Executive Functions Introduction
You may or may not have heard the term “executive functions” as part of your child’s educational experience. You may be asking yourself the following questions…
What are executive functions?
What impact do executive functions have on education?
Read on for a brief introduction!
Executive functions are higher level cognitive processes that allow us to regulate our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. They are controlled by the prefrontal cortex of our brains and develop over time. It is important to note that we are not born with these skills already at our fingertips, but we are born with the potential to develop them. Encompassing areas such as organization, planning, time management, and response inhibition, these executive functions are crucial for success not only at school but in life.
While some people develop executive function skills organically without explicit instruction, many people struggle with building these skills and learning how to apply them effectively. Students may struggle with executive functions for a variety of reasons, including related formal diagnoses (ex: ADHD, Learning Disabilities), individual learning differences, an unsupportive learning environment, or high stress levels. Struggling with one or more areas of executive functioning is NOT an indicator of how intelligent a student is- even the brightest students may struggle to organize their time or stay on task.
Research has shown that that many students benefit from growth-supporting environments that provide scaffolding, allowing them to practice strategies with targeted guidance before moving on to independent implementation and mastery. With a d
Executive Function
Areas
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Being able to keep track of materials and information so that you can easy access them for use. For students, this includes keeping track of both physical and digital learning materials
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Being able to keep track of your schedule and accurately figure out how much time you will need to complete tasks, especially those with multiple parts or steps
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Understanding the steps needed to complete what needs to get done as well as being able to decide what is most important or need to be completed first
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Being able to adapt to unexpected situations or come up with alternative solutions to problems so you don’t get “stuck”
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The ability to break the ice and start a task without procrastinating
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Being able to maintain consistent attention on a task that needs to be completed even in the presence of internal or external distractors
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Being able to continue to work towards the completion of a goal or task even in the face of boredom, setbacks, or distractions
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The ability to pause and think before acting or speaking on impulse
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Being able to hold onto and utilize the information needed to complete tasks related to learning and problem-solving
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Being able to manage your feelings so they don’t hold you back from finishing work and achieving your goals
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The ability to objectively review and assess your progress and performance in order to adjust how you would like to approach tasks in the future
