As educators, we know students who always seem to interrupt and disrupt the group. Do they have a response inhibition deficit?
Or that student who seems to know they have to start on an assignment but never gets going – is it a weakness in task initiation?
What are executive function skills?
Executive function skills are crucial in students’ ability to prioritize, plan, organize, and regulate their actions and emotions. Peg Dawson and Richard Guare also include working memory, sustained attention, task initiation, time management, goal-directed persistence, flexibility and metacognition in their list of executive functions.
Who struggles with executive functioning deficits?
It’s not surprising that the students most likely to struggle with executive functioning deficits include those with ADHD, Autism, learning disabilities, and anxiety.
Since this includes many of the students in today’s classroom settings, it’s important to empower every student by teaching them executive functioning skills.
What can educators do to encourage executive function skill development?
- Identify EF strengths and areas of need
It’s crucial to create a safe and supportive space where students can explore and understand their executive function skills.
By intentionally weaving executive function development into our teaching, we give students the tools they need to thrive in school and beyond.
The book Coaching Students with Executive Skills Challenges by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare offers five questionnaires for students, from preschool to upper elementary, as well as one for teachers and parents. These surveys are valuable because they help students recognize their strengths and areas for growth, guiding them toward meaningful improvement.
When you integrate executive function-focused strategies into your teaching, you’ll notice a positive change in how students stay organized, push through challenges and manage their time. These skills are essential not just for academic success but also for lifelong learning and personal growth.
2. Intentionally teach common executive function language
Teaching common vocabulary to describe and define executive functioning skills allows students to verbalize their strengths and weaknesses, raise questions and discuss these skills.
Using language like “Stop – Pause – Think” is effective when used consistently. And our students with weak impulse control will benefit from hearing it many times throughout the day.
The Executive Functioning Skills in the Classroom guide offers more practical tips on how to foster a healthy executive function culture in your classroom.
How can educators learn more?
Teaching a common vocabulary for executive functioning skills helps students talk about their strengths and weaknesses, ask questions, and have meaningful discussions.
Consistently using phrases like “Stop – Pause – Think” can be effective. Students who struggle with impulse control, in particular, will benefit from hearing it repeatedly throughout the day.
As educators, we have the power to ignite the executive function potential within each student.
The Executive Function workshop will increase your understanding of executive function skills and provide you with practical ways to promote and coach their development.
NILD Canada has been graduating classes of educational therapists since 1993, training educators to provide NILD Educational Therapy® they can support students with learning differences to reach their potential and beyond.