A 2025 Canadian study, The Correspondence Between Executive Functioning and Academic Achievement Among Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure, looks at the relationship between executive functioning and academic achievement in 74 children and youth with prenatal alcohol exposure, including those diagnosed with FASD. Researchers compared formal assessment results with observations from educators and caregivers. What makes this study particularly interesting is that a student’s performance during testing doesn’t always match what teachers and caregivers see in everyday situations. The findings are worth considering when we think about how we assess, understand and support students with FASD.
Key Takeaways for FASD Instructional Coaches and Teaching Staff
1. Test scores don’t tell the whole story. A student may demonstrate a skill during a formal assessment but have difficulty using that same skill in the classroom. This is why teacher observations are so important. We need to pay attention to what students can actually manage throughout the school day, not just what their assessments tell us.
2. Academic struggles may be connected to executive functioning. The research found connections between academic achievement and skills such as working memory, getting started on tasks and shifting between activities. When a student isn’t completing assignments or appears to be struggling with instructions, it’s worth asking what might be getting in the way rather than assuming they aren’t trying.
3. Pay attention to the environment. A student may manage quite well at home but struggle at school, or the other way around. Different environments come with different demands and expectations. For FASD Instructional Coaches, this is a good reminder to work with teaching staff to look at classroom routines, expectations and available supports. Sometimes changing how we approach a task can make all the difference.