Executive Functioning Skills Archives

30+ Digital Executive Functioning Tools & Activities

January 4, 2021 by pathway2success 1 Comment

Planning, organization, time management, attention, and self-control: These are just a few executive functioning skills that all kids and teens should learn. With such a focus on remote learning, I’ve put together a list with some digital tools and supports to help learners strengthen their executive functioning skills.

It’s worth mentioning that these resources can be used during in-person or remote learning. From interactive workbooks to apps to games, it’s important to try different strategies to find what works best for your learners.

Just a note: This list started off smaller, but I found myself continually adding to it (and I hope to continue to!). Some of the more robust resources below are paid. I’ve also included many free links to websites, apps, and even several of my own resources (including task cards, posters, and activities). I hope you find these supports helpful.

Interactive Workbooks

Executive Functioning Digital Workbook from A-Z. An interactive workbook with moveable pieces for 40 different executive functioning skills.

Self-Control Activity Book. An engaging interactive workbook that helps students learn how to be a self-control STAR.

Digital Posters

Executive Functioning Skills Poster. A visual and teaching tool to represent each of the 10 core executive functioning skills from planning to perseverance.

Executive Functioning Academic Posters. A set of three digital and printable posters to highlight how EF skills are used in math, reading, and writing.

Daily Emotions Check-In. A free 5-step daily check-in to provide support with self-control and managing emotions.

Executive Functioning Skills for Home Poster. A printable and digital poster to send home with families who might want some extra support with executive functioning practice at home.

Apps

Remind. A communication app that helps send reminders to students and families about important dates.

MyHomework. A student planner that helps keep track of homework and other assignments.

Time Planner. An app that helps make to-do lists and track time on assignments.

2Do. Planning app for project and task management.

Train Your Brain. A fun game that helps work on attention skills.

Mind Map. An app that connects ideas to create graphic organizers.

To Do Reminder. Create simple to-do lists and reminders.

Games

2-D Shapes Sorting (TopMarks). This game encourages using organization, planning, and flexible thinking skills as kids sort items into a grid of different categories.

Concentration Games (MentalUp). This site has a large selection of games that focus on visual attention, focusing, and memory skills. Very engaging and fun!

Jigsaw Puzzles (Jigsaw Planet). Many different digital puzzles kids and teens can work on. Puzzles build skills for planning, attention, and perseverance.

Chess (Chess.com). Use this online Chess game to have students play against the computer at different difficulties. Chess is a strategy game that works on planning, flexibility, and perseverance.

Spot the Difference (Cool Math Games). Practice attention skills with this spot the difference game.

Simon Says (Memozor). A classic game, Simon Says helps kids and teens remember sequential patterns that work on attention and working memory skills.

Self-Control Game. This is a game I originally designed as a printable board game, but added a digital version to support more learners. Just hit the play button on the video to read and practice a variety of situation cards for the game.

Word Ladders (Turtle Diary). Word ladders are a vocabulary game that allow kids to build words on each other. These help kids and teens work on metacognition, working memory, and flexibility.

Scrabble (Hasbro). One of my favorite EF games, Scrabble builds on skills for planning, attention, and flexibility. This can also be a great relationship-building game to play with students.

Digital Lessons & Activities

Executive Functioning Lessons. An introductory set of digital and printable activities to teach about 10 core executive functioning skills.

Self-Control Boot Camp. Lessons and activities specifically targeted to teach and improve self-control skills.

Coping Strategies Practice. A coping strategies list to help identify, discuss, and practice coping skills for self-control.

Organization Boot Camp. A set of lessons and activities to teach organization skills.

Executive Functioning Choice Boards. Printable and digital choice boards filled with meaningful practice for all 10 executive functioning skills.

Executive Functioning Advanced Workbook. One of my most comprehensive executive functioning workbooks, filled with meaningful tools to help kids and teens.

Mindful Morning Check-In. A digital activity to promote a calm, focused, and successful start to the day.

Executive Functioning Flip Book. A printable and digital flip book used to teach about the 10 executive functioning skills.

Videos

Mindful Focus Compilation. A set of videos to help kids practice mindful breathing and other activities to improve focus and promote a feeling of calm.

Spot the Differences. A set of five “spot the difference pictures” that can build skills for attention and problem-solving.

Digital Task Cards

Executive Functioning Task Cards. Hundreds of printable and digital task cards to start conversations about planning, organization, time management, and more.

Executive Functioning Task Cards (for younger learners). Another set of EF task cards designed specifically for elementary learners.

Problem-Solving Task Cards. A free set of problem-solving task cards to help kids and young adults think of solutions to problems.

Websites

Countdown timer. Use this website as a stopwatch. This can serve as a visual timer during work sessions, or a tool to help kids work independently. This site has many other timers to check out too!

Graphic organizers. Use this site to create your own interactive graphic organizers with Google Draw.

Virtual manipulatives. Large selection of virtual manipulatives for math, such as number lines, unifix cubes, and base ten blocks.

Virtual manipulatives library. Another large vault of virtual manipulatives and tools to help kids and teens.

Learning to code. Tools and sites that help teach kids and teens learn how to program. These activities can be highly motivating for learners while working on skills for planning, working memory, and perseverance.

Simplenote Note-taking. Website and app that helps sync all notes to one location.

Boom Cards

Organization Boom Cards. Use these executive functioning Boom Cards to practice EF skills in an interactive way. Boom Cards are great to provide immediate feedback to learners as they work on each card.

Hybrid Learning

Guide to Hybrid Learning. If you are embarking on a hybrid learning journey, a good friend of mine put together this incredible website filled with classroom setup suggestions, tools, expectations, and more to help get started. While this isn’t specific to executive functioning, I felt it was worthy to add in, as switching from classroom to online learning can be extremely difficult for any learners (especially those with executive functioning needs).

Suggestions?

I would love to add to this list! If you have free websites or apps you’d like me to add, feel free to comment below or reach out to let me know.

30+ Digital Tools for Executive Functioning

12 Reasons to Teach Executive Functioning Skills Explicitly

December 8, 2020 by pathway2success Leave a Comment

Executive functioning skills are some of the most foundational elements for academic and social success. They are the skills that help us to plan, stay organized, pay attention to important information, use strategies to get us back on track when we veer off course, be flexible when things don’t go our way, and persevere through challenges.

Executive functioning skills aren’t just an extra. They are the critical foundation that allows kids and teens (and yes, even adults) to be successful in the classroom and beyond. With that, they deserve attention.

Can executive functioning skills be taught?

Yes. Executive functioning skills are malleable. This means that we, as educators, can help kids and teens improve these skills over time.

The teen that struggles with bringing the correct materials to class can learn new strategies and techniques to help them be more organized. The student who acts out in aggressive ways when things go to plan can acquire stronger skills for self-control and flexibility. They can learn new coping strategies and improve their ability to problem-solve. The learner that zones out during important classroom instruction can practice strategies to check in with themselves, helping them improve focus over time.

These are just a few examples but they prove one simple point: executive functioning skills can be taught, practiced, and strengthened over time. Already set to get started? Here are some executive functioning resources to make your life easier.

Get started with an interactive executive functioning workbook.

When can executive functioning skills be taught?

As an educator myself, I know that time is valuable and precious in the classroom. Here are some ways to sneak in executive functioning instruction:

Advisory period – Arrange students in small groups that meet on a regular basis. Use this advisory time to work on all sorts of skills, including executive functioning skills.
Morning meeting – Plan time each day for morning meeting. Use this time to perform greetings, check-in about emotions, and teach valuable skills like executive functioning skills.
The 1st 10 minutes of class – If no other time is available, spend the first few minutes of class discussing and teaching EF skills to your learners. This works whether you teach math, science, reading, or anything else.
Academic tutoring support time – For learners who need academic tutoring support, add executive functioning skills instruction into what they are learning.
Health or life skills class – Since executive functioning skills are in fact life skills, it is completely logical to add them into a health or life skills time.

Why should executive functioning skills be taught explicitly?

Executive functioning skills require support, practice, and direct instruction. Here are 12 reasons why these skills should be taught explicitly:

#1 Executive functioning skills are shaped, not innate.

Kids and teens aren’t born with a toolbox filled with executive functioning skills. Instead, they are born with the capacities to improve them over time. While it’s true that some learners acquire these skills early on at home, through interactions with peers, and as part of the hidden curriculum, many learners do not.

These skills deserve time to be shaped and supported in the best ways possible. Quite often, that means explicitly teaching skills like how to organize your binder, study strategies, techniques to persevere through challenges, and how to keep your cool in times of stress.

#2 Executive functioning skills are life skills.

Sometimes when we talk about executive functioning skills, we only think of them through the lens of school when actually these skills are used our entire lives. We use planning and time management to schedule our daily and weekly responsibilities. We use organization and task initiation to keep a tidy space at home. We use self-control, flexibility, and perseverance to handle difficult decisions every day.

Executive functioning skills are not just academic skills, but life skills, and they deserve to be taught.

#3 Executive functioning skills build independence.

As educators, one of the main goals we have for learners is to teach them to be independent. Stronger EF skills can help with just that. These abilities help kids and teens make better choices, manage their time well, plan, and work through challenges. In essence, all of these abilities also help them become independent. Executive functioning skills don’t just help kids and teens in the moment; they empower them to make positive choices for the future.

#4 Executive functioning skills impact social development.

Social skills and executive functioning skills are linked, which provides another reason why EF skills should be targeted and taught. When learners have meaningful conversations with others, they need to use working memory to think about what they want to talk about and attention skills to stay focused. We also use self-control skills on a regular basis to make socially-sound choices. When we strengthen executive functioning skills, we are strengthening social skills too.

#5 Strong executive functioning skills support academic growth.

Think about all the executive functioning skills kids and teens use during the academic day: focusing on instruction (attention), keeping materials orderly (organization), starting work right away (task initiation), knowing what material to study for a quiz (metacognition), working through challenges (perseverance). The list goes on.

Strong executive functioning skills support academic growth. While it’s true that any educator can tell you this from personal experience, the research also supports the link between executive functioning skills and academic success.

#6 Some learners need to learn these skills explicitly.

I’ll be the first to say I’m a huge advocate for integrating executive functioning skills into the curriculum and what you are already teaching. This is efficient and often effective. Not all kids and teens pick up on this type of learning, though. Sometimes, skills need to be taught explicitly.

This means teaching exactly what organization is, what it looks like, when you should engage in the skill, and how to assess yourself as you go. When you think about it, there is actually a lot to learn for every single executive functioning skill! And since some learners will not pick up on all of these skills on their own, they need to be taught.

#7 Executive functioning skills are a component of social emotional learning.

Social emotional learning has gotten a lot of attention lately, and that’s a great thing. It’s worth mentioning, though, that executive functioning skills fit into social emotional learning quite well. That’s because they are skills related to self-management, decision-making, and self-awareness. Teaching executive functioning skills support social emotional learning too.

#8 Executive functioning interventions are critical for struggling learners.

Executive functioning skill instruction is truly helpful for every learner. With that said, struggling learners need these skills are a far greater level. These are the kids who forget their binders, misplace homework, and can’t focus in class. These are the young adults who get frustrated when the schedule doesn’t go the way they thought it would and give up when questions on a test seem too hard.

These are the learners who need executive functioning skills right away. When a learner struggles with executive functioning skills like organization, time management, and planning, we should take it as seriously as when someone struggles with reading or math.

#9 Research shows executive functioning skills are important.

Even though any educator can tell you that executive functioning skills are critical to academic success on their own, it’s worth mentioning that the research supports this too. Strong executive functioning skills can be an early indicator of academic success.

And this just makes sense, right? When learners are better able to manage their time, focus during lessons, and persevere through difficult tasks, they are going to do better academically. Executive functioning skills certainly strengthen all academic skills from reading to math and beyond.

#10 Teaching EF skills proactively can reduce academic challenges later on.

So often when we think of executive functioning instruction, we think of it as an intervention for struggling learners. While it’s true that learners who already struggle with basic executive functioning skills absolutely need this type of support (as mentioned above), sometimes this can miss the bigger picture.

By teaching executive functioning skills proactively, we can reduce academic challenges later on. It essentially gives kids and teens the building blocks they need to be successful from the start.

I’m an advocate for teaching EF skills early on, even in elementary school. Short stories can teach skills like planning, organization, and time management. Games like Jenga and Pictionary can provide practice with self-control, planning, and perseverance.

If you are looking for where to start, I developed executive functioning resources specifically for elementary learners.

#11 Learning skills for executive functioning requires lots of practice.

For kids and teens who lack strong executive functioning skills like planning, organization, and time management, improving them can often be a great deal of work. It’s important to carve out time to focus on teaching them. Kids and teens already have a lot going on with academics from learning new math skills to writing history papers. By dedicating some amount of time to executive functioning skills, it can provide that extra practice for learners who need it the most.

#12 Executive functioning skills teach positive study habits.

Planning for a long-term project, reflecting on progress, and getting organized before an exam – these are all helpful study habits kids and teens can take with them throughout their lives. Simply put, teaching executive functioning skills also teaches study skills and habits.

Are you interesting in starting to teach executive functioning skills? Use some of these articles and resources to get started:

10+ Phrases to Avoid Saying to Learners with Executive Functioning Challenges

October 6, 2020 by pathway2success 1 Comment

Kids and teens who struggle with executive functioning challenges go through a lot every day. From trying to focus in class, remembering to turn homework in, and working through daily challenges that pop up, it can be stressful. Executive functioning challenges are real.

What are executive functioning challenges?

Executive functioning skills are the life skills we use every day to accomplish daily tasks. They include planning, organization, time management, task initiation, self-control, working memory, flexibility, and perseverance.

When you think about it, these skills are ingrained in everything we do. For example, when you need to clean or tidy a room, you use a variety of skills all at once. You need organization skills to help you figure out where things go, time management skills to work most efficiently, self-control to help you stay with it when you want to watch television instead, and task initiation skills to get started in the first place.

Over 10 phrases to avoid saying to kids and teens with executive functioning challenges.. and what to say instead! Use these strategies to build kids up and help them become independent. — *Grab your free executive functioning skills poster.*

Humans aren’t pre-programmed with these skills. Some children learn them at home, with peers, during real life situations, and at school. While many kids and teens walk into the classroom with these skills intact, it’s safe to say that many still do not.

Kids and teens with executive functioning challenges are going to struggle with a variety of tasks. As individuals, we each have our own unique profile of executive functioning strengths and weaknesses, so this may look different for different kids.

You might see a student who loses homework assignments or never remembers to bring the right binder to class (planning and organization). This might be a child who continually calls out in class and acts in impulsive ways (self-control). You might see this in a learner who gives up too quickly on assignments because they are “too challenging” for that student (perseverance). Perhaps it is a teen who spends the entire working period on one math problem instead of being able to move on and work on other questions instead (flexibility and time management).

Can executive functioning skills be strengthened?

In a one-word answer: yes. Executive functioning skills can be strengthened and improved over time. Just like improving math or reading skills, learners can also strengthen their abilities to plan, stay organized, and use self-control in challenging situations.

Most importantly, adults (both parents and teachers) do not have to be experts in executive functioning skills to help kids and teens make improvements. There are many different ways to teach executive functioning skills to students, from board games to discussions.

If you need something to help young adults learn these skills right away, I’ve put together an entire yearlong executive functioning set filled with printable and digital activities.

Get started with executive functioning activities for the year.

How do our words impact kids with EF challenges?

As adults, we play a huge role in supporting learners through these challenges. And one thing is for sure – our words can be powerful.

Below, I highlight some phrases to try and avoid saying to kids and teens with executive functioning issues. Just an important note that many of these things I’ve said (some many times). This is in no way meant to shame or embarrass anyone who has said them. Instead, I share this as an educational and supportive post meant to help us all grow and learn along the way.

Additionally, this isn’t just a way to “sugarcoat” what we want to say. It’s really about working with kids and teens in the best way. If we can make small changes in what we say to help kids feel more confident, strong, and empowered, it makes sense to give it a go.

And of course, while the intent is focused on learners who struggle with EF needs, it should go without saying that many of these strategies could be applied to all kids and teens.

10+ Phrases to Avoid (and what to say instead):

#1 “This is easy.”

I am guilty of using this phrase in the past. It sounds like it should be encouraging, but actually can have the opposite effect. Just because something is easy for one person, doesn’t mean it is easy for another. And if a student is struggling with something that should be easy, it could be a big blow to their confidence.

What to do or say instead:

Teach positive affirmations to help kids and teens develop a positive inner voice. (example: “You’ve got this.”)
“On a scale of 0-10, how easy or difficult is this for you?”
“Let’s get started and see how you do.”
“How are you feeling about this so far?”
“Do you want me to show you some strategies that can help you through this?”
“You can do this with hard work.”

#2 “Hurry up.”

Kids and teens with executive functioning challenges are more likely to take longer on tasks. This can be due to slower working memory, weak attention skills, or difficulty with task initiation. While it’s normal to want to move along quicker, telling a child or young adult to hurry up actually can have the opposite effect. It can create feelings of shame, worry, and anxiety. It’s clear that doesn’t solve the problem and often only makes it worse. Instead, let’s remind kids and teens to go at the pace that’s right for them.

What to do or say instead:

Remember to have empathy and give patience first and foremost.
Give wait time.
“Think about it and I’ll come back to you in a few minutes.”
Give a heads up before calling on a student in class.
Make a checklist for tasks together to serve as a written and visual reminder. This can help build independence.
“Go at the pace that’s right for you.”
Teach time management skills.
“Let’s take a time check. Think about where you are and what you need to finish.”

#3 “I already told you.”

Imagine this situation: A child finally figures out that they need to get started on an assignment but realizes they have no idea what to do. When they go and ask for help, they are told, “I already told you.” This is a huge motivation and confidence killer. There are several reasons why the student might not have understood or heard the instructions the first time around. The goal is always to help kids and teens learn the skills and become independent. So, when a learner comes around asking for help, it’s important to give them that support instead of turning them away.

What to do or say instead:

“What could you use help with?”
“Where could you find that information?”
“Do you need a refresher? That’s okay! We all need that sometimes. I can explain.”
“What questions do you have?”
Incorporate visuals and written reminders to help promote independence.
Provide interventions for attention skills.

#4 “I’ll just do it.”

Learned helplessness is a real threat for kids and teens with executive functioning challenges. This is what happens when they learn they just can’t do thing on their own. Eventually, they figure out it’s easier if someone else just does it all for them, stripping them of their independence. Even though it’s often more challenging and time consuming for kids and teens to complete tasks on their own, it’s critical they go through the process.

What to do or say instead:

Give prompts and encouragement, but let the child do it independently.
“What do you think you should do next?”
On most challenging tasks, take turns with the student. For example, the adult can write one sentence and the student writes the next. This provides support, while still setting the expectation that the child is also doing the work on their own.

#5 “You’re lazy.”

Kids believe what is said about them. By labeling a child or teen as lazy, it can be incredibly dangerous in the long-term. And while it’s pretty obvious that this is a phrase no adult should ever say directly to a child, I think it’s worth stating that it’s not something that should ever be said about a kid, either.

What to do or say instead:

Teach strategies for task initiation.
Consider incentives to help motivate the child or teen.

#6 “You should already know how to do this.”

As educators, we’ve all thought this one. We teach a skill or expectation and have the belief that every child should know how to move forward on their own. In reality, that’s not always the case. If a child or teen doesn’t complete a direction or task, there is a reason why. Consider where the breakdown is and go from there.

What to do or say instead:

“What do you think you should do?”
“Where could you find the directions for this assignment?”
“Who could you ask if you are stuck?”
“What strategies can you use if you are stuck?”
Stop and consider what skills that student might need to be taught. If they are lacking a skill, teach it explicitly before moving on.

#7 “Calm down.”

Telling an agitated person to calm down doesn’t actually help anyone calm down. Working through executive functioning challenges can absolutely be stressful and difficult day after day. And it’s okay if kids feel frustrated sometimes. Instead of “calm down,” try teaching and practicing some coping strategies together.

What to do or say instead:

Teach and practice coping strategies together. Use this free coping strategies activity to help students develop their own coping strategies list.
Practice mindful breathing exercises.
“Let’s take a walk together.”
“Let’s take some deep breaths together.”
“I can tell you are frustrated. It’s okay to feel that way.”
“What would help you right now?”
Create a calm down area to support self-regulation.
Create a coping strategies binder for the student to use when needed.

#8 “Act your age.”

The idea of acting your age is an interesting area for discussion when it comes to executive functioning skills. Some researchers, such as Dr. Russell Barkley, have indicated that learners with EF weaknesses (specifically learners with ADHD) actually behave younger than they would without those challenges. Quite often, this statement is really intended to help kids and teens make better choices. Here are some strategies to get there.

What to do or say instead:

“What are the expectations you should be following?”
“What should you be doing right now?”
“I know you can make a better choice. I believe in you.”
“Let’s reflect. What did you do well? What could you do better for next time?”

#9 “You need to redo this. You did it wrong.”

Kids and teens mess up sometimes (we all do, right?). So, there is nothing wrong with having them redo assignments or tasks when they aren’t right. In fact, it’s often important. What’s critical is the way that we, as adults, approach this. Simply telling a child they did something wrong often invites shame and discouragement. When we want kids to improve, it’s important to build them up and help them understand what they can do better.

What to do or say instead:

Use rubrics or checklists and have students assess themselves first.
“Let’s reflect together. What did you do well? What could you use help on or improve?”
“Before turning that in, I’d like to to re-read the directions and make one improvement.”
Use the sandwich technique (give positive feedback, then criticism, and then more positive). Ex: “You really did a great job on your introduction here. I like how you explained your argument clearly. I noticed on your next paragraph, you could add some extra details to support that claim in a stronger way. You made a HUGE improvement from the last paper, so I’m so excited to see the final product. Keep it going!”

#10 “Sit still.”

Many kids and teens with executive functioning challenges have difficulty sitting still for extended periods of time. If a student seems like they need to move, it’s usually because they do in fact need to move. Further, many times these students often learn better moving than sitting still.

What to do or say instead:

Give movement breaks.
Incorporate brain breaks between tasks.
Allow students to stand while working.
Consider flexible seating.
“Could you answer up at the board for me?”
Practice mindfulness.
“Let’s take a movement break before getting back to work.”
“Go ahead and stand while you work if that’s best for you.”

#11 “I like the way _____ is acting.”

This is one of the phrases many of us educators learned in college. It is supposed to be a classroom management strategy. Instead, it teaches kids and teens to always compare themselves to others. While the intent is good, the impact can be a negative one for learners.

What to do or say instead:

Instead of comparing, just be explicit with expectations.
Meet privately with the student if they are not meeting expectations.

#12 “You should have brought that with you.”

Kids and teens with executive functioning challenges are more likely to forget things. Usually, they know this. They don’t want to forget things; they just struggle with planning and organization.

What to do or say instead:

Incorporate interventions for organization.
Come up with strategies with the student to help them remember the materials they need. For example, come up with a list to keep on their binders or in their lockers. You can even post reminders at the front door before kids walk in.
Set up a classroom office with supplies for students who need them.
“Here, I’ve got this one you can borrow.”
“Is there a classmate you can share with today?”

#13 “Quit doodling.”

Sometimes, when we see someone doodling, we assume that means they are not listening. It’s important to adjust that mindset. For some learners, doodling is a way to keep their hands busy while they are taking in information. Rather than asking kids to stop doodling, give a simple check-in to assess for understanding.

What to do or say instead:

“Can you draw a picture about what you’ve learned so far?”
“Tell me your three biggest takeaways from the lesson?”
“What are your thoughts on that?”

#14 “You’re late.”

Kids and teens with EF challenges struggle with getting to class on time. Perhaps they lost track of time (time management) or started down the hall with the wrong binder (organization). Regardless of the reason, they usually know they are late. This statement can start the tone off in a negative way.

What to do or say instead:

“I’m happy to see you.”
Develop strategies and supports to help assist with getting to class on time, like checklists and a schedule.

#15 “You’re on your own.”

While it’s true that we want all learners to be independent, they also need to know we’re here to help them along when things get tough. Kids and teens with executive functioning challenges are notorious for giving up prematurely because tasks feel too difficult for them (perseverance). Instead of telling them they are on their own, remind them they can do it in the first place.

What to do or say instead:

“You can do this. I believe you.”
“I want you to try on your own first, but I’m here if you need me.”
Teach and practice perseverance.
Teach and practice positive affirmations.

Member exclusive:

When working with any kids or teens, our words mean a lot. If you take just one thing away from this post, I hope that it is that you can absolutely help kids and teens improve their executive functioning skills. Sometimes, that might be big things like teaching skills directly. Other times, it might just be considering the very things we say.

9 FREE Executive Functioning Activities

July 6, 2020 by pathway2success Leave a Comment

Planning, organization, time management, and self-control. These are just a few of the extremely critical executive functioning skills that we use every day to accomplish tasks and be successful. We use them so regularly that we may forget their importance. But to kids and teens (and yes, even adults) who lack these skills, the struggle is real.

What are Executive Functioning Skills?

Executive functioning skills are the abilities in our brain that help us to accomplish daily tasks. They include skills like planning, organization, task initiation, time management, and attention. It’s helpful to think of them as life skills, as they are the foundations of what helps us be successful in completing tasks and reaching goals.

Read more here on each of the executive functioning skills and how they each play an important role in our lives.

Executive Functioning Activities

Executive functioning skills can be strengthened and built up over time. Here are a few free printable (and some digital) activities you can use to teach your learners about executive functioning skills and why they matter.

1. Executive Functioning Free Workbook

Use this free printable executive functioning workbook to teach and give some basic practice with some of the skills. This is a great lesson to start you off if you aren’t quite sure how to introduce executive functioning skills to your learners.

2. Executive Functioning Home Activities

Executive functioning skills are life skills! Use this free printable executive functioning poster with a list of ideas that kids and teens can practice at home. They include meaningful tasks like planning a meal together (planning), having a conversation (attention), and tidying up a room (organization).

3. Executive Functioning Skills Poster

Hang this executive functioning poster up to reminder adults and kids about each of the executive functioning skills. This can help you remind kids and teens about using them in the moment. Bonus: This poster doubles as a coloring page. Just use the black and white version to have kids color as you discuss many of these important skills.

4. Organize the Room Activity

Use this hands-on activity to teach organization. Just print out the pages, cut out the items, and add them in the room where they should go. This lesson opens up the conversation about staying organized, why it is important, cleaning up after yourself, and much more.

5. Study Skills Checklist

In order for kids to do well, they have to know what is expected of them. This free printable study skills checklist helps kids and teens read through several study skills that matter most, from keeping binders organized to taking notes. This can be a helpful starting point when discussing study skills for success.

6. Problem-Solving Task Cards

While these free problem-solving task cards focus on social situations, these are perfect practice for planning, flexibility, and self-control. Simply put, problem-solving situations force us to active executive functioning skills in our brains.

7. Motivation Workbook

Use this free motivation workbook to help young adults think about task initiation, developing goals, and accomplishing tasks. The activities go over understanding what motivation is and how to develop strategies for staying motivated, even when it comes to tasks you might not want to do.

8. Homework Folder

Setting up a homework folder is a critical step in getting kids and teens organized during the school day. Use this printable homework binder directions page and cover page to get started.

9. Executive Functioning Escape Room

This free executive functioning escape room activity is a puzzle challenge that allows kids and teens to practice attention and working memory at the same time. Kids and teens will love unlocking the challenge. It’s also a great way to see how escape room activities work for your learners.

10. Executive Functioning Self-Assessment

One more bonus activity is this executive functioning self-assessment, available for free for Pathway 2 Success members in the free resource library. Use it to help kids and teens assess themselves how their executive functioning skills from organization to self-control and everything in between. Grab it in the free resource library or learn here about how you can join.

More Information on Executive Functioning

If you’re looking for more information, resources, and free ideas, I have them here for you. Read up on more executive functioning skills with the blog posts below:

Executive Functioning Activities to Start the Morning

February 17, 2020 by pathway2success Leave a Comment

Use engaging and fun executive functioning activities to help jump start kids and teens in the morning. Simple activities like mindful breathing, brain games, journaling, and exercising, can help activate students' brains in the classroom. #pathway2success #executivefunctioning

We all want kids and young adults to start their days off calm, confident, and ready for success. Helping learners nurture their executive functioning skills can be a strategy for getting there. EF skills are the brain abilities we use to plan, organize, and start tasks. Ultimately, our executive functions impact everything from smaller activities like putting the right binder in the backpack to head out to school, to much more complex tasks such as planning for an essay to start and finish before the end of a class.

While some learners struggle with executive functions more than others, all students can build and improve them along the way. Here are eight executive functioning activities you can try to help start students off on the right foot.

Materials Checklist

It’s helpful to have a materials checklist listed just as they enter the door. My favorite spot to post this is actually right outside the classroom. For example, if students need their textbook today, post it and let them know. This gives kids a chance to ask themselves, “Do I have everything I need?” before even walking through the door.

For many classrooms, the list will be the same every day and that’s okay! It serves as a reminder for all students to have a pencil, their notebook, homework, and any other materials they need to succeed.

Preview of the Day

Start the morning by listing your daily schedule on the board. Review it by quickly highlighting your plan for the day. For example, you might say, “This morning, we’re going to review our homework, learn about how to visualize as we read, practice the skill, and start the homework for tonight.” This only has to take a minute, but it can have a positive impact on mindset because it prepares learners for what’s coming.

Morning Meeting

Holding a daily morning meeting helps build community. While at first, it might not seem like this practice is directly related to executive functioning skills, it is. By starting the day with a specific and predictable routine, this can help learners organize their thoughts.

Additionally, morning meeting can be the perfect time to talk about skills like organization, self-control, and perseverance.

Another thing to consider is that the classroom can be a scary place for kids with executive functioning challenges. We ask these learners to take risks every day by working on skills that don’t come easy to them. With that, it’s critical that classroom space is welcoming, encouraging, supportive, and accepting of mistakes. One way to gain that sense of positive classroom community is by leading a daily morning meeting. When students feel safe and loved, they will be better ready to pay attention, initiate tasks, and persevere through challenges.

Morning Exercise Routine

Exercise activates the brain. Help give kids a jump start every morning with a quick daily exercise routine. Spend a few minutes with a daily workout video. You could also lead students through simple stretches, jog in place or practice yoga postures.

If you’re looking to make things more interesting, try a timed scavenger hunt around the room, or outside if the weather is nice. Kids can do this in partners or on their own.

Not only is exercise encouraging a healthy habit, but it will also help students improve focus and be ready to learn.

Organize and Prepare Time

Explicitly schedule time first thing in the morning for students to organize and prepare for the day. During this time, students can sharpen pencils, gather belongings, tidy desk or backpack, write in homework log, and turn homework in.

Question of the Day

Writing can be used as a predictable routine to help students start off the day focused, organized, and calm. Choose a daily prompt to write on the board or projector. As students come in, have them respond independently in their journals. You can even touch other social-emotional bases using questions that target critical SEL skills, like empathy, organization, and problem-solving.

Grab a free week of daily social emotional learning journal prompts to start the morning.

Free-write Journaling

Similar to a question of the day, a free write also helps provide a predictable routine. The difference is that students are choosing what to write about entirely on their own. This can serve as a safe space for students to free their minds before starting the day. It can also help them ask any questions or share feedback with you in a private way.

Class Read Aloud

Choose a read aloud or have your students pick one for the morning. In particular, short picture books are a simple and quick way to increase attention for the day. Also, this can be an easy way to integrate other executive functioning skills like flexibility, self-control, and perseverance. As you read, stop and talk about the characters as they use each of those skills.

Brain Games

Brainteasers, riddles, and other puzzles are simple activities to help students activate their brains in an engaging way. Whether you use a crossword, word search, memory game, or play on words, these activities will help start the day off strong. As an added bonus, they can also help practice skills like organization, planning, working memory, attention, and perseverance.

Classroom Jobs

Classroom jobs are a healthy way to start each morning, as they give every child a purpose in the room. This can be a positive strategy in just setting a predictable routine, helping your students feel valued, helpful, and organized for the day. It’s helpful to assign specific classroom jobs to best suit your learners. For example, if a student has a strength with using technology, have them turn on the laptops first thing in the morning. If another student is especially artistic, give them the role of drawing a positive welcome message to others. A classroom job can help all students start the morning with a positive frame of mind and allow them to feel mentally prepared for the rest of the day.

Practice Mindful Breathing

Think of mindful breathing as a brain break. They are a quick activity to help students reset and refresh before moving on. Not only can they be an effective morning strategy, but really can be used between any tasks. Learn more about mindful breathing, why it’s important, and a few simple mindful breathing exercises you can use with your learners.

Positive Affirmations

All kids and young adults could use more positivity in their days. This is especially true for kids who struggle with executive functioning skills. These are the students who are more likely to struggle with basic tasks like following directions, starting work right away, and paying attention. Over time, these challenges can lead to reduced self-esteem. To counteract this, use positive affirmations to help build kids up and feel good about themselves before starting their day. More confident learners are more likely to task risks, stay motivated, and work to their individual potentials even in the face of difficulties. Grab a free positive affirmations list and let your students create their own individualized lists to start.

Download a free printable list of positive affirmations for kids & young adults.

If you want to help build learners’ executive functioning skills, just give one or two strategies a try! Even small steps are steps in the right direction to helping kids and young adults strengthen their executive functioning skills.

Interested in more executive functioning posts? Check out the following articles:

12 Games to Practice Self-Control

November 3, 2019 by pathway2success 2 Comments

Self-control is our ability to stop and think before making decisions. This involves taking a pause when our emotions want to take over so we can think through the situation, consider solutions, assess the consequences, and move forward with the best choice in that scenario. Self-control is particularly difficult executive functioning skill for kids and young adults, and there is actually a scientific reason for that! The limbic system in our brains, which is responsible for managing emotions, develops ahead of the prefrontal cortex, which is the area responsible for planning, suppressing urges, and using self-control. Simply put, that means kids and young adults are going to need lots of practice with using skills for self-control.

Using Games to Teach Self-Control

Games are a great technique for practicing self-control skills because they are instantly fun and interactive. Kids and young adults are far more likely to learn and practice the skills if it’s something interesting to them. Whenever you play any of these games, it’s important to be purposeful about the skills you are teaching. First, explain what self-control is and why it’s so important.

I love to give examples about situations involving self-control that all kids can relate to. One example is: Imagine you are going over to your friend’s house. You see a delicious chocolate cake just sitting there on the counter. You really WANT to just eat a piece or taste the frosting with your finger. What should you do? How could you use self-control? What could happen if you don’t use self-control? These questions are an important foundation to help students understand self-control and why it matters. Let students know they are playing the game in order to practice and strengthen their skills for self-control. Then, let the games begin!

Since games are a great tool to teach skills, you might also want to read up on games to teach social emotional skills and games to strengthen executive functioning skills, too!

Games To Try

Jenga. I love this game because it’s the perfect blend of structure and chaos (perfect for your kids who really need self-control practice!). As students play, remind them to have self-control every time they remove a block from the tower. The more cautious and careful you are, the more likely you are to win. Not only is this a really fun and interactive way to practice self-control, but the entire game becomes a metaphor for self-control in life. If you aren’t careful, things can fall apart. Take your time, stop and think, breathe, and carefully move forward. This is a game you can practice again and again. It never gets old!

Self-Control Speedway. I developed this self-control board game as a fun but direct way to target self-control skills. Students will move along the racetrack game board answering critical questions about self-control. I truly love the idea of comparing self-control to driving because I always it is teaching kids that they are in the driver’s seat!

Blurt. This is by far one of my favorite ways to practice self-control. If you’re not familiar with it, Blurt is a set of cards with definitions for vocabulary words. A leader will read the card and students “blurt” out the answer. My favorite way to play is “around the world” style. Have two students stand next to each other for a duel. Read the card and allow only those two students to shout out the answer. All other students in the room have to use self-control and not shout out, even if they know the answer when no one else does! This can be a big challenge (and GREAT practice) for those students who struggle with shouting out when it is not their turn. Note that if you don’t have blurt, you can always make up your very own cards with content area questions!

Guard Duty. Use this as a secret weapon when you want students to use self-control in the hallways. The idea is simple: Tell students that they are guards for the palace. They have a mission to be as serious and guard-like as possible. That means using self-control and ignoring anyone who tries to distract you! Anyone who fails the challenge has to go to the back of the line. It can be added fun if you have another teacher do something to try and distract your students.

Freeze. This game incorporates movement, play, and self-control all in one. Just play some music and let kids dance, wiggle, and walk around. Have one person be the leader (a teacher to start) and yell “Freeze!” at any time. As soon as someone shouts it, everyone should freeze in place, with the music still playing. This can be challenging with the music still going, because you might have the urge to keep dancing. This is a great game to practice at the end of the week for some added fun.

Simon Says. This game focuses on attention skills, but self-control, too! Kids have to be focused to listen for what Simon says to do, while using self-control to stop themselves if “Simon” doesn’t say it! Stand in front of the class and shout out commands like “Simon says put your hands on your head” and “Simon says stand on one foot.” Then, throw one in there that doesn’t say “Simon says” and see who can follow along. Afterwards, you can switch it up and have students be the leader as well.

Social Problem Solving Board Game. This social problem-solving board game is one of my favorite games I created because it targets so many different social areas all in one. Students move through the game board answering a variety of social problem-solving questions about school, home, activities, and friends. This is a great way to practice self-control because students need to stop and think about how they will solve each problem.

Wait Five. I love this game because it can be played with any trivia, vocabulary, or academic content. This makes it a great review game, too. Ask one question at a time but students must wait a full five seconds before shouting out the answer. This can be especially helpful for those students who love to shout out the answer without being called on. Of course, you can play around with the rules, making the wait time longer or shorter, and even allowing only certain students to shout out at certain times. The whole idea is to build self-control by waiting just a little bit longer than we really want to!

Role Play. Kids and young adults love acting scenarios out, but it can also be a great way to practice skills for self-control. Come up with your own scenarios or use these social scenario task cards. Have students act out the situation in partners or small groups, considering what they would do and why. You can even invite students to act out the situation at the front of the class. It is most important to highlight the socially appropriate choices and why they matter. This can be a fun addition to any morning meeting or social group time.

Self-Control Task Cards. I added these in because you can use these self-control task cards along with any turn-taking game. Just have students answer one card before they can take their turn. It’s a win-win because kids and playing a game they love while learning about self-control at the same time.

Orchestra. Anything that incorporates music and skill practice is a win! For this game, you can choose to pass out instruments to your students if you have them (such as triangles or drum sticks). If you don’t have them, that’s okay, since students can use their hands, pencils, or imaginary instruments to go with the beat. Play a sample of music and have students play to the beat. Continue with many different samples, both slower and faster. The whole idea is that students are able to use self-control to stay with the beat, even if they want to go faster or slower in the moment.

Stoplight. This game is another quick activity that can be done any time with no props. Start by shouting out, “Green Light”. Let students walk around the classroom, talk, and mingle. You can even let them dance if you want to! Then, after a few seconds or minutes, say, “Yellow Light.” At this time, students have to slow down and go at a snail’s pace. They can still move, but it has to be slow! Finally, end with “Red Light,” and have students completely stop in their tracks. You can continue over and over with as much time as you have.

Games can be the perfect way to integrate social skills and self-control practice into your classroom! Do you have other games that work in your classroom? Share them below!

15+ Executive Functioning Strategies Every Teacher Can Use

October 13, 2019 by pathway2success 2 Comments

Over 15 strategies for executive functioning that all educators and teachers can use to help struggling students. Whether kids are having difficulty with attention, organization, self-control, or flexibility, these ideas and printable resources will help kids and teens find success in the classroom! #executivefunctioning #pathway2success

Many kids and young adults struggle with executive functioning challenges. Some are easy to spot, such as when a student can’t focus on a lesson or comes to class without their entire binder. Other EF challenges are less obvious, though. A learner might take two times as long on homework because they don’t understand strategies to help them complete it quicker. Another student might look like they are paying attention, but may not be absorbing the content. For more of an in-depth explanation on these skills, be sure to check out my post on executive functioning skills explained.

Kids and young adults only have so much mental energy they can use at one time (we all do, right?). For kids who struggle with basic EF skills, like organization, planning, and time management, we want to reduce any wasted mental energy. This can help our learners focus on the more important things, including learning the content and practicing the skills.

Here are some simple steps that every educator can take to help all learners develop executive functioning success in the classroom:

#1 Develop, teach, and practice routines. Consistency is a huge key to student success. That’s true for all learners, but especially kids and young adults with EF deficits. Make everything a routine. Turning in homework each morning? Routine. Writing homework down at the end of class? Routine. Cleaning out notebooks for a new unit? Routine! It’s important to note that just coming up with a routine for these tasks isn’t really enough. The routines need to be practice and re-practiced throughout the year.

#2 Keep a daily schedule posted. Not only does a daily plan for the day keep educators on track, but it keeps students organized, too. A daily schedule or plan doesn’t need to be “perfect.” It’s okay if it is a rough outline of what you plan to do during the class. A daily schedule or plan keeps students more organized and gives a sneak peak of what is to come. This can help everyone mentally prepare for class and preview expectations.

#3 Write homework in the same spot. Having a designated homework spot means kids and young adults use less mental energy figuring out where their assignment is listed each day. It’s a small step that can make a big difference.

#4 Embed executive functioning instruction in your content. One of the easiest ways to teach EF skills is by discussing them through your content and curriculum. For example, when working on a long-term project, you might talk about organization and time management. Before working on a challenging test, you might highlight strategies to help all learners use flexibility and perseverance. There are so many opportunities. Every teacher can and should be a teacher of executive functioning skills.

#5 Give organization time at the end of class. Kids and young adults with executive functioning challenges are notoriously disorganized. They can certainly learn skills to improve, but they need the time to get there. Dedicate the last few minutes of each class to tidying up, putting papers in the right spots, and making sure homework is written down. While not all kids will need this time, many really do.

#6 Teach skills explicitly. When kids struggle with math or reading, we teach them. The same should be true for skills like organization, self-control, and time management. You don’t need to be an executive function expert to talk about and teach these skills. I have developed a number of EF materials for educators, including executive functioning task cards and an executive functioning workbook. If you’re looking for even more, grab the whole yearlong executive functioning set to get started right away. Even if you are just discussing one skill each week or so, you are moving kids in the right direction.

#7 Give mini-deadlines on long-term projects. Any educator knows that long-term projects can be a major challenge for some students. Mini-deadlines are a simple solution to the problem. If a report is due in two weeks, work to break up the project into sections. Make a date for students to find their sources, create an outline, and write a first draft. Over time, you can train students to create their own mini-deadlines to build independence.

#8 Reduce distractions. It’s important to note that reducing distractions will look different in every classroom. Still, it’s important to be reflective. Art projects hanging from the ceiling might look beautiful, but they may actually be doing more harm than good if they are distracting your learners. Take time to re-assess the visuals and materials in your classroom and reduce any distractions that might be about.

#9 Give time checks. Kids and young adults who struggle with time management often don’t have a strong understanding of time itself. During working sessions, use a chime or just your voice to give time checks for how much longer is left. For example, you might say, “This is a time check. You have about 10 more minutes before we need to clean up the lab stations.” This simple no-prep support is helpful to all kids, but especially to kids with EF challenges.

#10 Keep extra papers stored in a bin. Of course, we want all students to stay organized and keep all of their papers where they need to be. However, kids with EF challenges are likely to lose papers. Give them a way to find an extra paper without having to ask an adult every single time by setting up a bin with extra pages.

#11 Explicitly state when important information is being shared. It would be great if every student perfectly paid attention during all lectures and lessons, but we all know that’s not exactly the case. With this, it’s critical to be very explicit when sharing information that matters the most. You might say, “I’m about to say something really important. Pencils down and eyes on me,” as a cue.

#12 Give breaks. No one can be 100% all of the time. This is especially true for our learners with executive functioning challenges. Their brains are working extra hard to pay attention, stay organized, manage their time, problem-solve, and work through challenges. It’s important to give brain breaks during class, when needed. Individual students may also benefit from breaks, such as getting a drink at the water fountain or having them deliver something to another classroom for you.

#13 Preview changes. For kids and young adults who struggle with flexibility, change can be a huge obstacle. If there is a change of schedule coming up, give students a heads up. Explain what the change is and how the day will proceed. This doesn’t need to take much time, but can help take some of the stress away from the changes coming up.

#14 Stock a classroom office. For some kids, organization comes easy! For others, it is a lifelong struggle. While working on these skills, give the kids the tools they need to be successful in the classroom. Stock a classroom office with pencils, pens, extra paper, and other supplies for kids who need them. It’s important to see this as an intervention and a support, not a way to enable kids. Of course, the goal is to have learners bring their own pencils and come prepared each day. However, an executive functioning deficit shouldn’t impact a child’s ability to learn the math or reading content for the day. While working on EF skills, stock a classroom office so all kids have the tools they need.

#15 Let kids work through challenges. Kids and young adults need the experiences of doing tasks on their own, whether it is struggling through a math problem or learning how to cut out a craft. It’s okay if things aren’t perfect. It’s much more important that kids and young adults develop the confidence that they can do things independently. This also allows for problem-solving, flexibility, and perseverance. Sometimes, they will need help, and it’s important to give that support! But it’s also okay to let them learn through their struggles so they can persevere and succeed.

#16 Play executive functioning skills games during downtime. Sometimes, it is difficult to integrate EF skills into the day with all the content and curriculum that needs to be covered. This is when downtime can be extremely valuable. Use the last few minutes of class to play fun games that actually strengthen EF skills, like Simon Says and Freeze. Some games, like Guard Duty, can even be played while your students are in line on the way to another class. The idea is to have them act like a guard to the palace and use self-control to not react to anything. Read up on more ways you can use play activities to practice executive functioning skills.

#17 Allow for movement in the classroom. Many kids and young adults learn best when they are moving. This can be especially true for kids who struggle with attention and focus. Use center work, stations, and even movement games to allow for extra movement throughout the day while kids are learning the content you need them to.

#18 Be concise. Say what matters the most and keep it short! Kids and young adults who struggle with attention and focus will get lost when directions or information is too wordy. It may also help to have both visual and verbal reminds for the directions for those who need.

If you are interested in teaching executive functioning skills explicitly, I have developed an entire yearlong set of activities for executive functioning skills. It includes everything from workbooks to lessons and crafts to task cards. It is ideal for advisory or the resource room, but I’ve even had general education teachers use it in the first few minutes of class to help teach the skills kids need most.

Also, here are a few more blog posts you might be interested in:

Tips for Teaching Study Skills

July 22, 2019 by pathway2success 1 Comment

20+ strategies, ideas, and some free resources you can use to teach kids and young adults study strategies for academic success! Students at the middle and high school level need good study habits to do their best, including writing homework down, studying for tests, and staying organized. All teachers can give these a try! #studyskills #pathway2success

Good study habits and techniques are critical to help students learn more efficiently, feel more academically confident, persevere through challenges, and ultimately do their best. Sometimes, it’s easy to assume that learners already have these skills intact. The truth is that they sometimes don’t; many learners might not actually know how to study for tests or how to keep their binders organized. While these skills can be a challenge for many students, they are skills that can be improved over time.

If you notice some of your students are struggling with basic study skills and habits, make time to address and teach the skills. You can choose to dedicate time during morning meeting, resource room, or even a separate study skills class. Whatever you choose, make a schedule and stick with it. Teaching these skills early on is important for help all learners do their best. I’ve put together a list of ideas and resources, but check out this yearlong Executive Functioning and Study Skills activities set if you want to get started on teaching these skills right away.

Here are some simple tips, tricks, and strategies you can use to help students develop study skills in your classroom:

Build relationships first. Simply put, learning new study strategies can be tough for kids and young adults. It’s always worth spending extra time early on to develop strong relationships. Not only will this help you to get to know your students, but it will help them to persevere and succeed in your class. Use these strategies to focus on building relationships with your learners.

Know your learners. Before getting started on teaching study skills, assess what your students know first. One helpful place to start is using this free Study Skills Checklist. It can be a great tool to help students develop self-awareness about their skills, while also giving you critical data on what you need to teach.

Teach how to study for tests and quizzes. Spend time teaching a variety of different study strategies for success: taking notes, quizzing yourself, making flashcards, having a partner quiz you, re-doing problems, and more. Different strategies are going to work for different learners, so it’s important that all students are exposed to several activities.

Practice studying just to learn. Sometimes students think that studying is only important when a test or quiz is coming up. Instead, help kids embrace the idea that studying is part of the learning process. Studying just to learn can help reduce the amount of time students will have to study when a test or quiz comes up, and it helps them to learn the material better in the first place.

Practice study skills with current curriculum. Sometimes, students feel like learning study skills is a waste of time for them. They would rather be getting homework done or chatting with friends on their downtime One way to make the study skills meaningful for kids and young adults is to help them apply them right away with current classwork. If you are learning how to make flashcards, use current vocabulary terms. When teaching about time management, practice with a project kids are actually working on. Using current curriculum along with teaching the skills can make it more meaningful and memorable.

Teach about the power of habits and routines. Students can benefit greatly from understanding how important our habits are. Spend time discussing and highlighting some current habits students already have (brushing their teeth in the morning or cleaning up their trays after lunch). These tasks are much easier when they just become part of our everyday routines. This can eventually encourage students to develop habits for writing homework down, organizing their binders, and studying for tests.

Teach executive functioning skills. Study skills are inherently linked with executive functioning skills. Students can benefit greatly from improving skills with planning, organization, self-control, attention, flexibility, perseverance, and more. Most importantly, teach students that they can often improve these skills over time with practice and hard work. If you could use more background knowledge on these skills, catch up on a basic understanding of executive functioning skills in this blog post.

Teach time management. Understanding how to manage time well is a powerful skill. Teach about understanding time by having students estimate how long a task will take (such as doing 10 jumping jacks or walking to get a drink and back). Then, have students actually perform the task and check how close their estimate was. You can easily relate this back to having students consider how long tasks will take by thinking about what they have to do and then reflecting on their progress along the way. Read more about strategies and interventions for time management skills.

Discuss what it means to prioritize. Prioritizing is the ability to determine which order tasks should be completed in. This is a critical skill, but can be challenging, especially when students are juggling many different responsibilities. Talk through some examples and discuss: You have a test tomorrow and a big project due in two weeks. What should you do? Having students problem-solve these types of scenarios can help them understand how to prioritize in the future.

Practice making test and quizzes. Have students get into the mind of a teacher by creating their own test and quizzes for class content. This can help them consider what material might be on an actual test or quiz, making them better at studying and knowing what is important.

Teach organization. One of the most important study skills is learning how to be organized. Spend time explicitly teaching learners how to organize materials, schedules, and projects. If you are interested specifically in organization, use this Organization Boot Camp to help get kids’ organization skills in shape. You can also start with this free organization activity to get going right away.

Revisit organization on a weekly basis. Even after teaching the basic skills for organization, it is important for students to make organization a weekly practice. Choose one time a week (such as Friday afternoon or whenever time you have available) and dedicate that time to re-organizing materials.

Set up a homework binder (or folder). One helpful strategy for many learners is setting up a homework folder or binder that goes everywhere with them. This folder contains all current homework that needs to be done or needs to be turned in. Simply label a folder “Done” and “To Do” on each side. This is an especially helpful tip for students who lose or misplace assignments. Use this free homework binder to get your students started.

Teach how to write homework down. I know this example sounds silly, but many learners don’t know how to write homework down in an organized and consistent way. Practice what it means to write homework down accurately and explain why it is important. Doing daily or weekly homework log checks are helpful, too.

Find study buddies. No matter the age, all students should have one or two classmates to reach out to for support with homework and studying. This is a critical skill that helps build independence. When a student isn’t sure what page the homework was or didn’t understand the math lesson, it can be a good option to reach out to a classmate instead of always depending on the adults.

Teach goal-setting. All students should learn how to create action-oriented plans to reach their individual goals. This is a study skill, but also a life skill! Help students brainstorm and come up with one or two SMART goals that they want to accomplish in a short time-frame. Then, revisit those goals on a regular basis to make sure progress is being made.

Play games. Learning and improving study skills can be tough for learners. With this, games are always a helpful strategy to sneak in more learning opportunities. You can actually play any game while practicing study strategies. Just put questions for an upcoming test or quiz on flashcards. Each time a student takes a turn, they need to pick up a card and answer! If you’re looking for something more, I developed an Executive Functioning Challenge Game that students can play again and again to practice their skills.

Chunk projects and long-term assignments. Long-term assignments can be particularly overwhelming for kids and young adults. Teach students how to break them apart into smaller and more manageable chunks. Giving mini-deadlines along the way also helps students stay on track.

Teach stress management. Simply put, school is stressful for kids and young adults. It’s critical to help students learn coping strategies to help them deal with their feelings in more healthy ways. Spend some time discussing how to exercise, journal, read, practice mindfulness, and more. Grab this free list with 100 coping strategies to give you even more ideas.

Help students develop a study space. Every student should have a designated study space at home and at school to help them accomplish homework and assignments. While these study spaces might look different for every learner, having this area can help keep students organized and consistent.

Have a daily check-in and check-out. Spend just 5-10 minutes at the beginning of each day to help students get organized, check to see if they have what they need, and make a plan for the day. Do the same in the afternoon to make sure students have a plan for homework and studying after school. The goal is for students to check-in with themselves on their own, but this needs to be taught and practiced to make that happen

Practice taking brain breaks. All students need a mental break from time to time. Encourage students to check-in with themselves and notice when they need one of themselves. Practice different types of brain breaks, from exercising to practicing mindfulness. Use these free mindfulness coloring pages to have a brain break that is ready to go.

Engage in class discussions. Part of learning how to study well is problem-solving when challenges come up. Encourage students to talk through issues and brainstorm solutions together. For example, ask students what they might do when they have a lot of homework but also have basketball practice at 6:00 pm. Ask students what they might do if they have a big homework assignment due tomorrow but they can’t remember the page. Start by just asking the question and letting your students guide their way through. These executive functioning task cards are perfect to guide discussions on a variety of topics or you can come up with your own questions on the fly!

Practice the art of memorization. Sometimes studying involves memorizing certain dates or vocabulary words. These are skills that can be taught, practiced, and strengthened over time. Have fun teaching this skill by memorizing lists, lyrics, numbers, and more.

If you find yourself in need for lessons and activities to teach study skills, check out my yearlong Executive Functioning and Study Skills set. It includes everything you need to teach the skills kids need for success from how to study, get organized, develop SMART goals, and much more.

Interventions for Executive Functioning Challenges: Attention

April 15, 2019 by pathway2success 1 Comment

Challenges with focus and attention can become a huge roadblock to learning for kids and young adults. Simply put, attention is critical to learning. If students can’t focus on the lesson, they are going to struggle with understanding the new content. If students can’t focus on the directions, they are not going to know what to do. If learners are unable to switch their focus, they are unable to initiate new tasks. When students have difficulty with attention skills, it can be challenging for the educator, but also extremely frustrating for the learner.

It’s important to note that this article isn’t specifically written for kids with ADHD. That is because many kids (whether diagnosed with ADHD or not) have challenges with focus and attention. As always, it’s more important to focus on the interventions and supports than the label. With that said, if you feel your student or child does have symptoms of ADHD, it’s important to share those concerns with the school team or pediatrician.

What is attention? Attention is a fascinating multi-faceted skill. It is so much more than just being able to stay focused. Attention involves having self-awareness about your level of attention so that you can direct and re-direct your focus, as needed. It is being able to ignore distractions, like a cell phone or friends talking nearby. Even further, attention is being able switch your focus to more important information or a new task, such as when new directions are being given while working.

• Examples of Attention •

It’s important to note that attention is an academic skill, but it is also a life skill. It’s really a prerequisite to be able to learn new information. People need to pay attention while hearing new content, but also when having conversations with others. Here are some examples of what strong attention skills might look like:

Keeping eyes on the teacher and listening while learning about a new skill.
Quickly being able to switch focus from one task to another.
Making eye contact and listening to a peer during a conversation.
Listening and thinking about directions being given by a teacher or boss.
Being able to stop, focus, and listen when important information is being conveyed.

• Possible Signs of Challenges with Attention •

Challenges with attention can have big impacts for students. As previously stated, when learners aren’t able to focus on new material, this makes learning that content that much harder. Similarly, when learners aren’t focused during instructions, they won’t understand how to proceed with an activity. Simply put, attention challenges become a major roadblock to learning.

Possible signs of attention challenges might include:

A student constantly staring out the window or down the hallway instead of watching the teacher during a lesson.
A learner who frequently misses hearing important instructions for tasks and then isn’t sure what to do.
A student who constantly plays with objects (pencils, toys, etc) instead of working on assigned tasks.
A child who is unable to finish assignments due to various distractions.

• Interventions, Supports, and Strategies for Attention •

Here are some strategies, activities, and ideas to help learners with time management challenges in the classroom:

Teach about attention and other EF skills explicitly
Give clear, one-step directions
Teach how to stay organized
Highlight most important directions on assignments
Teach and use classroom call-and response
Use a chime before giving important information
Incorporate movement during lessons and activities
Use visuals as reminders and supports
Reduce distractions around the room (ex: too many posters or a fan nearby)
Use preferential seating (find where the student can focus the best, as this is different for every child)
Incorporate hands-on learning activities
Use a study carrel (you can buy one or build it out of cardboard!)
Add center activities to allow for more movement during tasks
Break longer tasks into smaller, more manageable ones
Provide fidgets (and explicitly teach how to use them as a tool)
Give break breaks between lessons and activities
Teach students how to check in with themselves
Set a timer for work sessions
Consider a white noise machine or playing classical music during work sessions
Assign a study buddy during work sessions
Play attention-boosting games and play activities (like Simon Says)
Use student interests in lessons
Provide extra time to complete assignments

• Strategies for Parents to Support Attention Skills at Home •

It’s important to note that parents and families can also implement strategies to help at home! Here are some strategies parents and families can use at home strengthen skills for attention:

Be clear with directions (and give fewer words)
Allow wind-down time after school
Build in routines and consistency
Develop a “homework space and time” (and stick with it)
Teach self-monitoring
Break longer tasks into smaller, more manageable ones
Keep an organized and tidy work space to reduce distractions
Give check-ins during longer work sessions (“Show me what you accomplished so far.”)
Reduce distractions (television, cell phone, computer)
Model focusing while the child is working (read while they do homework, for example)
Use a white-noise machine
Give breaks after work completion
Incorporate rewards for completing chores or assignments

If you notice that your learners need some extra support with their attention and other executive functioning skills, I have units to target executive functioning skills for middle and high school learners and executive functioning skills for younger learners. Get all your materials in one spot to make teaching these skills a breeze!

This is a blog series focused on interventions to support executive functioning skills. Make sure you read up on interventions for planning and supports for organization!

15+ Ways to Teach Executive Functioning Skills

April 2, 2019 by pathway2success 2 Comments

In many ways, strong executive functioning skills are the foundation for success. These are the mental processes that help learners plan through assignments, organize materials, initiate a task, manage time well, stay focused, try new strategies when stuck, and persevere until the completion of a goal. If you think about it, those skills are important for every single thing we do! They are also integrated into every content and curriculum area that we teach. If we want our students to be better planners, organizers, and flexible thinkers, we need to invest the time in teaching executive functioning skills.

The best part about teaching these skills is that all learners can benefit from improved executive functioning skills. Students can always learn better strategies for planning, organizing, managing time, paying attention, and problem-solving to work through challenges. Of course, it shouldn’t go without saying that some students need these skills more critically than others. Whether you are teaching these skills as an extra support or a necessary intervention, it is always worth the time.

Here are over 15 ways you can teach executive functioning skills:

#1 Teach skills explicitly.

Plan an executive functioning and study skills block to teach skills explicitly. Depending on what time you have available, you can choose to teach these skills for 20 minutes per day or just once a week. As an educator, I know it’s challenging to find more time in the day. Some possibilities that might work include during a lunch group, resource room, morning meeting, advisory periods, or just once a week at the start of your class to start the week off strong. Even though finding the time can be difficult, it is always worth the investment. If you aren’t sure where to start, check out this yearlong executive functioning set of lessons and activities. By learning skills for planning, organization, time management, attention, and more, students will have more strategies necessary to succeed in school and beyond.

#2 Engage in class discussions.

As a group, openly talk about each of the skills and ask questions to get students really thinking. You can always come up with conversation starters on your own. One of my favorite ways to do this, though, is using these Executive Functioning Task Cards. They are already broken up into 10 executive functioning skills. You can just read the card and give time for students to discuss in small groups or as a full class. Some examples of questions might be: “Choose any class. If you had a test in that class, what 3 pages from your notebook would study from? (this focuses on organization)” or “You have a lot of homework and you have practice at 6pm. What can you do?” (this focuses on planning). The whole idea is to get learners thinking and activating their brains for each of the skills. And of course, kids often learn best from each other so discussion is always a great option!

#3 Play board games.

Games are a fun, interactive, and motivating way to practice executive functioning skills. The key is to be purposeful about highlight and teaching the skills as you play. For example, one of my favorite games is Pictionary. By playing, kids can work on a number of skills: They have to plan what they will draw, manage their time as the timer goes down, and be flexible and change their strategy when others aren’t guessing correctly. Read this blog post for more ideas about using games to strengthen executive functioning skills.

#4 Integrate it with curriculum.

Executive functioning skills are in everything we do. It only makes sense to teach and discuss them in everything, too. If you are starting a long-term project, take a little extra time to teach about planning. Help students understand that they should map out exactly what they want to accomplish before they start. During independent work time, discuss strategies for time management and using time well. Before a test or quiz, explain about metacognition and thinking about what you know in order to help learners study what they really need to. The opportunities for integrating EF skills into the curriculum are truly endless.

#5 Read literature and stories.

Literature can be used to discuss and highlight a number of skills. Again, the key is to be purposeful and directed about discussing and teaching those skills. You might ask how a character planned for a certain event, why they used self-control, or how they used perseverance to work through a challenge. There are so many wonderful short stories and picture books that help highlight some of these skills. I’ve also developed an entire set of Executive Functioning Stories that explicitly highlight the skills. Of course, you can highlight many of these skills is almost any story you choose!

#6 Highlight skills throughout the day.

Just like with academic content, students need to hear EF terms and phrases over and over again. One simple way to help kids learn about executive functioning skills is just to talk about them and highlight them on a regular basis. Remind them when they are using self-control to stop and think before answering a question. Encourage a student who organizes their binder during downtime in class. These small reminders can go a long way!

#7 Use an interactive notebook.

Interactive notebooks can be a great tool to teach skills in a fun and hands-on way. I developed a complete executive functioning interactive notebook to teach about all EF skills: everything from planning and organization to self-control and flexibility. If you haven’t used an interactive notebook before, the idea is really simple. Kids follow the directions to cut out items and put them in their notebooks. They have to read passages, answer questions, and complete tasks along the way. Kids learn critical skills in a hands-on way while creating a permanent notebook as evidence of their learning.

#8 Use crafts.

Using crafts can be highly motivating! For many learners, art can be a window into learning skills that are otherwise very challenging for them. One of my favorite crafts is making Executive Functioning Keys. The whole idea is to teach kids about the skills while they put together their own set of “keys to their success”. As you give each student a key to cut out and put on a ring, discuss the skill and explain why it is important. Best of all, learners can keep these keys as a reminder of the skills they’ve learned about.

#9 Watch videos.

There are many free videos for kids and young adults that teach about executive functioning skills. One set of videos called “Adventures of You” highlights EF skills in a very kid-friendly way. These would make for a fun advisory or morning meeting discussion!

#10 Develop and reflect on goals.

Developing goals with students can be extremely beneficial. This activity can be done during morning meeting, an advisory period, or an end-of-the-week reflection time. By creating goals and monitoring the progress on a regular basis, students can start to become more self-reflective. They should think about what worked, why they saw an improvement (or why they didn’t), and what strategies they can implement going forward.

#11 Play activities and other games.

It’s helpful to have a “toolbox” of quick activities for highlighting and practicing EF skills. Simple activities like Freeze, Simon Says, Musical Chairs, and Guard Duty are great when you have just a few minutes left of class and want to use it in a positive way. Head over to this blog post to read more about practicing executive functioning skills with play activities.

#12 Use role play.

Bring up real-life scenarios involving executive functioning skills and have students act out the situation with partners. For example, you might say: You were out sick for two days and you have no idea what the homework was. What might you do? Students act out solving the problem, such as going and asking the teacher, looking up assignments online, calling a friend, or asking a classmate face-to-face. Role-play is one of my favorite techniques because it’s fun for the kids and they will remember the skills they act out!

#13 Give mini-lessons on one skill per week (or month).

If you want to integrate EF skills into the day, plan to teach one skill per week or month. Do whichever works best for you. My favorite order of teaching these skills is: Planning, Organization, Time Management, Task Initiation, Working Memory, Metacognition, Self-Control, Attention, Flexibility, and Perseverance. Start by discussing the skill, explaining what it means and what it looks like, give reasons why it’s important, and strategies to help learners improve the skill. Then, continue to highlight and discuss that skill consistently throughout the week or month. Use this free executive functioning poster to help you discuss each skill.

#14 Use visual cues and reminders.

Use posters or a bulletin board to visually remind learners about the skills. You can even have your students create class visuals with directions on what it means to pay attention, manage your time, and get organized! Refer back to the visuals to discuss and highlight these skills throughout the week. For students in need, you can even give them specialized visuals reminding about specific skills right on their binders or desks.

#15 Use escape rooms.

An escape room activity is a little bit of work to set up, but worth all the effort! I created a few sets of executive functioning escape rooms to target these skills in an interactive way. Students work together in teams to solve puzzles. Each puzzle requires them to learn about and use executive functioning skills. After completing all puzzles, students will get access to a secret phrase to “escape” the room. Try this free executive functioning escape room to get started or read up more about how to build escape rooms in your classroom!

#16 Use brainteasers and brain games.

Start the day with a brainteaser or riddle to get kids thinking! Not only are kids exercising their brains, but these are fun activities that help set a positive tone for the day. One thing I loved doing in my middle school classroom was sharing a riddle and not giving the answer until the end of the day to encourage kids to think on their own and develop perseverance! Brainteasers and brain games can be so much fun.

While all learners can benefit from learning about executive functioning skills, some students are going to need executive functioning interventions and supports a lot more than others. For more information, read up on my blog series about executive functioning interventions and supports.

30+ Digital Executive Functioning Tools & Activities

12 Reasons to Teach Executive Functioning Skills Explicitly

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