered
In this lesson, students learned what it means to be a self-starter who can begin a task without needing reminders from their teacher or parents and stick with it when things get hard. They practiced breaking a big task into smaller steps and setting a deadline for each one. They also worked on checking their progress and adjusting the plan when something took longer or felt easier than expected.
Key Terms
- Self-Starter
- Being someone who starts a task on your own, without waiting for adult reminders, and keeps going even when it gets hard. You make a plan, track your progress, and stay with it until the work is done.
- Procrastination
- Putting off a task until the last minute instead of starting it. Waiting like this often builds up stress and anxiety as the deadline gets closer.
Sample IEP Goal This Session Supports
-
Executive Functioning
Given a multi-step task, learner will use at least one self-selected organizational strategy (e.g., visual planner, breaking the task into steps, visual timer) to initiate and work through the task with decreasing adult support in 4 out of 5 opportunities independently/given X prompt(s).
Send this tip home to support generalization
At home or in the classroom, when a student faces a big assignment, try asking them to name the first small step and when they want to finish it. Picking one starting point often makes the whole task feel less overwhelming.
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More Self-Regulation Activities
Frequently asked questions
Is this intervention free?
Yes, this ready-to-teach session on Sticking With It is free. You can access this intervention free for 14 days through the Everyday Speech Session Library. Every user gets three free sessions, but you can get more or extend your access by sharing the Session Library with friends and colleagues.
What ages is this for?
These materials are designed for middle and high school students.
What's included?
You'll get access to your choice of warm-up videos, a session opener, a core material on Sticking With It, three practice prompts, and an extension activity, Executive Functioning.
What skill does this intervention teach?
This ready-to-teach session is on self-regulation - more specifically, executive functioning.
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