Executive Function Teaching kids to use their thinking

Executive Function Teaching kids to use their “thinking brain”

Ice breaker Read the colour of the word NOT the actual word as quickly as you can

Ice breaker Can you guess these words or expressions? 1 Cof fee MILL ON Coffee Break One in a Million

Ice breaker Can you guess these words or expressions? EVER bit Forever A little bit

Ice breaker Can you guess these words or expressions? Think You. Just. Me Think twice Just between you and me

What is Executive Function https: //youtu. be/ef. Cq_v. HUMqs

ORGANIZING & PRIORITIZING v Organization: The ability to create and maintain systems to keep track of information or materials. It involves arranging possessions, information or tasks into a structured whole so that the parts are coordinated efficiently ü planning ü setting priorities ü task initiation. Children who lack organizational skills L lose permission slips, assignment sheets, notebooks and library books. L They may face consequences for being disorganized L Children with poor skills in this area may understand the value of organization but are unable to learn how to keep track of things.

ORGANIZING & PRIORITIZING v Prioritizing/Planning: The ability to create steps to reach a goal and to make decisions about what to focus on Children who have difficulty planning and setting priorities L Are easily overwhelmed by complicated, multi-part tasks. L Can’t independently impose structure and order on ideas. L Have difficulty thinking through the steps required to achieve a goal. L Underestimate a project’s complexity and time requirements.

ORGANIZING & PRIORITIZING v Organization and Academic Performance Homework: ü ü Write down all assignments correctly Bring home materials needed to work Complete tasks on time Remember to hand in work Long-term projects: ü ü Keep track of many details Manage multiple elements of projects simultaneously. Studying: ü Organize class notes, homework and other materials to prepare for tests and exams. Writing: ü ü v ü ü ü Produce cohesive, integrated, analytical compositions that are well organized Prioritize important details. Prioritizing and Academic Performance. Juggle long-term and short-term tasks Select the most important information for note-taking, studying or writing Manage the competing demands of school, homework and extracurricular activities without losing track of important deadlines

ORGANIZING & PRIORITIZING v HOW TO ORGANIZE AND PRIORITIZE Organizing Time ü Calendars to record important dates and commitments ü Timetables and visual schedules Organizing Tasks ü Breaking complex tasks into manageable chunks (map tasks into flowcharts) Organizing Materials ü An organized workspace helps children find the materials they need for homework easily and independently. ü Storing materials in different sections is helpful. ü Brightly colours and coloured folders

ORGANIZING & PRIORITIZING Prioritizing Tasks ü Prioritize based on due dates, difficulty level or the level of stress for each task ü List the steps needed to complete long-term projects ü Sequence tasks logically Prioritizing Materials ü Review homework and gather materials before starting Keep It Simple, Relevant and Real ü Start small and with short term strategies ü Work with your child and the teacher ü Lead by (honest) example ü Create comfortable routines

THINKING FLEXIBLY v The ability to change strategies or revise plans when conditions change Children who behave in ways that are inflexible L Struggle when a familiar routine is disrupted L Struggle when a task becomes complicated. L Get frustrated when a first attempt to solve a problem isn’t successful. L Unable to see new ways to do familiar tasks or to make another choice when the first choice proves unworkable. v ü ü ü Flexible Thinking and Academic Performance Reading comprehension Written language Math competency Science and Foreign languages Studying and test-taking

THINKING FLEXIBLY v How to be a Flexible Thinker? J Encourage activities that involve multiple-meaning words, word categories and number puzzles (Sudoku, Crosswords) J Telling. visualizing and discussing jokes, riddles, puns and multiple-meaning words J Reading comprehension activities and audio books J Encourage written language (Writing own stories, keeping a diary, practicing spelling and looking up definitions of unfamiliar words) J Math Activities (Alternative approaches to solving sums) J Studying for tests and quizzes using strategies that work for each subject (Studying for maths may/will be different than studying for English or History) J With time, patience and practice, you can help children become more flexible thinkers!!!

WORKING MEMORY v The ability to hold information in mind and use it to complete a task Types of Working Memory 1. Verbal (auditory) working memory – sound (phonological) system. • Follow multi-step set of oral instructions Language learning and comprehension tasks. Auditory working memory usually affects learning more than visual-spatial working memory because, since so much information is relayed verbally in school, it’s harder for students to easily find ways to compensate for it. 2. Visual- spatial working memory – visual sketchpad in the brain. It allows you to envision something ( “mind’s eye”) Math and to remember patterns, images and sequences of events.

WORKING MEMORY Children with weak working memory L Are unable to remember and apply crucial information L Falter when a task requires that they remember a series of directions L Have difficulty generating ideas in response to directions L Information just doesn’t “stick” L Abandon activities before completing them L Appear to be daydreaming often L Fail to complete assignments L Raise their hands to answer questions but forget what they wanted to say L Mix up material inappropriately—for example, combining two sentences L Forget how to continue an activity that they’ve started, even though the teacher has explained the steps

WORKING MEMORY v Working Memory and Learning and Attention L Children with weak working memory skills are likely to have Language Disorders (LD) too. L Difficulty with working memory may show up later in school, when executive skills of comprehension and analysis come into play. e. g. Grade 5 learner who’s still sounding out words while reading is relying heavily on working memory to help compensate. At this stage, you want kids’ reading to be more automatic—for them to be able to look at a word and recognize it without having to recruit attention or working memory to do the task.

WORKING MEMORY v How to Help a Child With Poor Working Memory ü Know your kids’ weaknesses, but play to their strengths (If good visual-spatial skills, use blocks or Legos to complete addition and subtraction sums) ü Help compensate for a weakness. e. g. Break up or chunk information. (give one or two instructions rather than a long string of instructions). ü If auditory working memory is weak, don’t expect them to depend on it for important things. ü Encourage them to take responsibility for their needs by asking teachers for help ü Reinforce what works. ü Use working memory as a floodlight to plan action. Discourage multitasking, and rather focus on one thing at a time and shift between activities, therefore allowing the child to focus on a single thought—rather than be overwhelmed by a mountain of thoughts at once.

SELF-MONITORING/ SELFCHECKING v The ability to monitor and evaluate your own performance ü Allows you to recognize when and how to use specific strategies ü Monitor the effectiveness of a strategy and adjust according to the task at hand. ü Self-monitoring requires students to be mindful of what the task is, how they’re approaching the task, as well as the outcome of their effort. Children who are weak at monitoring themselves L May notice that they’re not following directions until it’s pointed out. L Tend to misjudge their own efforts L Have trouble adjusting what they’re doing based on feedback or cues L Aren’t aware of the approaches they’re using to complete assignments L Don’t recognize when they’re “stuck” and need to shift to a different approach L Don’t independently monitor and adjust the strategies they use L Don’t know how to check or correct their errors independently

SELF-MONITORING/ SELFCHECKING v Self-Monitoring and Academic Performance ü Reading comprehension: Monitoring and decoding vocabulary, tracking the main ideas and details (the meaning) ü Writing: Understanding an assignment, planning and organizing an approach, connecting the main ideas (or themes) with the details and facts, using correct sentence structure, spelling and grammar, and finally checking to see if the finished product matches the goals of the assignment ü Math: Monitor how to solve problems (correct operation), understanding concepts, making sure the final calculations match the questions ü Science and history: Understanding of concepts, vocabulary (like scientific words) and details (like historical dates) ü Homework: Understanding assignments, monitoring due dates, organizing materials ü Studying and test-taking: Monitoring what you already know, what still needs to be learned, how to do so etc.

SELF-MONITORING/ SELFCHECKING v How to learn to Self-Monitor and Self-Check ü Self-talk for reflection and greater awareness of learning and performing process – Think aloud ü Reading Comprehension – Encourage your child to read single sentences, small chunks of text, and then check for understanding (discussing characters, language, themes and details) ü Writing – Help kids review assignments, track progress, common errors, sentence structure and grammar, reading aloud what is written (use different coloured pens when shifting from the role of writer to that of self-editor) ü Math – Check work for accuracy, using the reverse operation, using a calculator, personalized checklist to identify past errors ü Homework – Silly phrases or songs as reminders to pack necessary books, give finished homework a “once over look”, use a clock to monitor the time spent on each assignment. ü Studying and Test-Taking – Review study guides, study timetables, create a list of “don’t forget” items, acronyms to help remember important information

EMOTIONAL AND IMPULSE CONTROL v Emotional Control - The ability to manage feelings by thinking about goals Children who can’t manage their emotions L Have difficulty accepting constructive criticism L Can’t keep their eyes on their goal when upsetting or unexpected things happen L Quick to call a situation “unfair” L Overreact to losing a game or being called on in class L Have difficulty sticking with schoolwork when they’re distressed v Impulse Control - The ability to stop and think before acting Children with a lack of impulse control L Often say or do things without using a cushion of time to reflect L Do whatever pleasurable thing comes along without considering consequences L Speed through schoolwork, sacrificing accuracy and completeness along the way.

TASK INITIATION v The ability to recognize when it is time to get started on something and begin without procrastinating Children with poor task initiation skills L Have trouble starting homework and put off projects until the last minute L Are sometimes seen as lazy or unmotivated L Have trouble with planning and organizing L Often get overwhelmed by everything they have to do that they end up doing nothing at all

TASK INITIATION v How to help your child feel motivated ü Simplify, summarise or make instructions more concrete to help them understand what to do (especially for children with working memory problems and language-based difficulties) ü Make the tasks or assignments appropriate for their developmental or skill level so they’ll be able to accomplish it. ü Provide cues or some kind of structure to help them get started ü Focus on tasks that include your kids’ interests and hobbies, even if they aren’t school subjects. ü When possible, offer choices (what to do as well as how to do it) ü Offer rewards that are personally motivating ü Praise your child’s efforts – Be as specific as possible

Name the Executive Function WORKING MEMORY

Name the Executive Function Self Monitoring and Impulse Control

Name the Executive Function Flexibility and Working Memory

Importance of Executive Function According to a scholarly article: “Executive functions are more important for school readiness than is IQ. They continue to predict math and reading competence throughout all school years. Clearly, to improve school readiness and academic success, targeting EFs is crucial. EFs remain critical for success throughout life (in career and marriage) and for mental and physical health. ” “Children with worse self-control (less persistence, more impulsivity, and poorer attention regulation) at ages 3– 11 tend to have worse health, earn less, and commit more crimes 30 years later than those with better self-control…. Since “self-control’s effects follow a [linear] gradient, interventions that achieve even small improvements in self-control for individuals could shift the entire distribution of outcomes in a salutary direction and yield large improvements in health, wealth, and crime rate for a nation”

Importance of Play in developing Executive Function “Play is the highest form of research” Albert Einstein “Children learn as they play. Most importantly in play children learn how to learn. ” O. Fred Donaldson

Importance of Play in developing Executive function In play children: learn to cope with anxiety, frustration and failure Learn to meet the demands of and master their environment Test reality and experiment with the roles and tasks of life Develop confidence and an understanding of their own abilities and skills Develop problem solving skills, knowledge of social rules and cognitive learning Express feelings and relieve stress

What is play? Any spontaneous or organised activity that provides enjoyment entertainment, amusement or diversion In children play is the major means by which competence is developed In play children learn skills that will later support their roles as friend, play group member, school student

Types of Play Exploratory/ Sensorymotor Play 0 -24 months Exploring the world through the senses Everything must be seen, touched, tasted, smelled Performed for the enjoyment/ curiosity of the sensory stimulation Often involves repetitive movement Development of the senses and motor skills such as hand-eye coordination

Imitative Play (7 -9 months) The child reflects what they see and hear around them They watch what happens in their environment and use this to learn why and how things work- i. e learning to use a spoon, drink from a bottle, push a toy car. They also start to learn that adults have different roles/ responsibilities Initially children copy what they see in a situation and later on for their own amusement

Constructive Play (2 -3 years and up) Manipulation of objects to construct or create something e. g lego, building blocks, constructional games Relies on and strengthens the development of sensory and motor abilities Involves recognition and retrieval of memory The child has to combine imitation with developing insight and purposeful anticipation

Symbolic/ Pretend Play (2 -3 years) Symbolic games and suspension from reality Once the child has learned the probable cause and effect of things relating to activities they have observed and copied, they invent complicated situations for themselves Helps the child to have “things” to encourage fantasy Largely dependent on language

Dramatic, Fantasy and Imaginative Play (Preschool to middle childhood) This can include: Acting out social roles and situations Private imagination and internal monologue Symbolic games that can be solitary or highly social

Active Play Promotes physical development of muscle tone, coordination, balance, sequencing of movement Child needs free space and equipment to play on Includes rough-and-tumble play (important for boys especially)- Play fighting, active wrestling, chasing with both adults and peers

Social Play activities with other people- begins in infancy with primary caregivers and develops later with siblings and peers. This includes: Parallel play and associative play In early childhood children may play alongside each other without interacting and later develop simple social interactions Cooperative Play As the child grows older they learn to participate in more complex, organised peer interactions for a purpose

Social Play Continued Games with Rules Usually starts at 4 years and up Requires the child to be able to abide by explicit, socially sanctioned rules Child needs to be able to share, take turns, play fairly. Acknowledge leaders and establish rules To be rewarding these types of games have to be played according to the recognised rules Being able to participate in this kind of play enables the child to later engage in formal sports and hobbies from middle childhood throughout life

Games with Rules

Tips and Strategies for Parents to Develop Executive Function Throughout Childhood into Adolescence

Executive function during Infancy 6 -18 months Skills developing include Attention Working memory Self-control skills Important for adults to: Supportive and responsive- interact with infant Attend to the infant’s interests Select activities that are enjoyable Allow infant to determine how long to play

Ways to develop EF from 6 -18 months Lap games Repetition NB. Peekaboo — Hide-and-find games Baby has to remember who is hiding (working memory) Self-control skills ( waits for the adult to peek-a-boo) If baby controls the timing of the reveal, they practice regulating the tension around an expected surprise.

Ways to develop EF from 6 -18 months Predictable rhymes that end with a stimulating yet expected surprise develop memory as they develop familiarity with the rhyme practice anticipating a surprise controlling anticipatory reactions Hiding games Challenge working memory. Hide a toy initially showing the infant where you hide it and later not showing them Let the infant hide and listen to you search Hiding an object under one of a number of cups and moving the cups around

Ways to develop EF from 6 -18 months v. Imitation or copying games Infants love to copy adults. When they imitate, they have to keep track of your actions, remember them, wait their turn, and then recall what you did. In doing so, they practice attention, working memory, and selfcontrol. This could include taking turns making simple gestures (e. g. , waving) organizing toys and asking children to copy you- increase complexity as infant’s skills improve Demonstrating ways to play with toys, like making a toy horse gallop or rocking a baby doll. This introduces the concept of using toys as symbols for real objects.

Ways to develop EF from 6 -18 months v. Simple role play Children enjoy imitating the behaviour of adults at this age. Imitation of adult tasks (sweeping, cleaning, cooking, fixing the car) introduces the basics of imaginary play Child practises working memory, self-control, and selective attention Children can remember and play out more complicated roles as they get older. They will also begin to initiate activities. Providing the necessary materials (e. g. , a broom, a toy box, a dustcloth) can help children enjoy and sustain this type of play.

Ways to develop EF from 6 -18 months Fingerplays Songs or chants with simple hand motions are a lot of fun for infants, and develop self-control and working memory as well as language. Infants can learn to copy the movements to a song and, with practice, will remember the sequence i. e. Eensy Weensy Spider;

Ways to develop EF from 6 -18 months Conversations Talking to your child builds attention, working memory, and self control. Start by naming the things the infant is looking at or pointing to As infants get older, pointing out and talking about interesting objects or events can help them learn to focus their attention on something the adult has identified. As babies learn language, they also develop their memory of what is said, eventually mapping words to objects and actions. Bilingualism can be good for executive function but important to do it in such a way that the child does not become confused

Executive Function during Infancy 18 -36 months Explosion of Language! Language is very important for executive function and self-regulation (EF/SR), Helps children Identify their thoughts and actions Reflect on them Make plans that they hold in mind and use Understand follow increasingly complex instructions

Ways to develop EF from 18 - 36 months v. Active games Toddlers love physical challenges as they are busy developing NB physical skills Parents should: Encouraging active play – Practising gross motor skills is an extremely important Understand it is a learning process - the child may not succeed the first time Provide many materials and opportunities to try new skills, such as throwing and catching balls, walking a balance beam, running up and down an incline, jumping Set up simple rules to develop working memory and inhibition Encourage imitation games such as Follow my Leader Freeze games such as musical statues develop inhibition

Ways to develop EF from 18 - 36 months v Conversation and storytelling As language develops children begin to engage actively in conversation with adults and tell simple stories. Parents can help by simply watching and narrating the child’s play Children start to pick up how language describes their actions Later add questions like: “What will you do next? ” Helps the child to pause to reflect on what they are trying to do, what has worked, and how to plan next move. Telling stories about shared events can be a great way to reflect on these experiences. Promotes memory of experience, sequencing of events, why things happened the way they did, and what the experience meant. Talking about feelings is also important Helps child identify feelings-“It looks like you are really angry right now” Giving children language to reflect on their feelings supports the development of emotional regulation

Ways to develop EF from 18 - 36 months v Matching/sorting games Sorting by shape/ colour/ size develops working memory (holding the rule in mind applying it) Silly sorting games- such as putting small shapes in a big bucket and big shapes in a small bucket. Children tend to put like with like, so a change is challenging, requiring them to inhibit the expected action and engage their selective attention and working memory.

Matching/ Sorting Games Simple puzzles, which require attention to shapes and colours. Adults can prompt the child to think about what shape or colour they need, where they might put a certain piece, or where they might put the piece if it doesn’t fit, thereby exercising the child’s reflection and planning skills.

Ways to develop EF from 18 - 36 months v Imaginary play More sustained imaginary play starts to develop and children show signs of simple imaginary play plots. For example, after “cooking” in the pot, the child will put the pot on the table and pretend to eat. Parents should ask children questions about what they are doing. Narrate things you see happening. Play along with the child, and let the child direct the play. Give the child a chance to tell you what role you should play and how you should do it. Regulating the behavior of others is an important way that children develop their own self-regulation skills. Provide a variety of familiar household objects, toys, and clothing items to encourage children’s imaginary play.

Executive function during the Pre-school years (ages 3 -6) Children’s executive function and self-regulation skills grow at a fast pace during this period, so it is important to adapt activities to match the skills of each child. Younger children need a lot of support in learning rules and structures, while older children can be more independent. Ultimately, the goal is to shift children away from relying on adult regulation, so when the child seems ready, try to reduce the support you provide.

Imaginary play During intentional imaginary play children: Develop rules to guide their actions in playing roles Hold complex ideas in mind and shape their actions to follow these rules, inhibiting impulses or actions that don’t fit the “role. ” Play cooperatively and regulate each other’s behavior— an important step in developing self-regulation.

Imaginary Play Ways to support high-level imaginary play: Read books, go on field trips, and use videos to make sure that children know enough about the scenario and roles to support pretend play. Provide a varied set of props and toys to encourage this type of play. Both realistic and repurposed props have value. Reusing familiar objects in a new way also practices cognitive flexibility.

Imaginary Play Allow children to make their own play props. Children must determine what is needed, hold this information in mind, and then follow through without getting distracted. They also exercise selective attention, working memory, and planning. If the original plans don’t work out, children need to adjust their ideas and try again, challenging their cognitive flexibility.

Children love to tell stories. Their early stories tend to be a series of events, each one related to the one before, but lacking any larger structure. With practice, children develop more complex and organized plots. As the complexity of the storytelling grows, children practice holding and manipulating information in working memory.

Storytelling Ways to support children’s storytelling: Encourage your child to: Tell stories. Bilingual families should initially encourage telling of stories in the home language and later in English. Biligualism can also improve executive function. Draw pictures to support a story. Revisiting the story, either by reviewing pictures or words, supports more intentional organization and greater elaboration. Tell group stories. One child starts the story, and each person in the group adds something to it. Children need to pay attention to each other, reflect on possible plot twists, and tailor their additions to fit the plot, thereby challenging their attention, working memory, and self-control. Act out stories they have written. The story provides a structure that guides children’s actions and requires them to attend to the story and follow it, while inhibiting their impulse to create a new plot.

Movement challenges: songs and games • Songs and movement games require children have to move to a specific rhythm and synchronize words to actions and the music. • Contributes to inhibitory control and working memory. • Increase length and complexity of songs as the child matures to stimulate interest

Provide physical challenges through access to materials: Climbing structures, balance beams, seesaws, etc Set challenges such as obstacle courses and games that encourage complex motions (skipping, balancing, etc) During new, difficult activities, children develop their ability to focus attention, monitor and adjust their actions, and persist to achieve a goal.

Movement challenges: songs and games Encourage attention control through quieter physical activities such as using a balance beam or yoga poses that include slow breathing. Play some music and have children dance really fast, then really slowly. Musical statues is also fun, and it can be made more difficult by asking children to freeze in particular positions. Use songs to develop attention and working memory: Songs that repeat and add on to earlier sections (either through words or motions) are a great challenge to working memory, such as the motions to She’ll Be Coming ’Round the Mountain Songs with actions the words and actions to Father Abraham or the Hokey Pokey Backward-counting songs, such as 5 green bottles standing in the wall, 5 little Speckled Frogs, 5 little ducks went out one day and songs repeating a long list (the Alphabet Song). Songs that take away or change a letter word or letter on each repetition such as The dog names BINGO

Quiet games and other activities Matching and sorting activities Ask children to sort by different rules, promoting cognitive flexibility. Children can first sort or match by one rule (such as by colour), and then immediately switch to a new rule (such as by shape). Play a bingo or lotto game, in which children have to mark a card with the opposite of what is called out by the leader (e. g. , for “day, ” putting a chip on a nighttime picture). Children have to inhibit the tendency to mark the picture that matches, while also remembering the game’s rule.

Quiet games and other activities Increasingly complicated puzzles can engage children this age, exercising their visual working memory and planning skills. Cooking is also a lot of fun for young children. They practice inhibition when waiting for instructions, working memory while holding complicated directions in mind, and focused attention when measuring and counting.

Executive function during Primary School (7 -12 years) Up the challenge: For children in this age group it is important to have games that are graded/ have different levels so that the child can continue developing their skills as they improve

Card games and board games Card games in which children have to track playing cards exercise working memory and promote mental flexibility in the service of planning and strategy. Hearts, dominoes, and bridge are popular examples. Games that require monitoring and fast responses are great for challenging attention and quick decisionmaking in children at this age. Uno, (For impulse control try silent Uno), Snap

Card games and board games For younger children, card games requiring matching by either suit or number continue to test cognitive flexibility. Rummy games, Memory card games can be made at home and used to develop visual and working memory Any game involving strategy provides important practice with holding complicated moves in mind, planning many moves ahead, and then adjusting plans—both in response to imagined outcomes and the moves of opponents. With practice, children can develop real skill at classic games of strategy like Noughts and Crosses (for younger children), Chess and Moraba, while challenging working memory and cognitive flexibility. Other examples of strategy games include Cluedo, Catan, Ticket to Ride, Forbidden Desert. Some of these games require the players to work together towards a common goal which teaches valuable social skills and team work.

Card games and board games

Fantasy Play Children this age also enjoy more complex games involving fantasy play, which require holding in working memory complicated information about places visited in imaginary worlds, rules about how characters and materials can be used, and strategy in attaining selfdetermined goals.

Fantasy Play

Physical activities/games Organized sports Develops skills to: hold complicated rules and strategies in mind monitor own and others’ actions make quick decisions and respond flexibly to play. Evidence suggests high levels of physical activity and coordinated movement tasks can improve all aspects of executive function.

Physical activities/games Jump rope games Skipping games, Umgusha Requires focused practice, attention, control and working memory Games that require constant monitoring of the environment and fast reaction times also challenge selective attention, monitoring, and inhibition Younger children: hiding/tag games, particularly those played in the dark, like Stalk the Lantern are fun Older children: Dodgeball, Stingers and paintball. Video games (but take care avoiding violent content and setting time limits)

Music, singing, and dance Learning to play a musical instrument Develops selective attention and self-monitoring. Challenges working memory to hold the music in mind. Some evidence suggests that developing Bilateral coordination supports better executive function. Participating in music classes or community Develops the ability to follow rhythmic patterns, particularly when improvisation is involved (e. g. , clapping or drumming Challenges coordination of working memory, attention, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition. Singing in parts and rounds, as is done in children’s singing groups, is also a fun challenge, requiring a similar coordination of working memory, monitoring, and selective attention. As children’s musical skills grow, adults can present them with steadily increasing challenges.

Music, singing, and dance

Music, singing, and dance Dancing, too, provides many opportunities to develop attention, self-monitoring, and working memory, as dancers must hold choreography in mind while coordinating their movements with the music.

Brain teasers Puzzles that require information to be held and manipulated in working memory Crossword puzzles are available for all skill levels and draw on manipulation of letters and words in working memory, reasoning skills as well as cognitive flexibility. Sudoku provides a similar challenge but works with numbers rather than letters and words. Classic spatial puzzles like Rubik’s Cube or mechanical puzzles require children to be mentally flexible and consider spatial information in devising potential solutions. For younger children use shape puzzles such as Brainy Blox or Logi Shapes. Problem solving games such as Rush Hour and River Crossing are also available and challenge reasoning, forward planning and cognitive flexibility.

Executive Function in Adolescence During adolescence, executive function skills are not yet at adult levels, but the demands placed on these skills often are. Teenagers need to communicate effectively in multiple contexts, manage their own school and extracurricular assignments, and successfully complete more abstract and complicated projects. Here are some suggestions for helping teens practice better selfregulation throughout the daily challenges they face.

Goal setting, planning and monitoring Requires self regulation and includes: Identifying goals Parents should encourage teens to set goals that are: Meaningful to them Simple and achievable Grade to longer term goals such as getting a job or buying a car Planning Identify short and long term goals and steps to achieve these Identify problems that might arise and plan ahead Monitoring progress Ask questions such as: Is this part of the original plan If not why am I doing it? Adjusting behavior Identify counter-productive habitual and impulsive actions and try to consciously alter actions that prevent achievement of goals

Tools for self-monitoring Self-talk is a powerful way to bring thoughts and actions into consciousness. Have teenagers talk themselves through a task When occasions arise that provoke strong negative emotions or feelings of failure, self-talk can help adolescents identify potentially problematic thinking and behaviour patterns. Encourage self-talk that focuses on growth. Help teens recognize that an experience—particularly a failure—can offer lessons, and need not be interpreted as a final judgment on one’s abilities. Example: When a sports team loses a game, help a discouraged team member to consider what went wrong and what he or she might do to improve next time—rather than simply deciding the team lacks any skills. The same thinking can be helpful for school assignments.

Skills developed by self monitoring

Tools for self-monitoring Help adolescents be mindful of interruptions (particularly from electronic communication such as email and cell phones). Multitasking may feel good, but there is strong evidence that it saps attention and impedes performance. If two (or more) tasks are competing for attention, discuss ways to prioritize and sequence. Understanding the motivations of others can be challenging, particularly when people are driven by different perspectives. Encourage teens to identify their hypotheses about others’ motivations and then consider alternatives. “Why do you think she bumped into you? Can you think of another explanation? ” Teens who are not used to this kind of thinking may need you to model the process: “Could it be that she didn’t see you? ” Writing a personal journal can foster self-reflection by providing teens a means with which to explore thoughts, feelings, actions, beliefs, and decisions. Journaling encourages self-awareness, reflection, and planning

Activities to develop self regulation skills in teens Sports — Demands focused attention and skill, monitoring of own and other’s actions, quick decision making and cognitive flexibility Ongoing, challenging aerobic activity can also improve executive function. Yoga and meditation — Support a state of mindfulness, or a nonjudgmental awareness of moment-to-moment experiences, Helps develop sustained attention, reduce stress, and promote less reactive, more reflective decision-making and behavior. Music, singing or dancing — Working memory, selective attention, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition are challenged, especially when dealing with complicated pieces that involve multiple parts, sophisticated rhythms, and improvisation. Theater — stage and backstage, to remember their jobs, attend to their timing, and manage their behavior. For actors, learning the lines and actions of a role draw heavily on attention and working memory. Strategy games and logic puzzles — Classic games like chess, Computer-based training programs Cooperative board games- see exhibit table Computer games can also be valuable, as long as time limits are established and observed. .

Study skills In school, adolescents are expected to be increasingly independent and organized in their work. These expectations can place a large load on all aspects of executive function.

Study skills The following are some tips for Basic organization skills which can be very helpful in this regard: Break a project down into manageable pieces. Identify reasonable plans (with timelines) for completing each piece. Be sure that all steps have been explicitly identified and completed. Self-monitor while working. Set a timer to go off periodically as a reminder to check on whether one is paying attention and understanding. When you don’t understand, what might be the problem? Are there words you don’t know? Do you know what the directions are? Is there someone you can ask for help? Would looking back at your notes help? If you have stopped paying attention, what distracted you? What might you do to refocus? Identify key times to self-monitor (e. g. , before handing in an assignment, when leaving the house, etc. ). Be aware of critical times for focused attention. Multitasking impedes learning. Identify ways to reduce distractions (e. g. , turn off electronics, find a quiet room). Use memory supports for organizing tasks- Set reminders on your phone, have a diary and write things down, keep a calendar of project deadlines and steps along the way. After completing an assignment, reflect on what did and did not work well. Identify what supported, focused and sustained attention as well as good organization, memory and project completion. Think about ways to ensure that these supports are in place for other projects. Think about what was learned from assignments that were not completed well. Was this due to a lack of information, a need to improve certain skills, bad time management, etc. ? What would you do differently next time?

References and Resources Center on the Developing Child- Harvard University. developingchild. harvard. edu Interventions shown to Aid Executive Function Development in Children 4– 12 Years Old *Adele Diamond and Kathleen Lee University of the Witwatersrand OT lecture notes http: //www. zkhiphani. co. za/tribetuesday-kasi-games-we-played www. b e s t o f t h e r e a d e r. c a Meltzer, L. J. (2010). Promoting Executive Function in the Classroom. New York: Guilford Press. Meltzer, L. J. (Ed). (2007). Executive Function in Education: From theory to practice. New York: Guilford Press. © 2013 National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. www. kidsatplay. act. gov. au www. mathsinenglish. com

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Videos Executive Function (5: 35) Mind Maps (3: 12) Decline of Play (16: 03)