How Executive Function Impacts Reading (and What Interventionists Can Do About It)

Featuring Crista A. Hopp of Connected Pathways Coaching & Academy

As intervention teachers, we know reading struggles aren't always about phonics or fluency. Sometimes, what holds students back isn't a decoding deficit—it's an executive function challenge.

In a recent interview on my YouTube channel, I had the pleasure of speaking with Crista A. Hopp, executive function coach and founder of Connected Pathways Coaching & Academy. With a tremendous amount of experience supporting students from preschool to professional school, Crista brought powerful insights into how executive function (EF) skills—like attention, working memory, and regulation—directly affect our students' ability to read, learn, and thrive.

Let’s break down what she shared and what it means for your classroom.

What Is Executive Function?

Executive function is often simplified as “time management and organization,” but as Crista explains, it’s much deeper than that.

EF skills are the cognitive processes we use to reach a goal. These include:

• Attention – Staying focused long enough to complete a task

• Working Memory – Holding and manipulating information temporarily

• Cognitive Flexibility – Seeing things from multiple perspectives

• Self-Regulation – Managing emotions, impulses, and behaviors

These foundational skills are still developing in middle school—and often delayed by 2–3 years in struggling learners.

Why Middle School Is a Hot Spot for EF Challenges

Middle school students go from one teacher to five or more, each with different routines, expectations, and systems. They're asked to juggle assignments, navigate complex social environments, and plan for long-term projects—skills their brains may not be developmentally ready to manage.

Crista shared that many middle schoolers can only “see” 8 to 12 hours into the future when it comes to planning. Yet we assign them week-long projects and expect long-term thinking. This disconnect can create daily struggles in organization, attention, and follow-through.

The Link Between Executive Function and Reading

Crista emphasized an essential truth: reading is predicted by executive function.

Here’s how EF challenges affect reading:

1. Working Memory and Comprehension
   Students must hold decoding rules, sentence structures, and story details in mind. Weak working memory leads to comprehension breakdowns and difficulty retrieving information—especially under stress or distraction.

2. Cognitive Flexibility and Word Meaning
   Words often have multiple meanings (like “fall”). Students with weak flexibility struggle to adapt to context, interpret idioms, or shift between character perspectives in a story.

3. Self-Regulation and Learning Readiness
   A dysregulated student can’t access instruction. When students experience anxiety, frustration, or sensory overwhelm, their executive function goes offline. Teaching reading becomes nearly impossible in those moments.

Practical EF Strategies for Intervention Teachers

Crista offered several simple, effective strategies teachers can use immediately:

• Teach What It Means to Be an “Active Student”
  Use cues like “What are we doing?”, “Where should I be?”, “Who should I be working with?” Teach these explicitly, and share them with other teachers for consistency.

• Use Timed Reminders or Silent Watches
  Consider vibrating watches that remind students to check in with their attention every 15 minutes. This self-monitoring tool is subtle but powerful.

• Audit the Backpack
  Messy backpacks are often a red flag. Build routines around sorting materials and locating assignments—especially for students who often say, “I did it, but I lost it.”

• Reframe Fidgets as Tools
  Used appropriately, fidgets can improve attention and regulation. The key is teaching students that fidgets are tools, not toys, and establishing clear expectations.

• Offer a “Flash Pass” for Breaks
  Allow students a way to briefly leave the classroom to regroup and self-regulate. This prevents escalation and helps students return to learning more quickly.

• Model Metacognition
  Talk through your thinking. For example: “I’m feeling distracted, so I’m going to take a deep breath and refocus.” Modeling this helps students build internal dialogue.

Why This Matters in Reading Intervention

Crista explained that children with strong executive function tend to be better readers—especially when it comes to tricky spelling patterns and decoding challenges. Students with poor working memory, however, may lose information before they can apply it. And students with poor regulation may not be mentally available to learn at all.

In other words, executive function isn’t just a background skill—it’s a foundation for reading success.

Final Thoughts: Literacy Requires More Than Phonics

Executive function is often overlooked in intervention planning. But if we want students to read fluently, comprehend deeply, and build stamina, we must teach and support their cognitive skill development.

Crista reminded us that intelligence and executive function are not the same. Many bright students with high IQs still function with only 50–60% of the EF skills their peers demonstrate. That’s why it takes time, practice, and systems that support independence over time.

Watch the full interview here.

Learn More from Crista A. Hopp

Crista offers a 30-hour professional course on executive function through Connected Pathways Academy. It’s specifically designed for educators and coaches who want to understand the science behind EF and implement best practices in classrooms and intervention settings.

You can explore her workshops, digital tools, and upcoming trainings at:

www.connectedpathwaysacademy.com

Ready to Learn More?

If you support middle school readers, check out my Reading Reset course for interventionists at www.emilymuccianti.com. For K–5 educators, I also offer a comprehensive MTSS and intervention framework course.

Have a question about executive function in reading? Leave a comment or message me—we’ll keep the conversation going and bring more expert guidance your way.