Executive Functioning
Executive function skills are a set of cognitive processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions and multi-task successfully. It’s like the CEO of our brain and lets us go from wanting to get something done, to actually getting it done! It is also sometimes compared to an air traffic control system that safely manages arrivals and departures on multiple runways. In the same way, the brain needs the executive functioning skills to work well in order to prioritize tasks, filter distractions, set and achieve goals and control impulses.
Below are the 12 executive skills, as listed in Smart but Scattered, by Dr. Peg Dawson & Dr. Richard Guare.
· Emotional Control:
The ability to manage emotions in order to achieve goals, complete tasks, or control and direct behavior.
· Flexibility:
The ability to revise plans in the face of obstacles or setbacks.
· Goal-directed persistence:
The capacity to have a goal & follow through to the completion of the goal.
· Meta-cognition:
The ability to stand back and take a birds-eye view of oneself in a situation.
· Organization:
The ability to create and maintain systems to keep track of information or materials.
· Planning/Prioritization:
The ability to create a roadmap to reach a goal or to complete a task. It also involves being determining what’s important to focus on and what’s not important.
· Response Inhibition:
The capacity to think before you act.
· Stress Tolerance:
The ability to thrive in stressful situations and to cope with uncertainty and change.
· Sustained Attention:
The capacity to maintain attention to a situation or task in spite of distractibility, fatigue, or boredom.
· Task Initiation:
The ability to begin projects without undue procrastination, in an efficient or timely fashion.
· Time Management:
The capacity to estimate how much time one has, how to allocate it, and how to stay within time limits and deadlines.
· Working Memory:
The ability to hold information in memory while performing complex tasks.
Children aren’t born with these skills—they are born with the potential to develop them. Some children may need more support than others to develop these skills.
Here are some great and basic tips to use with a child who has weak executive functioning skills:
1. Write it down: This is an excellent help for weak working memory. Signs, checklists, calendars, sticky notes, lists- anything visual will be super helpful.
2. Use clocks... Or timers, or apps. Allow your child to see and feel time passing to improve time management skills. Work with analog clock (old fashion clocks with a face 😊) so your child can watch the time pass, as opposed to a digital clock.
The best clock to use is a visual clock, where the child does not have to calculate the minutes passing, but can intuitively understand a countdown by looking at the colors presented on the clock.
3. Get moving! It is well documented that exercise boosts executive functioning skills. Taking breaks to move and get physical may be a game changer in getting things done!
4. Show compassion and give lots of love: Children with executive functioning deficits are often smart but under perform. We must acknowledge & validate their struggles and demonstrate our unconditional love for them regardless of their performance.
To really understand your child and learn great skills to help them better their executive functioning, it is imperative that you read up about it. Below are some gold standard books that will help educate you.
There’s nothing more frustrating than watching your bright, talented son or daughter struggle with everyday tasks. Drs. Peg Dawson and Richard Guare have great news: there’s a lot you can do to help. Learn easy-to-follow steps to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses, use activities and techniques proven to boost specific skills, and problem-solve daily routines.
Late, Lost, and Unprepared is a must-have book for parents of children from primary school through high school who struggle with Executive functioning deficits. Full of encouragement and practical strategies, the book's organization--short chapters with overviews, summaries, case studies & tips.
3. ORGANIZING THE DISORGANIZED CHILD
"How can I help my child get organized without waging a battle?" This essential toolkit for parents and educators factors organizational styles into the equation, and offers effective strategies that deliver amazing long-term results.
How about reading books with your child to teach them some great skills they might master on their own? Here is a great selection.
EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING WORKBOOK FOR KIDS:
This captivating workbook is an excellent teaching tool for parents with children who cannot sit through mundane workbooks. Working through our original storyline together, your child will learn how to plan and prioritize by helping cute characters with their problems during a fun space adventure.
2. Executive FUNctioning Books by: Byan Smith
Brothers Braden and Blake are the central characters in the Executive FUNction picture book series. One is quick to turn the smallest setbacks into the biggest life-shattering disasters while the other is so unorganized, he creates chaos wherever he goes. The stories deal with flexible thinking, resiliency, controlling impulses, emotional balance, planning and prioritizing, and learning to how to focus on a task. Complex skills are described in simple behavioral steps, making it easier for kids to learn how to prioritize, plan and, ultimately, prosper in the classroom and at home.
