Executive Function Skills in
Children
NAMI NH - Mental Health and Schools Conference
Grappone Conference Center – Concord, NH
Friday, October 11, 2013
Jonas Taub, MA, School Psychologist
Handouts for this Presentation
Resources
Dawson, P. & Guare, R. (2010).
Executive skills in children
and adolescents: A practical guide to assessment and
intervention
. 2
nd
Edition. New York: The Guilford Press.
Dawson, P., & Guare, R. (2009).
Smart but scattered: The
revolutionary ”executive skills" approach to helping kids
reach their potential.
New York: The Guilford Press.
Dawson, P., & Guare, R. (2012).
Coaching Students With
Executive Skills Deficitsl.
New York: The Guilford Press.
Intervention Central –
www.interventioncentral.com
Study Guides and Strategies
http://www.studygs.net/
Learning Strategies Database at Muskingum College -
http://www.muskingum.edu/~cal/database/general/
How To Study -
http://how-to-study.com/
High School Ace
http://highschoolace.com/ace.cfm
Quiz Hub
http://quizhub.com/quiz/quizhub.cfm
Definition
A set of cognitive processes
Related, yet Distinct abilities
Necessary for self-initiated, purposeful
behavior in novel or challenging
situations
Affect cognitive and emotional
What Are Executive Skills?
Executive skills refer to the cognitive
processes required to plan, organize,
and execute activities.
Frontal lobe functions that begin to
emerge shortly after birth but take a full
two decades to fully mature.
In students with attention disorders,
they tend to develop more slowly than
normal achieving peers.
Associated with…
ADHD
Learning Disabilities
Autism/Spectrum
Emotional Disabilities – Dysregulation
Tourette’s Syndrome
Most have differential abilities –
strengths and weaknesses.
Children and Adults
Executive Function Skills
Response Inhibition
Working Memory
Self Regulation of
Affect
Sustained Attention
Task Initiation
Planning/Organization
Organization
Time Management
Goal Directed
Persistence
Flexibility
Metacognition
What do Executive Function Weaknesses
Look Like?
Which Executive Function is it?
often viewed by their teachers and parents as
chronic underachievers or lazy.
trouble getting started on tasks,
get distracted easily,
lose papers or assignments,
forget to bring home the materials to complete
homework, or forget to hand homework in.
may rush through work or dawdle, making
What do Executive Function Weaknesses
Look Like?
do not know where to begin on long-term
assignments,
cannot break the task down into reasonable
subtasks,
put off the assignment until the last minute, in part
because they have difficulty judging the magnitude
of the task and how long it will take to compete.
work spaces are disorganized,
Difficulty learning and following class routines
teachers may refer to their desks, backpacks and
What do Executive Function
Weaknesses Look Like?
Some children have trouble problem solving:
When they encounter an obstacle in completing an
assignment, they are stumped.
When the approach they settled on does not work,
they cannot shift gears and find another way.
Some students are impulsive – they act or speak
without thinking, they live in the moment.
May also have trouble regulating their emotions
if they become excited about something, they may become
overly
excited.
When they get annoyed, the feelings may escalate to rage for
Teach and Build Executive Skills
Become their Fore Brain – show them how it works
Teach skills
Break it down
Scaffolding – Link/Build on the parts/steps
Make it concrete, visual
Be consistent
Verbalize the thought process and steps –
metacognition; internal dialogue
Frequent positive acknowledgement
General Strategies
Take step-by-step approaches to work; rely on visual
organizational aids.
Use tools like time organizers, computers or watches with
alarms.
Prepare visual schedules and review them several times a
day.
Ask for written directions with oral instructions whenever
possible.
Plan and structure transition times and shifts in activities.
Collaboration – Home and School
Learning Disabilities, ADHD, EBD, ASD,
and Executive Function Skills
Overlapping and Co-occurring
EF Weaknesses impact academic performance
Many similar strategies
Need explicit instruction
Continuum of difficulty/needs
Many in class will benefit from Structure, strategies, etc.
Classroom level instruction and intervention
Don’t have to be “Coded”/Identified
Differentiated Instruction
Accommodations
Basic skill acquisition requires efficient EF skills
As progress through grades, skills become more complex and
Three Primary Ways to Help Kids With
Weak Executive Skills:
Change the environment
Reduce impact of Executive Function weaknesses
Increase likelihood of success.
Teach Executive Skills
Explicit instruction
Step by Step – Teach each step – Link the steps
Use Incentives to get the child to use and
Managing Time
Create checklists and "to do" lists,
estimating how long tasks will take.
Break long assignments into chunks and
assign time frames for completing each
chunk.
Use visual calendars to keep track of long
term assignments, due dates, chores, and
activities.
Use management software or iDevices.
Be sure to write the due date on top of
Managing Space and Materials
Organize work space.
Minimize clutter.
Consider having separate work
areas with complete sets of
supplies for different activities.
Schedule a weekly time to clean
Managing Work
Make a checklist for getting through
assignments. For example, a student's
checklist could include such items as:
get out pencil and paper; put name on
paper; put due date on paper; read
directions; etc.
Meet with a teacher or supervisor on a
regular basis to review work;
troubleshoot problems.
Daily Homework Planner
Source : Dawson, P. & Guare, R. (2010) Executive Skills in Children
and Adolescents: A Practical Guide for Assessment and Intervention.
2
nd
Edition. The Guilford Press (p. 200)
Subject/Assignment
Do I Have all
the materials?
Do I Need
Help?
How long
do you
think it
will take?
Start
Time
Stop
Time
How long
did it
take?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Home, School and more
Teach Study Skills, including
Note taking
Use of a planner or calendar to manage assignments and
homework
Written expression, outlining and planning
Studying for tests
Memorizing
Organizing strategies
Accommodations need to be specific and taught
Make sure all players know how/what to do
Teach social skills and self regulation skills
Anticipate, Pre-Cue and cue, plan for success
It takes time – don’t expect a quick change
Combination of interventions, but avoid too much all at
once
Teach, ramp up and re-teach
Transition across grades
Strategies For Studying And
Test Taking
Use Mnemonics or create your own to
remember a set of facts.
Sing the information, rhyme the
information, set it to a rhythm.
Study a little each day. Try to review right
before the test.
Re-copy your notes each day from class.
Re-organize them into a chart, or other visual
If you find that some information is missing, ask or find out
Strategies For Studying And Test Taking
Summarize notes or key facts, formulas, etc., onto
a single page.
=> quick review during spare moments.
Visualization - Create visual cues or icons for
information you are having difficulty remembering.
Have a set place and time to do homework and
study.
Study for the test in a circumstance or setting that
most closely resembles where the learning
occurred, and where the testing will take place
Don’t spend too much time on one test question –
THE SUCCESSFUL STUDENT'S STUDY SKILLS CHECKLIST
Directions: Please read through these quickly and circle the N or Y.
N Y 1. I have written out and posted a weekly schedule for myself. The time-table includes class
study and work time along with other necessary daily time expenditures.
N Y 2. I know the name of every teacher I have this semester, his/her office location, campus
phone number and office hours.
N Y 3. I have the required books for every class.
N Y 4. I have surveyed every textbook that I am using this semester, i.e., I've read the
Introduction, Preface, Table of Contents, Glossary, and Index.
N Y 5. In case I am forced to miss a class I know the name and phone number of a fellow student
that I can call.
N Y 6. I have a separate and workable notebook for each class, i.e., there is a place for handouts, a
place to note assignments, flexibility to add or recopy notes without influencing the proper
sequence, etc.
N Y 7. I have located a permanent place to study. The place is well lighted, quiet, free of
distractions, and equipped with proper studying equipment.
N Y 8. My lecture notes are always dated, written in my own words, neat, and titled.
N Y 9. When I get tense before an exam, I know a relaxation technique that can help me do better
on the test.
N Y 10. Upon taking a test, I first skim through the entire test, then work the questions I am most
sure of, then go back and answer the more difficult ones and finally review the entire test.
N Y 11. I always survey a chapter before beginning to read thoroughly.
N Y 12. I always summarize, either silently or in writing, the chapter I have just finished reading.
N Y 13. When I read, I read actively; that is, I read with questions in mind.
N Y 14. I underline in my textbooks after I read a chapter.
N Y 15. I always attempt to be on time for class.
N Y 16. I always come prepared to class. I have read the assignment and completed the written
assignment.
Revised: Spring 2002
STUDENT LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER (SLAC)
Study Skills Checklist My grade
1. I have clearly-defined, long-term educational goals. No Rare Often Yes
2. I set goals for myself each week. No Rare Often Yes
3. I recognize the times of day when I’m most mentally alert. No Rare Often Yes
4. I use a weekly schedule to organize my work, study, and social life.
No Rare Often Yes
5. I have a place where I study on a regular basis that is comfortable, has the tools I need to study, and is without distraction.
No Rare Often Yes
6. I always go to class. No Rare Often Yes
7. I utilize a note taking method that enables me to accurately record lecture information.
No Rare Often Yes
8. In class, I am aware of whether or not I fully understanding the ideas. No Rare Often Yes
9. I participate in class discussions, and raise my hand when I don’t understand something.
No Rare Often Yes
10. I spend some time soon after class reading over my notes, to improve them if necessary, to reflect about the ideas, and do any assigned exercises or
homework problems.
No Rare Often Yes
11. After going through my class notes, if there are any ideas that I have difficulty understanding, even after going back to the text, I check with someone who can help (Classmate, Teacher, Tutor, Learning Center).
No Rare Often Yes
12. I read my text (or do other appropriate preparatory work) every week before going to class.
No Rare Often Yes
13. As I read my text, I pay a lot of attention to the text structure: study questions, text in bold or italics, headings, glossary, pictures, charts.
No Rare Often Yes
14. I have techniques that I use to memorize important information. No Rare Often Yes
15. I have a system and use it for summarizing the main points of the text, by doing some of the following: I highlight, make marginal notes, make summary notes, or use the study guide.
No Rare Often Yes
16. I do occasional review of past text chapters and/or class notes even when I don't have a test looming.
No Rare Often Yes
17.
I give myself enough time to review adequately for a test. No Rare Often Yes18.
I find ways to self-test during my test review--instead of just reading over the information.No Rare Often Yes
19.
I study with other students and join study groups, even when they aren’t assigned.No Rare Often Yes
20.
I maintain a healthy diet and get my necessary sleep, especially before a test or exam.No Rare Often Yes
21.
I am able to manage my anxiety in tests or exams. No Rare Often Yes22.
I plan my exam writing based on the amount of time and the value of individual questions.No Rare Often Yes
Note Taking
Strategies for Note Taking
Cornell Method
Two-Column Method
REAP Strategy
Outline Format
FORM Strategy
Topic and Concept Cards
Alternate Formats
http://www.muskingum.edu/~cal/database
/general/notetaking3.html
Interventions for Writing
Writing is one of the most complex skills we
learn/teach – involves many skills
Language and motor
Internal dialogue - Metacognition
Planning and Prioritization
Orthographics – rules of spelling and
writing
Phonology
Phonetics
Written fluency
Working Memory
Organization
Pre - Writing
Outline, brainstorm, web, map or other
strategy for planning and pre-writing
Need to be explicitly taught, modeled,
practiced,
Student writes or dictates
Gradually takes on more
Keep it simple – get ideas on paper
Discuss how to organize for writing –
Writing Baseball Diamond
Reason
Reason
Reason
Opening Statement
Closing Statement
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Opening Statement:
Reason 1:
Reason 2:
Reason 3:
Closing Statement:
Opening Statement:
Reason 1:
Reason 2:
Reason 3:
Closing Statement:
Graphic Organizers – Web Resources
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learnin
g/lr1grorg.htm
http://themes.pppst.com/graphic-organizers.html
http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/cc/vp_gle/2nd/more/graphic
_organizers.htm
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/index.jsp
5 Sentence Paragraph
5 paragraph Essay
5 Sentence Paragraph
Opening statement or topic sentence
3 supporting facts
Summary statement
5 Paragraph Essay
5 (5 Sentence) Paragraphs
Opening Paragraph
3 Supporting Paragraphs
Summary Paragraph
5 Sentence Paragraph
5 paragraph Essay
Use pre-writing to develop paragraph(s)
Identify the introductory or opening
Identify, sequence facts
Identify what might go in one or another paragraph
Write each sentence – in order, on paper, on computer, dictated
Provide a Template for the 5 Sentence
Paragraph
Editing
Spelling, opening and closing punctuation, grammar, etc.
One category at a time
Identify errors, or sentences/lines with errors – student ID and correct
Avoid making a lot of marks on the student’s paper.
Metacognitive – model the internal dialogue
for planning, writing, organizing, editing,
correcting, etc
3 Tiers for Executive Skills – Tier I
Core Instruction and Differentiation of Core
By classroom teacher for all students
Integrate Executive Skills and Study Skills in all classes, across
the day
Establish Class Routines
Assignment Book
Management of Homework
Behavior Rules – Clearly understood and posted
Teach Study Skills
How to Extract info from reading
How to organize and plan assignments,
Take and maintain notes, study for tests
Strategies/skills for time utilization, task persistence
Motivation
Contingencies and rewards for meeting goals
Make it fun and positive – pour on the praise
3 Tiers for Executive Skills -
Tier II
More Intensive – Focused, Targeted
For kids who need more specific structure and support
May need increased attention/assistance from teacher and/or
others
Modify or adapt assignments – Specific practice, smaller
chunks, more structure
Homework Club
Daily or weekly communication – Incentives, rewards
Small Groups or Individual – Are there groups of children that
need the same kind of support?
Data Collection, monitoring – Can be helpful to see progress –
can be very meaningful for student and parents
Daily check-in/out
Collaboration and support
Parents/Family
Paraprofessionals
Other support staff and specialists
3 Tiers for Executive Skills -
Tier III
Most Intensive
Children with most intensive intervention needs
May need skill teaching AND accommodation
Usually Identified for Special Education
Dual challenge of engagement in regular Education AND building
skills, self-reliance
Interventions
Smallest Groups
Most skilled interventionists
Most intensive interventions
Explicit Instruction, Practice of Academic and Executive Skills
May be multiple Interventionists and Supports
Need to integrate/collaborate
Specific strategies for Home, School, and linkage
One person may play
Home School Collaboration - Assumptions
Parents love their children
Parents want to do well by their children
Every family has its unique structure and demands
Work
Marriage/Relationship
Cooperation
Children – needs, number,
Activities
Family stressors
Life Style +/-
Culture/beliefs/priorities
Natural Supports
Money/Finances/Employment
The way they do things
Home-School Collaboration
Eight-
P
Philosophy
Partnership as a priority
Planned Effort
Proactive and persistent communication
Positive
Personalized
Practical Suggestions
Program monitoring
Attend to the Process for building
relationships with families
(from: Gimpel Peacock, G & Collett, B.R. Collaborative
Home/School Collaboration, 2008)
Home-School Communication
Commonly used by teachers
Often a Notebook with narrative
comments - descriptive
Possible shortcomings
General;
Negative;
Inconsistent;
Subjective;
Judgmental
Home-School Communication
Specific information related to the needs/goals
for the child – student performance
Mutually agreed on and understood
Simple ratings – as appropriate
Brief focused narrative.
More positive than negative
Emphasize shared responsibility – role for
home/school
Easy to complete – for teacher and parent
Consistency of focus
Daily Communication Sheet - Sample
Morning Communication – Home To School
Cathy slept well last night
Yes
Somewhat
No
Comment
Food
Breakfast
Home
School
Snack
Home
School
Lunch
Home
School
Medication this morning
Yes
No
Comment
Completed last night’s homework.
Yes
Partial
No
Comment
General Comments
School Day Communication – School to Home
Truthfulness in School
Yes
Some Issues
Significant Issues
Comment
Talk at home?
Yes
No
Positive Peer interactions
Very Much
Mostly
Some Problems
Tough Day
Comment
Talk at home?
Yes
No
Work completion/participation
Great Job!
Mostly Done
Tough Day
Comment
Talk at home?
Yes
No
Follow classroom routines (arrival, dismissal, transitions, recess)
Great Job!
Most of the time
Tough Day
Comment
Talk at home?
Yes
No
General Comments
Daily Home-School Communication
Cathy G
Date: __________________
Weekly Progress Report
Teacher
Subject
Date:
Attendance:
Absences
Tardy
Poor
Excellent
Was On Task During Class
1
2
3
4
5
Completed Assigned Work
1
2
3
4
5
Appropriate Behavior And
1
2
3
4
5
Language
Grades This Week:
Homework Quizzes Tests Projects
Missing or Incomplete?
Upcoming assignments of note?
Comments:
Ben’s Daily Success Chart
Date
Class
I did my work
No Sometimes Yes
Respectful to teachers & peers
No Sometimes Yes
Math
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
Language Arts
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
Science
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
Social Studies
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
Enrichment
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
Lunch
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
UA 1
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
UA 2
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
Average score of 1 or greater earns……
A week of Average 1 or better earns………
Build Positive Home School Collaboration
Identify a goal(s)
Realistic for Parent & Child
Parent and Teacher agree
Doable
The parent knows what/how to do it
Parent has time/place/materials
Parent and child must be successful
Identify the Task or Procedure
What will you do?
What will the Parent do?
Communication
Keep it simple, clear, positive
What need to go home/back to school?
How will it be transmitted?
How is the child acknowledged for doing a good
job?