Study: How executive function affects academics

Students with executive-function deficits in kindergarten may experience academic difficulties during elementary school, according to a study by researchers at Pennsylvania State University and the University of California at Irvine. Researchers considered data for over 11,000 students.

The Hechinger Report

Helping Child with Executive Functioning Issues

8 Ways to Use Color-Coding to Help Kids with Executive Function Issues

Should Kids Play Video Games Every Day? New Oxford Study Says Yes

A new study featured in the August volume of Pediatrics suggests that playing video games for an hour a day is positively related to a child's social adjustment, happiness, as well as a reduction in hyperactivity. In a study of almost 5000 children, Andrew Przybylski, PhD compared a group of "non-players" to 3 other groups of children that spent differing amounts of time playing video games.    (www.LearningworksForKids.com

Organizational Skills for Students with Learning Disabilities: The Master Filing System for Paper

 

Students who have learning disabilities and weaknesses in executive function frequently struggle to keep track of the tools they need for schoolwork. Notebooks, handouts, homework — even pencils and pens — seem to vanish. Learn more about one teacher's suggestion for a Master Filing System to help students keep it together.  http://www.ldonline.org/article/25179/

Expert Advice: My daughter has trouble comprehending written questions on tests. What should I do to help?

 from LD OnLine

Question: My 12th grade daughter has been diagnosed with ADHD, slow processing, and executive function disorders. Her biggest problem is that she continually misinterprets written questions, especially on tests, which she typically fails. Do you know what causes this and how to remedy the problem? She is failing most her classes because of failing the tests.

Answer: Many students with executive function disorder also have learning disabilities related to this disorder. Such disabilities might include a "reading fluency" or a "writing fluency" problem. 

 

 

Stresses of Poverty May Impair Learning Ability in Young Children

Source: National Institutes of Health - August 28, 2012

The stresses of poverty — such as crowded conditions, financial worry, and lack of adequate child care — lead to impaired learning ability in children from impoverished backgrounds, according to a theory based on several studies by a researcher funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The studies matched stress hormone levels to behavioral and school readiness test results in young children from impoverished backgrounds. High levels of stress hormones influence the developing circuitry of children's brains, inhibiting higher cognitive functions such as planning, impulse and emotional control, and attention. Known collectively as executive functions, these mental abilities are important for academic success. See the NIH press release (August 28, 2012) for more information.  http://www.nih.gov/news/health/aug2012/nichd-28.htm

3 ways to help develop students' executive function abilities

Judy Willis suggests three teaching strategies to help students build executive function skills, which allow students to apply what they know to new situations. Willis recommends students be given activities that require applying learning or support executive function, such as predicting and problem-solving. Willis also suggests cultivating higher-order thinking, including judgment, prioritization and goal-setting. Edutopia.org/Judy Willis' blog (10/5)  http://www.edutopia.org/blog/brain-based-teaching-strategies-judy-willis