Looking to learn more about executive functioning or study strategies? Check out the recommendations below:
Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning explores the science of effective learning by explaining how we learn and debunking common misconceptions about learning and memory. The authors provide evidence-based techniques for building durable memory and provides practical insights on how to improve study habits.
Highlights:
The importance of retrieval
Common beliefs surrounding learning
Illusions of learning to avoid.
Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy by Daniel T. Willingham offers a variety of practical study strategies designed to foster durable learning. Willingham challenges prevalent misconceptions about how the brain works and introduces more effective study techniques to replace commonly held but ineffective methods. He organizes his book by study-related topic and encourages readers to navigate freely to explore the sections they are most interested in. You can listen to an episode of MindShift where he was a featured guest to hear an overview of his key tips related to taking notes, studying, and procrastination.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey presents seven essential habits that help teenagers become more successful in their studies and personal development. By promoting proactive behavior, goal setting, effective time management, and positive interpersonal skills, it equips teens with the tools necessary to take responsibility for their learning and to work towards academic excellence.
This book can also be paired with The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens personal workbook or ultimate activity guide.
Smart but Scattered by Drs. Peg Dawson and Richard Guare is written for the parents of children aged 4-13 who grapple with executive functioning challenges despite their intelligence. This insightful guide provides strategies to help children develop these essential skills, which affect academic performance and daily life. The first two parts provide a foundation of what it means to be "smart but scattered"; part three is structured to be flexible, allowing parents to navigate to the tools they need. The entire book is notably practical as it offers worksheets, templates, and surveys for the parents to use directly out of the book.
10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades by Thomas Frank, also known as "College Info Geek" on YouTube, is a valuable resource for students seeking to improve their academic performance. While Frank primarily addresses college students, the majority of his advice is still applicable and beneficial for high school students. He offers straight forward tips and and a systematic approach, equipping readers with the tools needed to mix up their study strategies and try something new. While the book does not delve into the rationale behind the tips, its concise nature makes it an excellent go-to reference for the various study topics covered.