The two dimensions of EF skills: Thinking and doing Being aware of which Executive Functions belong to which group of skills will indicate whether your teenager needs help with thinking differently or behaving differently, or both: EF skills involving thinking (cognition) Working memory Planning / prioritisation Organisation Time management Metacognition
EF skills involving doing (behaviour) Response inhibition Emotional control Sustained attention Task initiation Goal-directed persistence Flexibility
Below are some examples of some of the different skills associated with thinking and behaviour: How do EF skills involving thinking affect learning? • Making plans • Being able to meaningfully include past knowledge in discussions / work • Evaluating ideas and reflecting on work • Keeping track of more than one thing at once • Keeping track of time and finishing work on time
How do EF skills involving behaviour affect learning? • Waiting to speak until you are called upon • Being able to change your mind and adapt to the new development while thinking, reading, or writing • Engaging in group dynamics • Asking for help or seeking more information when needed
This series of Guides will address each of the EF skills in detail and explore strategies and self-help tips to assist with difficulties with cognition or behaviour.
Below are some general EF methods to try, which incorporate one or more executive function. General strategies: • Encourage your teenager to take step-by-step approaches to work and to rely on visual organisation aids to help conceptualise what needs to be done. • Promote the use of time organisers, watches with alarms, alerts etc. to remind them when to do something. • Provide visual timetables for week A and week B, and encourage your teenager to complete them, review them and refer to them several times a day. Also encourage them to update them when/if there are changes. • Encourage your teenager to seek written directions along with oral instructions if they need to – e.g. encourage them to send an email to a teacher if uncertain etc. • So that your teenager knows what the make-up of their day will look like, draw their attention to transition times and shifts in activities during the day, so that they are more prepared, and can plan-ahead as they progress through the day.
Managing time: • Encourage your teenager to create checklists and ‘to do’ lists – it is also good practise for them to estimate how long each task will take. •
Encourage them to break projects into chunks and assign a time frame for completing each chunk – ideally charting this progress on a visual planner, so that they can see the timeline.
• Use visual calendars to keep track of deadlines for longer-term projects and due dates for tasks and activities. Managing space and materials: • Encourage your teenager to keep a clutter free workspace. • Schedule a weekly time for them to clean and organise their workspace. Managing work: • Encourage your teenager to keep checklists about work set and due dates.
• They should be encouraged to get into the habit of reading all directions before attempting to start a task etc. • Encourage them to troubleshoot problems with you, so that they are taking more control of their anxieties. A discussion with you might be enough to help them to resolve any issues; if not, encouraging them to contact their teacher, may help them to feel a sense of control. ➢ Below is a possible EF organiser that your teenager could use as a starting point for creating their own:
KESW@HOME Organiser Week A P1
9.00-9.55
P2
9.55-10.50
P3
11.15-12.10
P4
12.10-13.05
P5
14.05-15.00
P6
15.00-15.55
Week B P1
9.00-9.55
P2
9.55-10.50
P3
11.15-12.10
P4
12.10-13.05
P5
14.05-15.00
P6
15.00-15.55
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Tasks to be accomplished this week: (add the firefly tasks you have been set, and when they are due)
Add any extra-curricular goals / extension tasks to be completed
GOALS
➢ Below is a possible visual calendar that your teenager could use as a starting point for creating their own. It could help them to see ‘the bigger picture’ and plot when they will do longer-term projects and tasks. KESW@Home Half termly planner Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
MAY - 11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th
17th
18th
19th
20th
21st
22nd
HALF TERM
HALF TERM
HALF TERM
HALF TERM
HALF TERM
HALF TERM
HALF TERM
HALF TERM
HALF TERM
JUNE - 1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th
17th
18th
19th
20th
21st
22nd
23rd
24th
25th
26th
27th
28th
29th
30th
JULY - 1st
2nd
3rd
END OF TERM
END OF TERM
Please feel free to email me (marsdenz@kesw.org) if you would like me to do any 1:1 input with your son/daughter to help them get back on track with any of these skills. Kind regards, Zoe Marsden Head of Learning Support and SENCO - King Edward's Witley