Key Considerations Identify the specific behavior(s) associated with the Executive Skill weakness Identify where/when problem occurs Discuss a specific, time- and situation-limited task to work on Keep the effort level low and the practice time short Practice frequently Once successful, increase the task demand

Role of Coach in Facilitating Development of Executive Skills Surrogate – To put in the place of another. Lend – To give for temporary use on the condition that the same or its equivalent be returned or [learned]. Coach – A Teacher. [One who] facilitates the performance, learning and development of another (Downey, 2003). The coach acts as a “surrogate frontal lobe” who engages in the lending his or her executive skills to coach the participant in order to facilitate the learning and development of the participant’s executive skills.

Factors that impact the degree to which the coach will act as a surrogate frontal lobe Participants experience and work/life skill set. Participant’s executive skill profile and baseline of current strengths and weaknesses. Participant’s type and degree of learning ability and aptitude for specific skill acquisition. Task/situational/environmental demands on participant, goodness-of-fit with participant’s profile, and current environmental modifications in place.

Your goal for this surrogate role Your success as a surrogate frontal lobe is directly proportional to the participant’s success in regulating behavior to solve problems and achieve goals in your absence – you’ve succeeded when you’re no longer needed (or at least less needed!).

Strategies for modifying the environment 1.Change the ways adults interact with you 2.Change the physical or social environment 3.Modify the tasks you expect to perform

Response Inhibition (Culprit is context-dependent behavior) Environmental ModificationSelf-Teaching Strategy Remove the temptations Put cues in your environment Ask someone, friend, coach etc. for help. Identify situation Work on wait-stop in baby steps Make a specific plan and rehearse it before you go into situation, pair it with a statement (“I don’t need…)

Sustained Attention Environmental ModificationTeaching Strategy Reduce distractions Use a prompt to attend Modify/limit task length or demand (end in sight from the beginning) Build in variety/choice Choose best time of day Immediately reinforce Commit to a small increase (time, amount completed) Have something to look forward to

Task Initiation Environmental ModificationTeaching Strategy Set up cues/prompts Reduce perceived effort/task demand Walk through first step— build behavioral momentum Establish set time to do non- preferred tasks Select cueing system Limit initial demand, keep time short Select a reinforcer Make a plan for starting the task

Planning/Prioritization Environmental ModificationTeaching Strategy Demonstrate what a plan is Help person design a plan/template Provide planning tools (calendar, agenda book, apps ) Walk through the planning process Have them apply plan to a simple task and gradually prompt to do more of the planning themselves Ask questions to get cperson to prioritize (What do you need? What should you do first?)

Goal-Directed Persistence Environmental ModificationTeaching Strategy Establish goals with person Reinforce person for persistence (sticking with difficult tasks) Make sure the goal or benchmark is in sight Point out to person how they already set goals but they may not know what they are. Define goals as something that people want to get better at or to change. Ask person to set small, achievable goals, or a goal for something they want.