Executive Functioning

Executive function is a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. We use these skills every day to learn, work, and manage daily life. Trouble with executive function can make it hard to focus, follow directions, and handle emotions, among other things.

Mother and girl playing with memory cards

How Does it Impact School Function

Positive Behaviors
- Executive functions help children develop skills of teamwork, leadership, decision-making, working toward goals, critical thinking, adaptability, and being aware of our own emotions as well as those of others.
Executive Function affects the following areas:
- Task initiation
- Planning and prioritizing
- Organization
- Time management
- Emotional control
- Sustained attention
- Memory
- How the child responds to things
- Flexibility/ability to shift focus
- Complete goals without getting distracted - A first grader can complete a job in order to get to recess, complete an assignment to get a good grade
- Metacognition - planning how to approach a learning task, using appropriate skills and strategies to solve a problem, monitoring one's own comprehension of text, self-assessing, self-correcting in response to the self-assessment, and evaluating progress toward the completion of a task