The EF Wheel 2025 - Strengths & Weaknesses Square

Executive Function Strengths & Struggles

Click on a word to learn more behaviors that indicate a strength or struggle.

Metacognition

Prioritizing, Planning, & Time Management

Memory

Organization

Self- Regulation

Cognitive Flexibility

Task Initiation

Attention

Working (and Short-Term) Memory

Strengths look like:

Struggle look like:

• Takes effective notes in class
• Can summarize and categorize while listening

• Frequently forgets instructions or details
• Difficulty with mental math or note-taking

Long-Term Memory

Strengths look like:

Struggle look like:

• Uses mental strategies to encode and retain information
• Does well on cumulative assessments

• Difficulty recalling content and experiences
• Poor test performance

Organization

Strengths look like:

Struggle look like:

• Keeps materials and tasks well-organized
• Has a clean and organized backpack
• Can find materials and assignments

• No systems to organize materials and tasks
• Backpack is messy and overflowing
• Often unable to find materials or assignments

Self Regulation

Strengths look like:

Struggle look like:

• Names an emotion instead of acting it out
• Uses calming/reflecting strategies (such as focused breathing or journaling)
• Stays engaged during challenging tasks
• Pauses before responding
• Waits their turn in a conversation

• Easily frustrated or overwhelmed
• Impulsive - acts without thinking
• Disproportionately reactive when upset
• Can also present as bored

Prioritizing, Planning, & Time Management

Strengths look like:

Struggle look like:

• Allocates time poorly (too much/too little)
• Doesn’t think about all the steps needed for a task
• Underestimates how long tasks will take
• Surprised by deadlines

• Puts energy into most important tasks
• Submits assignments on time
• Breaks large assignments into smaller steps
• On time to school or class

Attention

Strengths look like:

Struggle look like:

• Sustains focus on non-preferred tasks for a reasonable period of time
• Uses strategies to remove distractions, such as phone notifications
• Able to ignore distractions
• Follows multi-step directions without getting lost or sidetracked

• Loses focus during conversations, lessons, or tasks
• Needs frequent redirection to stay on task
• Fails to finish assignments due to losing focus

Task Initiation

Strengths look like:

Struggle look like:

• Begins non-preferred tasks/work within a reasonable time
• Uses strategies, such as a count-down timer, to overcome procrastination
• Follows classroom or personal routines without reminders

• Delays starting work until the last minute
• Makes excuses to avoid beginning tasks

Cognitive Flexibility

Strengths look like:

Struggle look like:

• Willingly tries new methods and ideas
• Adapts to changes and unexpected events
• Shifts easily between main idea and details, and details to main idea
• Can consider/understand multiple perspectives (even if disagreeing)

• Struggles to shift between tasks
• Frustrated by changes, especially by the unexpected
• Struggles to even consider a viewpoint differing from their own

Metacognition

Strengths look like:

Struggle look like:

• Recognizes strengths and struggles, including EF skills
• Able to frame challenges as areas for growth
• Acknowledges they might have incomplete information
• Identifies what worked well and what could improve in future efforts

• Often surprised by results
• Makes same mistakes without learning from them
• Unaware of how their actions impact results