Executive Functioning Skills (EF Skills) are the skills we use to decide what to do (and what not to do), how to organize steps in a process, how to manage stumbling blocks, how to monitor progress, and how to evaluate what occurred in the past to connect to our future. There are different models of EF Skills, some organize skills into domains or groupings. Our favorite model is from Dr. Peg Dawson and Dr. Richard Guare. Their book Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents is an effective tool for parents, teachers, and caregivers of individuals on the Autism spectrum or students struggling with ADD/ADHD.
Dr. Dawson and Dr. Guare outline 11 skills in their book and explain what each means and ways to improve the skill. They have 2 chapters specific to the neurodiverse community--chapter 8: Strategies and Guidelines for Managing Executive Skills in Children with ADHD and chapter 9: Executive Skills in Autism.