Executive functioning refers to a set of cognitive processes and mental skills that are responsible for managing and regulating various aspects of a person's thinking, behavior, and decision-making. Executive functioning skills help individuals manage their thoughts, actions, and emotions in order to achieve goals. These skills include organization, time management, problem-solving, self-control, and attention regulation, among others. These functions are essential for organizing, planning, initiating, completing tasks, as well as adapting to new or complex situations. Executive functioning plays a crucial role in daily life, influencing an individual's ability to achieve goals, solve problems, control impulses, and engage in flexible and adaptive behavior.
How To Use
Teaching these skills to students can be done through various strategies such as breaking down tasks into smaller steps, creating visual schedules, using checklists, setting goals, practicing mindfulness exercises, and providing opportunities for self-reflection and self-monitoring. By explicitly teaching and practicing these skills, students can improve their ability to plan, prioritize, stay focused, and effectively navigate challenges both in their academic and personal lives.
Teaching these skills to students from childhood through adulthood involves a gradual and structured approach. In childhood, caregivers and educators can start by setting clear routines, providing visual schedules, and teaching basic organizational strategies. As students progress through adolescence, they can benefit from learning goal-setting techniques, time management skills, and strategies to cope with stress. In adulthood, individuals can further enhance their executive functioning skills through advanced planning methods, problem-solving strategies, and mindfulness practices. By consistently practicing and honing these skills at every stage of life, individuals can improve their ability to navigate daily tasks, achieve goals, and effectively manage challenges in various aspects of life.
Variations
Executive Functioning Skills encompass a large range of cognitive processes, such as:
Working memory
Flexibility / Adaptability
Inhibition
Organization
Task Initiation
Time Management
Focusing Attention
Self-Monitoring
Self-Control / Emotional Regulation
Problem Solving
Metacognition
Goal Setting
Planning
Prioritizing
Establishing Routines
Perseverance
Steps
- Determine what executive functioning skills you want to teach. Prioritize 2-3 skills to directly work on at a time. You can introduce new skills once the current ones get mastered.
- Break the goal into smaller, achievable objectives
- Decide the criteria for meeting each objective and for mastering the goal
- Schedule direct teaching opportunities to give the student explicit instruction, practice, and feedback
- Make a plan for how you will reinforce the use of executive functioning skills
- Monitor progress and make revisions as needed
Summary
Executive functioning skills are a set of mental processes that help people manage their everyday tasks and behaviors. These functions are a part of nearly everything we do in our lives and are essential skills to work on with students.
Credits
The contents of this handout were developed under a grant from the Nebraska Department of Education, IDEA parts B and C from the U.S. Department of Education. However, this content does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
Research
Alsaedi, R. H., Carrington, S., & Watters, J. J. (2020). Behavioral and neuropsychological evaluation of executive functions in children with autism spectrum disorder in the gulf region. Brain Sciences, 10(2), 120. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10020120
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2014). Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu.
Ceruti, C., Mingozzi, A., Scionti, N., & Gian, M. M. (2024). Comparing executive functions in children and adolescents with autism and ADHD—A systematic review and meta-analysis. Children, 11(4), 473. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/children11040473
Diamond A. Executive functions. Annu Rev Psychol. 2013;64:135-68. doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750. Epub 2012 Sep 27. PMID: 23020641; PMCID: PMC4084861.
Lee, R. R., Ward, A. R., Lane, D. M., Aman, M. G., Loveland, K. A., Mansour, R., & Pearson, D. A. (2023/02//). Executive function in autism: Association with ADHD and ASD symptoms. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(2), 688-700. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04852-2
Minino, R. (2022/12//). The role of executive functions in people with autism spectrum disorder. Form@re, 22(3), 260-266. doi:https://doi.org/10.36253/form-13634
Yousef, B. M., Bhaskar, R. N., Wan-Arfah, N., Dhas, B. N., Mansour, A. M., Abd Alhadi Samah, A., . . . Dizon Marnel, M. (2024). Integrated life skills training and executive function strategies in children with autism spectrum disorder in qatar: A pilot study of a randomized controlled trial. Cureus, 16(1) doi:https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.52809