“Executive function strategies help students to go beyond the content that is being taught, so that learning is process-based rather than only outcome based.” - Dr. Lynn Meltzer
Key Concepts:
- Executive function skills are housed in the prefrontal cortex and are responsible for focusing our attention and effort on a task, thinking flexibly, adjusting to changing needs and expectations, remembering rules and information to inform our actions, and regulating our desires, needs and behaviors to complete a task.
- There are three parts of executive function skills - cognitive flexibility (related to multitasking and problem-solving), working memory (related to short and long term memory), and inhibitory control (related to our ability to display self control and act appropriately).
- Executive function skills are the skills children need to thrive, but they aren’t automatic. You grow them over time - over a lifetime - with lots of practice and support.
What to Try:
- Talk to your child about how their brain works. This is best to do in calm moments. Conversations about why they feel before they think, plus where those feelings come from, helps your child understand their own behavior.
- Help your child stay organized. This looks different for each kid. Try using a clipboard with a checklist or a timer to help transition from one task to the next.
- Play sports. Remembering rules, gaining skills and knowledge, and thinking through strategies are ALL executive function skills. Try paintball or laser tag - both require quick reaction times and constant monitoring.
- Play games. Card games are excellent for developing executive function skills - try hearts or spades (promote working memory) or spit (which requires fast decision making). Board games often require your child to think ahead and continuously adjust their plan. Crossword puzzles and brain teasers also help promote working memory.
- Playing musical instruments promotes working memory, patterns, hand-eye coordination, AND attention.
- Singing and dancing helps to build attention, self-monitoring, and inhibitory control.
- Take breaks. Encourage pauses and body breaks when things feel like too much.