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Introduction to Executive Functioning
Introduction to Executive Functioning
"Executive Functioning" refers to the set of mental skills we need to we need to plan, prioritize, organize our time and our stuff, sustain our attention, get started on and stick with challenging tasks, and manage our emotions.
There are many ways to name and categorize executive functioning skills, and these often overlap. Below you'll find one framework to understand executive function.
For students and parents: Review this slide deck to learn about executive functioning.
For educators: Use synchronously with students and families to provide an overview of executive functioning.
For all of us: DON'T try to improve all your executive skills at once. DO choose one or two areas, set a goal, make a plan, and find ways to hold yourself accountable. (All of which is itself executive function practice!)
This slide desk can help you learn more about how your brain works (spoiler: our brains can only focus on one thing at a time, so we are actually incapable of multi-tasking!)
It will also provide you will some suggestions about how to set yourself up for success through preventing possible distractions to your work space.
Self-regulation & Impulse Control
Self-regulation & Impulse Control
Learning to manage strong emotions and inhibit impulsive behaviors can help us complete the tasks we need to complete and lower our stress levels.
Read more:
How to help your child build self-control
4 Apps to Help Tweens and Teens with Self-Control
How to Help Teens Manage their Emotions and Accept their Feelings
Flexible Thinking
Flexible Thinking
"Cognitive flexibility" is about taking the perspective of teachers and peers, formulating different solutions to problems, and handling changes in routine or expectations.
Read more:
Flexible Thinking: What You Need to Know
6 Ways Kids Use Flexible Thinking to Learn
Working Memory
Working Memory
Working memory allows us to hold information in the short-term, so we can transfer it to long-term memory.
Read more:
Working Memory: What it is & How it Works
"I Remembered Not to Forget!" How to Improve Working Memory in Children
Attention
Attention
Practicing sustaining our focus on a task is key for academic success, especially for lengthy or challenging tasks that may have many components.
Read more:
7 ways to help your teen avoid study distractions
Task Initiation
Task Initiation
Developing the ability to start a non-preferred task and overcoming a desire to procrastinate helps us get our work done.
Read more:
Task Initiation Executive Functioning Strategies
Why Kids With Executive Functioning Issues Have Trouble Starting Tasks
Planning & Prioritizing
Planning & Prioritizing
Planning & prioritizing involves mapping out multi- step tasks such as long-term class projects, and tackling assignments in order of importance.
Read more:
Executive Functioning Skills: Planning, Prioritizing, and Task Initiation
Time Management
Time Management
We need to figure out how judge how long tasks will take us so we can plan effectively, and how to allocate time for schoolwork and the other activities we need/want to do.
Read more:
How to Teach Time Management Skills to Teens
Organization
Organization
Students need to develop strategies for keeping track of materials at home and in school, organizing ideas and information for essays and research papers, managing digital data and files.
Read more:
Teachers' Secrets to Helping Your Teen Get Organized in School
Self-monitoring & Metacognition
Self-monitoring & Metacognition
"Megacognition" means thinking about our thinking. We can develop our ability to reflect on our own learning and strengthen the kind of self-awareness that drives good choices.
Read more:
8 Ways to Develop Metacognitive Skills
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