Executive Functioning Supports
This webpage describes some of the technology available in LCPS which supports executive functioning. This list is not exhaustive. Additional options are available.
What Is Executive Functioning?
Executive functioning skills are a set of cognitive abilities that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control used daily to learn, work, and manage everyday life. Learners can use technology to help them learn how to manage and develop these abilities.
Skills To Manage LEarning
Technology, whether low-tech or high-tech, can be used to help learners get and stay organized and to get things done. Checklists, calendars, timers, and reminders are just some functions of tools useful in managing one's own life.
Managing Time
Learners can use technology to help manage their time. Creating a schedule, placing items on calendars, and using alerts and alarms can help learners efficiently and effective move throughout the day, week, month, and year.
Learners can use their Google accounts to create and manage multiple calendars. It has color coding, collaboration, and reminder features to help individuals never miss another event. Different views allow the learner to see a schedule for the day, week, month, or even more customized options. At first, educators might need to provide guidance about what types of events should go on the calendar. Over time, using the calendar becomes habitual and part of one's daily routine.
Learn the basics of how to set up Google Calendar.
Customizable timers can have fun visual components indicating time remaining.
Timers
Knowing how much time one has left before a transition takes place helps learners understand when the task they are working to complete will come to an end. Educators can guide learners to set their own timers to help them learn self-management skills. Learners can also challenge themselves to complete tasks accurately within the given time frame. Timers can have both visual and auditory components as a cue to the learner about how much time is left.
Alerts and Alarms
When diligently working on a task it can be easy to lose track of time. An alarm or alert helps learners know that something is coming up that needs attention. Learner can set an alarm to go off at a specific time. Educators might need to provide guidance with regard how much time might be needed to prepare for the transition to the next experience.
Set alarms for a specific time of day.
Visual schedules help learners know what is coming next.
Visual Schedules
The daily view of a calendar can act like a visual schedule but sometimes learners need to see the same items every day which can clutter the calendar. A separate visual schedule can help individuals learn time, understand when a transition is coming, and establish a secure, predictable routine. Educators can guide learners in the creation of their own, personalized visual schedules.
Additional Resources
Use Siri on iOS devices for setting reminders for making reminders, generating events in calendars, and setting alarms.
Use Alexa on Amazon apps and devices for making reminders, generating events in calendars, and setting alarms.
Use Google Assistant and Google Home to create reminders, generate event on Google Calendar, and set alarms.
More Useful Tips for Google Calendar
Print a Paper Calendar
Check a Use Your Own Technology device, such as a tablet or phone for a built-in calendar feature.
Prioritizing and Completing Tasks
Learners can use technology to create a checklist of tasks to accomplish and put them in order based on what needs to get done first.
CheckLists
Checklists provide a visual reminder of what needs to be accomplished. Checkboxes can be used to indicate when something has been completed. Digital checklists can often be shared with educators to provide guidance and feedback. Digital checklists are also often flexible, allowing items to be re-ordered, read aloud with text to speech, and edited.
Tips for creating checklists using Google Keep.
Additional Resources
A Use Your Own Technology device may have a to do list application or feature.
Organizing and Locating Materials
Technology can be used to organize materials and quickly find them again when needed.
Colors (and icons) can be added to Google Drive to help locate information.
Color Coding
People who can see different colors can use color coding as a strategy for organizing and finding information. For instance, different colors can be added to folders per subject area to help learner quickly navigate to the corresponding folder.
Labels or Tags
Labels or tags allow individuals to categorize items in more than one way. Information can be given more than one label or tag. When looking for information, learners can select a label or tag to see every piece of information to which that label or tag has been applied.
Labels allow users to quickly sort and find information.
Search features in Google Drive help learners quickly get to what they need without having to spend energy trying to organize, categorize, and later locate files.
Search
Digital search tools provide flexibility in how learners can find and locate information, including their own files. Learning how to effectively search can often be more efficient than attempting to organize information in a consistent manner. Search features often use prediction to help quickly identify or locate information.
Remembering What Needs To Get Done
Learning is busy work and there are many things to try to remember. Technology can be used to help learners remember what's important and what they need to do to get things done!
Reminders
Reminders help individuals remember what tasks and events are upcoming. Reminders can be paired with notifications to send a message in preparation of an upcoming event.
Learners can set reminders to never forget a thing!
Additional Resources
Using "Alexa, set a reminder" on devices with Amazon Alexa enabled
A Use Your Own Technology device may have a reminder application or feature