Improve Student Organization in the Elementary Classroom by Teaching Executive Function Skills

Posted In Behaviors On April 22, 2025

One of the most common challenges elementary teachers face is figuring out how to improve student organization—especially in grades 1 through 4. From messy desks and overflowing backpacks to scattered thoughts during writing assignments, disorganized students often struggle in multiple areas of learning. But these behaviors are more than just typical forgetfulness; they often point to underlying skill deficits in executive function, particularly in the area of organization.

As educators, when we start teaching executive function skills, we begin to unlock the root of many daily classroom challenges. Executive functions simply refer to the brain’s self-management system—skills that help students set goals, plan, organize, remember, and complete tasks. When students lack these skills, they are not misbehaving; they are missing instruction. This is where intentional executive function instruction becomes a game changer.

What Disorganized Behaviors Look Like in Elementary Students

Let’s explore three common behaviors you’ve probably seen in your classroom:

The student who struggles to organize schoolwork.

Their folders are chaotic, homework is lost, and completed assignments don’t make it to the turn-in bin. These students benefit from executive function strategies that teach them how to sort, prioritize, and track their work.

The student whose desk and backpack are disorganized.

Their learning materials are buried under layers of crumpled papers and broken pencils. Their lack of systems and routines is not due to laziness—it’s an executive function challenge that requires explicit modeling and guided practice.

The student who struggles to organize thoughts and ideas.

Whether it’s writing a story or giving a verbal response, their ideas seem jumbled and incomplete. They may struggle with sequencing, summarizing, or generating ideas—another red flag that signals the need for organizational support through executive function instruction.

All of these behaviors stem from the same core issue: a gap in the executive function system that supports organization.

Executive Function Strategies to Improve Student Organization

To improve student organization, we must begin with targeted executive function lessons that help students learn how to think about their thinking. Here are a few practical strategies:

• Use visual systems. Color-coded folders, labeled bins, and daily checklists provide external structures that support internal organization. These tools act as scaffolds while students build habits of order.
• Model the process. Instead of telling students to “clean out your desk,” walk them through a step-by-step routine. Executive functioning tools like “Clean Desk Checklists” or backpack organization charts are great for this.
• Incorporate graphic organizers. When helping students plan their writing or share ideas, use visual thinking tools to guide idea generation and sequencing. This directly addresses their ability to organize thoughts.
• Teach routines as part of your executive function instruction. Repetition builds confidence. Daily clean-up times, morning routines, and work review periods teach structure and predictability.

These aren’t just “nice to have” strategies—they are essential student engagement strategies that help meet student learning needs and improve students’ academic performance.

Empowering Students Through Executive Function Learning

When students learn how to organize their materials, their time, and their ideas, we are doing more than helping them pass today’s spelling test. We are giving them tools for lifelong success. Student empowerment begins when we equip learners with the strategies they need to feel in control of their environment and their thinking.

As students begin to experience success, we also see improvements in their student confidence, self-regulation, and even social skills. When a child can locate their materials, finish their work, and share their ideas clearly, their self-esteem grows—and that fuels even more success.

This is why solving executive function challenges isn’t about adding one more thing to your plate. It’s about approaching behavior and academic performance with a toolkit that makes teaching more effective and more joyful.

Next Steps: Bringing Executive Function Instruction Into Your Classroom

If you’re ready to improve student organization in your classroom, the first step is understanding exactly what “organization” means in terms of executive function. Click here to read our post: What is Organization?

From there, you can begin identifying the executive function tools and support your students need most. We offer a quick and helpful way to do this: Click here to access our resource for identifying students’ executive function needs.

Once you know where your students are struggling, you can start tailoring your instruction. Our platform walks you through how to evaluate student behaviors and create a customized curriculum just for your class. Learn more here: Create Your Executive Function Curriculum.

By embedding executive function strategies into your daily routines, you’ll begin to see students who were once overwhelmed by their own disorganization begin to thrive. And when we can improve student organization, we do more than clean up messy desks—we change the trajectory of student success.