1. Supporting Executive Functions
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Supporting Executive Functions
Dr. Whitney Rapp
Associate Professor of Inclusive Education
Mom of 3

2. 2 disclaimers:

3. What are Executive Functions?

4. 2 Strands of Executive Functions
Metacognitive
Goal-setting
Planning/Strategizing
Sequencing
Organizing materials
Time management
Task initiation
Goal-directed attention
Task persistence
Working memory
Set shifting
Social/Emotional Regulation
Response inhibition
(impulse control)
Emotional control
Adaptability

5. Neurological in nature
Mature over time; but only to a point
Affected by everything that affects our neurology
Diet
Sleep
Exercise
Hormones
Stress
Weather
Wax and wane
Inconsistent development

6. What Does that Mean in School and at home?

7. Cognitive v. Associative Tasks (Typically – for adults)
Solving math problems
Writing an editorial
Reading a research article
Doing your taxes
Driving
Talking
Making lunches
Sort mail
Check on dinner
Packing work bag
Talking on phone

8. Cognitive v. Associative Tasks (Typically – for kids)
Solving math problems
Writing an essay
Reading a textbook
Taking a test
Heading the paper (filling in name and date)
Packing school bag
Writing in planner
Sorting papers into folders
Talking with friends

9. Cognitive v. Associative Tasks (For kids with executive functioning difficulty)
Solving math problems
Writing an essay
Reading a textbook
Taking a test
Heading the paper (filling in name and date)
Packing school bag
Writing in planner
Sorting papers into folders
Talking with friends

10. Processing load and consumption of ability
Student with strong executive functions
Student with difficulties in executive functions

11. “Did you do your homework?
Identify the assignment.
Locate planner.
Copy assignment into planner - in the right place.
Bring home planner.
Bring home books, worksheet, folder, etc. needed.
Once home, locate planner.
Locate books, worksheet, folder, etc.
Match the assignment in the planner with the materials needed.
Do the assignment.
Store homework in correct folder.
Bring folder back to school.
Bring correct folder to class.
Locate homework in folder.
Submit homework.

12. What Does that Mean in School and at home?
Academically:
It means they often know the stuff, but it doesn’t get where it needs to be, how it needs to be, when it needs to be there.
Socially:
It means they have difficulty making friends, being appropriate with peers, making plans to socialize.
Emotionally:
It means they start to see themselves as a “bad student,” and then as “irresponsible” or “lazy” or “not smart” or “unlikable.”

13. A Shift in Thinking Responsible ≠ Organized; neat
Responsible = answerable or accountable, as for something within one's power, control, or management
Struggling in school ≠ not smart
Struggling in school = mismatch between the environment and abilities
Good student ≠ naturally strong executive functions.
Good student = maximize natural executive functions, and utilize external strategies for the rest of it

14. Foundation of any support
Reduce the executive functioning processing load to free up as much content/cognitive processing as possible.
What is not internal must be made external.
Remember the nature of neurologically-based abilities.
Neurologically-based disorders:
Effected by diet, sleep, hormones, stress, weather, etc.
Wax and wane
Progress comes in fits and starts

15. Strategies for academics

16. Planner options
Apps
iStudiezPro
MyHomework
Customized planner

17. Checklists

18. Pair forgettable items with unforgettable items

19. Templates Pre-headed paper Graph paper Pre-formatted word documents
Pre-formatted Math Toolkit books (BHS)

20. Graphic Organizers
Dendrite food!

21. Break down assignments into visible parts
“Story line”
Index cards

22. Rubrics

24. Electronic Cubbies Google docs Emails to self
Photos of assignments, board, materials

25. Sense of Time Map it out & Time it Set alerts
Put travel time in planner
Schedule appointment for checking
Schedule down time

26. Strategies for social-emotional regulation

27. How Response Inhibition Works
Ability to inhibit a prepotent response – the STOP part of “stop and think.”
Working Memory
Workspace where current social dynamics, past school experiences, and potential options and outcomes are considered.
Social Flexibility and Planning
Choosing and implementing the most appropriate option, modifying as needed.

28. How Emotional Control Works
The limbic system creates emotion (the steam engine), but the prefrontal cortex regulates its expression (the vent or valve).
The steam engine works even if the vent does not.
So, kids who exhibit inappropriate behaviors don’t necessarily have worse emotions, just weaker vents.

29. How Social Adaptability Works
Akin to set-switching.
It is the speed and ease in transitioning across multiple social contexts or within a highly complex situation.
At rest during predictable, well-established routines.
At work during unexpected changes or rapid-fire events.

30. Understanding appropriate responses/others’ perspectives.
Social stories,
Comic strip conversations (Carol Gray)
Perspective exercises
Map out steps for making plans (just like we did above for academic projects).

31. Reflection on Personal Steam Engine
Response scales (Kari Buron)
Social Skill Autopsy (Lavoie)

32. Strengthening the Vent
Healthy food, enough sleep, exercise
Fidgets, seating
Arriving first

33. Questions? wrapp@sjfc.edu