THE ROLE OF Executive Functioning + Academic Achievement

It seems that executive functioning has become quite the buzz word lately, but at its core, executive functioning is vital for success both in and out of the classroom. Before we can discuss literacy success, we need to be talking about the executive function system.

Often, I hear parents tell me they never heard of this term until their child’s school mentioned it as an area of concern for which they needed support. When I first meet with these parents, this is the “executive functioning in a nutshell” overview I often provide:

Our executive function system is the air traffic control system in the prefrontal cortex of our brains that helps us to successfully navigate our everyday lives. Imagine an airport where flights are arriving and departing. It is critical for an air traffic control system to efficiently keep up with the hustle and bustle to avoid accidents and to help operations run smoothly. Executive function skills are vital for working toward academic success, building and maintaining personal relationships, and managing everyday tasks and responsibilities.

So, what are some of the executive function skills need for academic and personal success?

PERCEPTION & ATTENTION

Knowing what to attend to and how. Perception is the cognitive process that anchors us to our environment, while attention is the ability to regulate our focus to process relevant information. There are four types of attention: sustained, selective, alternating, and divided.

COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY

Adapting to unexpected change; also, the ability to consider different perspectives and types of information.

ORGANIZATION

Having systems that are developed to keep track of belongings, dates, and assignments; having information or supplies needed for a task; being able to organize information and explain it logically.

METACOGNITION

Thinking about our own thinking. Identifying our needs, recognizing information that may be confusing, and being aware of our emotions and behaviors. Furthermore, reflecting and evaluating to make changes.

WORKING MEMORY

A type of short-term memory that allows us to hold on to information while working with it. It is often referred to as the mental sticky note. Excessive strain on working memory can lead to cognitive overload.

PLANNING

Thinking about the future; prioritizing and sequencing tasks; developing steps to achieve a set goal.

TASK INITIATION

The opposite of procrastination; getting started on a task, even when it is unenjoyable.

INHIBITION & SELF-REGULATION

Managing thoughts, emotions, actions, and words; and channeling negative impulses into positive choices in order to meet a goal.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Gauging the length of time a task will take, and then using that time efficiently.

PERSEVERENCE

Focusing on the purpose of a goal and using strategies to work through challenges and frustrations.

If you are a classroom teacher or work in small group or 1:1 setting and are looking for some actionable steps to take to improve your students’ executive function skills in the learning space, you may be interested in this resource.