Embedding Strategies to Teach Executive Function Skills

For students to be academically successful in most curricular areas they must develop increasingly complex executive functioning skills. Students with difficulties in these skills may grasp the main concepts, but be unable to show their knowledge.  This can be because of difficulties with study skills, planning, setting appropriate goals, prioritizing, initiating, organizing materials and coming to closure on a project.

These are skills needed by all students. However, students with TBI, as well as students with autism, learning disabilities, ADHD, etc., often need more assistance in the development of executive function skills. This is why an embedded approach to teaching and practicing these skills is effective. Embedding executive functioning skills allows many students the opportunity to become independent and flexible problem solvers.

Four principles guide embedding executive skills instruction in the classroom:

1. Directly link the strategy instruction to the curriculum.
2. Explicitly teach the strategy.
3. Systematically teach the strategy in a structured way, using scaffolding and modeling, with time for students to practice the skills.
4. Directly address student motivation and self understanding to assist in generalizing newly learned skills.

Strategies should focus on teaching students how to:

• Set group and individual goals
• Use memorization techniques
• Use mental flexibility and shifting ideas
• Check for errors in thinking or products

Goal setting and planning

Ability to organize information and details is needed within individual tasks, multiple step projects and long-term assignments.  However, this important skill is not commonly taught overtly in the classroom.

• Students have greater commitment and motivation when they set their own goals.
• Student determined goals help increase feelings of accomplishment, self-efficacy and motivation.

Adapted from:

Meltzer, L., Sales Pollica, L., Barzillai, M., (2007). Executive Function in the Classroom in Executive Function in Education: From theory to practice, L. Meltzer Ed. New York: Guilford Press.