EXECUTIVE FUNCTioning LINK/DECEMBER 2016

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: OBJECTIVE Objective(s) of lesson:  The goal is to teach executive functioning skills, by having students involvement in the process

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: GUIDING QUESTION Q: What is EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING?

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: GUIDING QUESTION A: The word executive, as defined by Webster, refers to a person who controls or directs an organization, one who holds a position of administrative or managerial responsibilities. Therefore “executive functioning” refers to how a person controls their emotions and behaviors and how they organize their life. Another very important part of executive functioning is not only the desire to accomplish things but the ability to get them done.

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: GUIDING QUESTION A2: Executive Functioning refers to a person's ability to manage or regulate a collection of basic cognitive and emotional processes. This includes planning, initiation, organization, and execution of tasks as well as the ability to cope with transitions or regulate emotional responses. A person lacking strong executive functioning skills tends to be less productive or successful in school or in life.

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: GUIDING QUESTION Q: What do EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS INVOLVE?

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: GUIDING QUESTION A: EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS INVOLVE: • ability to stay focused on tasks • ability to plan and anticipate • organization of thoughts and materials • ability to follow-through and complete tasks • ability to cope with unstructured situations • ability to cope with changes in routine • ability to regulate emotions

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: Students experiencing general executive functioning difficulties often struggle academically with work completion, organization, and motivation for any task, which is perceived as difficult, frustrating, or simply unappealing.

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfKLmqpjfWs

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS If any of the previous slides sound like some of your challenges, the obvious question pops up … Where do I go from here?

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING You MIGHT say … thanks But …

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: INCREASING SKILLS Students with executive functioning issues tend to respond well to the following: increased structure, routine predictability The use of lists and schedules

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: COMMON PROBLEM A common pitfall occurs when parents or teachers simply perform the executive functioning tasks for the student rather than helping him/her learn to perform the tasks. While it may be necessary and appropriate to initially help to develop lists, schedules, routines, and other structures to “get the job done,” when parents or teachers do too much for too long, the student's actually become more significant and unmanageable.

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcwI7vl4vaA

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: ACTIVITY We're going to take a realistic look at ourselves, as realistically as we can.  We will answer a questionnaire and 9 follow-up questions.

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS Acknowledge that there is a problem. If you can’t admit that there is a problem you can’t find a solution. Come to an agreement about which skills to target. Develop strategies for each target skill. Strategies need to focus on expanding the level of each skill and should include multiple types of support, such as visual, auditory, touch, and movement. A designated time should be set aside, at least once a week, to discuss the progress that is being made on each skill and make revisions as necessary.

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS The student will complete the given survey and will answer nine follow-up questions. The survey will also be taken by the teacher and will be used as a comparison to the students. The class will discuss as a group the way in which we see ourselves compared to those around us. Finally, the student will be asked to acknowledge that there is a problem. If the student can admit that there is a problem then we can work to find a solution. A plan will be developed from the acknowledgment.

QUESTIONAIRRE 2 QUESTIONAIRRE 1