Executive Function Skills

Executive functioning is a term psychologists use to describe the many tasks our brains perform that are necessary to think, act, and solve problems. Executive functioning includes tasks that help us learn new information, keep new or recent information in our minds, and use this information to solve problems of everyday life. A person's executive functioning skills make it possible for them to live, work, and learn with an appropriate level of independence and competence for their age. Executive functioning allows people to access information, think about solutions, and implement those solutions.

Executive functioning skills are some of the most foundational elements for academic and social success. They are the skills that help us to plan, stay organized, pay attention to important information, use strategies to get us back on track when we veer off course, be flexible when things don’t go our way, and persevere through challenges. Executive functioning skills aren’t just an extra. They are the critical foundation that allows young people (and adults, too) to be successful in the classroom and beyond. With that, they deserve attention.

This website focuses on 10 Executive Function Skills divided into three categories listed below. Each Executive Function Skill has several videos, articles, assessments and worksheets (guided notes) providing support to build competencies in and improve these skills. It is recommended you print the guided notes to write your responses and reflect. However, you can write your responses to the questions on the guided notes in a notebook if printing is not possible. (As pointed out in "Note Taking" you absorb and retain more information by handing writing notes rather than typing them on a computer). There is a great deal of information within the site, visit often as you identify, develop and practice various Executive Function Skills.