EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS: THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR SUCCESS

NACAC Essentials of Professional Development

Alice L. Robertson, School Counselor

WHAT WE HEAR…

He’s smart…but he’s just not doing well in school.

She keeps losing things!

She says she doesn’t have any homework.

He always does things last minute.

Why did he do that?

He never raises his hand, he just blurts out the answer.

She melts down whenever she doesn’t get her way.

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS

Skills everyone uses to organize and act on information

Complementary and Connected!

Students can develop these skills over time they can be in charge of their learning!

developing these skills can improve their learning

and school performance

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS: WHAT ARE THEY?

Impulse Control/Inhibition

Emotional Control

Flexible Thinking

Working Memory

Self-Monitoring

Planning, Prioritizing, Organization

Task Initiation

Organization

WHAT DO WE KNOW?

Studies suggest that supporting the development of EF skills allows students to:

perform better academically

feel confident in themselves

get along better with peers, adults

greater chance of going to college, get a good job, making more money as an adult, and have fewer health problems

Preparing Students Today for Jobs That Don’t Exist Yet

Employers are and will continue to seek people who are flexible, willing and able to learn, etc.

WHAT’S NORMAL?

Elementary School

Trouble Shifting Between Activities

Can’t Get Organized

Gets “Stuck” on an Idea

Misses the Point

Middle School

Hard Time Making Social Plans

Avoids, Procrastinates

Surprised by Failure

WHAT’S NORMAL?

High School

Argues Ineffectively

Waits Until the Last Minute

Socially ‘Out of Sync’

Runs Out of Time

Homework/Assignment Trouble

WHAT’S NORMAL?

Problems with executive function may be manifested when a student:

has difficulty planning a project

has trouble comprehending how much time a project will take to complete

struggles to tell a story (verbally or in writing); has trouble communicating details in an organized, sequential manner

has difficulty with the mental strategies involved in memorization and retrieving information from memory

has trouble initiating activities or tasks, or generating ideas independently

has difficulty retaining information while doing something with it; e.g., remembering a phone number while dialing.

WAIT…IS THERE A TEST?

Retrieved from https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/words.html

WAIT…IS THERE A TEST?

Stroop Color Word Task

Processing Speed

Attentional Focus

Block out Distractions

SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTION

ASCA MINDSETS & BEHAVIORS

M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a balance of mental, social/emotional, and physical well-being

M 2. Self-confidence in the ability to succeed

M 5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes

M 6. Positive attitude toward work and learning

Available online:

https://schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/home/MindsetsB

ehaviors.pdf

CENTER ON THE DEVELOPING CHILD (HARVARD UNIVERSITY)

Activities Guide by Age/Stage

Play Board/Card Games: Uno (Cognitive Flexibility), Battleship (Working Memory, Inhibition Control)

Physical Activities/Games: Simon Says (Attention, Self-Control, Cognitive Flexibility), Organized Sports (Concentration,

Music, Singing, Dance: Coordination of Working Memory, Attention, Cognitive Flexibility, Inhibition

Brain Teasers: Sudoku, Crossword Puzzles

Available online: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/activities-guide-enhancing-

and-practicing-executive-function-skills-with-children-from-infancy-to-adolescence/

FLEXIBLE THINKING

Thinking of something in a new way and letting go of the old way of doing something in order to use the new way (cognitive shift)

Bend the Rules

Teach Self-Talk

Tweak the Routine

Ask broader questions and use less restrictive language.

“What is the answer?” “Did you try ---?”

“What have you considered?” “What have you already tried?”

IMPULSE CONTROL, EMOTIONAL CONTROL, MOVEMENT CONTROL

Set expectations for behavior in advance

‘Personal Space Camp’

Learn to identify emotions/feelings and coping skills

Catch students using self-control and be specific

TASK INITIATION

Often secondary deficit: organization, working memory, cognitive shift hinder this skill

Structure of the Environment and the Activity

Guide through the first step

Chunking, Provide Work Samples/Examples

Consider short breaks to maintain attention

Avoid labeling students as ‘unmotivated’ and doing it for them

PLANNING, PRIORITIZING, ORGANIZATION

Largest Area of Need According to HS Students & Parents!

Managing Time/Prioritization Explain the concept of time management early

Highlight the incentives

‘Must Do’ versus ‘Should/Want to Do’

Manage Distractions

Managing Space & Materials Provide students the ‘tools’ to do their work

Set up homework stations in classrooms, ‘pods’, at home

Class-created ‘Backpack Checklist’

Activity: Plan a Trip

PLANNING, PRIORITIZING, ORGANIZATION

Managing Work/Submitting Completed Work Show them samples of assignments/projects

Program reminders into phones to turn in work/follow up with teachers

Link work submission with something important to the student

Use student agenda to track work completion to help with submission!

Make Organization Automatic

Teach Students How to Use a Planner

One System Does Not Fit All

FINAL THOUGHTS

THINGS TO CONSIDER…

Development of EF Skills takes:

time

intentional conversations and lessons

reinforcement

practice, practice, practice

How can you incorporate executive functions into already existing lessons?

What do teachers identify as needs?

Don’t assume students already know!

Don’t assume parents already know!

REFERENCES

Hurley, K. (2015). Flexible thinking: How to encourage kids to go with the flow.Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/parents/expert-tips-advice/2016/04/flexible-thinking-encourage-kids-go-flow/

Knox, R. (Writer and Narrator). (2010, March 1). The Teen Brain: It’s Just Not Grown Up Yet. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124119468

Mama OT. (2013, April 28). Tips for teaching kids time management, planning, and organization (aka-executive function skills). Retrieved from http://mamaot.com/tips-for-teaching-kids-time-management-planning-and-organization/

Meuwissen, A. (2015). Strengthening executive function in children: Tips for parents and practitioners. Retrieved from http://www.search-institute.org/downloadable/exec-function-feb-2015.pdf

Morin, A. (2014). At a glance: 8 key executive functions. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/executive-functioning-issues/key-executive-functioning-skills-explained

REFERENCES

Morin, A. (2014). Executive functioning issues: What you’re seeing in your grade-schooler. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/executive-functioning-issues/executive-functioning-issues-what-youre-seeing

Morin, A. (2014). Executive functioning issues: What you’re seeing in your high-schooler. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/executive-functioning-issues/executive-functioning-issues-what-youre-seeing-in-your-high-schooler

Morin, A. (2014). Executive functioning issues: What you’re seeing in your middle-schooler. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/executive-functioning-issues/executive-functioning-issues-what-youre-seeing-in-your-middle-schooler

National Center for Learning Disabilities. (2008). Executive function fact sheet.Retrieved from http://www.ldonline.org/article/24880

Yukon Education Student Network. (n.d.). Executive function handout series: Task initiation. Retrieved from http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/staffroom/selfreg/task_initiation.pdf