Executive Functioning Process

Having been a special educator of students of all ages for almost forty years,  I came across many students who exhibited weak executive functioning skills. It wasn't until a concussion four years ago that affected my executive functioning skills that I really began to understand how executive functioning skills impact a person's daily activities.  I read a lot of articles and books on the subject and attended many seminars and workshops on executive functioning.

First, a definition of Executive Function is needed for better understanding. The following one was received at an LDAA conference session from Block and Lendman (AHEAD Management Institute).  It states:  "The executive functions are a collection of cognitive abilities that regulate responses and behaviors.  They include the ability to initiate and stop actions, to monitor and change behavior, and to plan future behavior.  Executive functions allow us to anticipate outcomes and adapt. They also play a part in conceptualizing and thinking abstractly".

Margaret Foster, who presented a seminar at last year's LDA's National Convention in Anaheim, CA, ("Boosting Executive Skills in Reading and Writing"),  listed those who may have have trouble with executive functions.  Besides being associated with such developmental disorders as AD/HD, Learning Disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorders, some people with OCD, acute and chronic stress, depression, anxiety, and possibly Tourette's syndrome, and schizophrenia may exhibit difficulties in the executive functions.

The frontal lobes of the brain play a major role in executive function abilities, which involve the regulation of thinking and the regulation of behavior and emotions. The regulation of thinking includes planning and organizing, working memory, monitoring tasks, and initiating. According to Block and Lendman, "executive processes help students set goals, plan and implement the steps, monitor and change course when necessary, and maintain the appropriate motivation and emotional levels.  These processes also help individuals anticipate outcomes and adapt to different situations".

Block and Lendman (in "Grade 13", 2011), gave some examples of problems that students with executive functions skills may experience.  They include:  planning projects, judging the amount of time needed, completing an activity, monitoring their actions, and shifting their focus.  In addition, these students may be excessively forgetful, chronically late, frequently distracted, disorganized, unmotivated, and assertive or aggressive.

There are interventions for many of the executive function areas.  For example, for working memory, which is the holding and encoding information long enough to compete a task, some interventions include visualization, mapping, graphic organizers, post-its, labels, multiple colored notes, mnemonics, movement, environment, chunking, data dump, hands-on and rehearsal.  For organization, which includes grouping and categorizing, sequencing, arranging and improving efficiency, you can use color coding and highlighting; compiling-separating-dissecting; PDA's, calendars, date books, phones; technology-alarms, PC's, dictation, etc.  Interventions for planning and foresight (thinking and planning ahead; goal setting; anticipating events/consequences) can include one calendar, backward chaining, and thinking ahead.  One of the hardest executive function is initiation or independent engagement of a task. Interventions could include rewards, task analysis, and the use of a time line.  Other executive functions that may interfere with completion of activities or tasks are impulse/inhibition, flexible thinking, monitoring or self reflection, and emotional control.

For more information on Executive Function, check out the following:
1.  "Boosting Executive Skills in the Classroom:  A Practical Guide for Educators" by Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Margaret Foster (2013).
2.  "Late, Lost and Unprepared:  A  Parents' Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning" by Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel (2008).
3.  www.minddisorders.com/Del-Fi/Executive-function.html (2010)  or Grade 13 Block & Lendman, AHEAD Management Institute (2011).
4.  Any book by Chris Dendy that includes information on Executive Function.

Submitted by Anne Fogel, secretary, LDASC.