Executive Functioning Literacy in the Classroom

Teachers Teaching Teachers

Laura Magers, 2024

lmagers@isyedu.org

Executive Functioning Literacy

in the Classroom

Spend a minute remembering a wonderful, successful day or a truly disastrous day.

Share your experience with someone at your table.

Today’s agenda

• Your intention
• Definition of Executive Functioning
• Facets of today’s learning

• Executive Functioning Stations

• Reflection on EF in the classroom
• My classroom experience
• Sharing

10 m

25 m

10 m

What do you hope to gain from today’s session?

What made you select this workshop?

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🖉 Record a response for yourself to check in with at the end.

What is executive functioning?

“[Executive functions] are cognitive processes that work alongside our intellect and creativity to allow us to respond to challenges.” Faith, Bush, Dawson p1

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“[Skills] the brain relies on…to organize, prioritize, and rationalize thinking.” Rose p5

Important things to note…

• Diverse combinations of strengths and weaknesses
• No single standard definition of executive functioning
• No definitive list of executive functions
• Prefrontal cortex - executive functions emerge and develop along with the brain

Response Inhibition

Emotional Control

Task Initiation

Working Memory

Sustained Attention

and

Persistence

Planning and Prioritizing

Organization

Flexibility

Time Management

3 Facets For Considering Executive Functioning

• Supporting yourself
• Supporting your students
• Collaborating with your students

Building a shared concept and vocabulary around executive functioning

Engage with your executive functions

Each table is a station.

Definition card

Daily examples and strategies

Activity with instructions

Discussion questions

Engage with your executive functions

1. Choose a function you’re interested in.
2. Read the definition, examples, and strategies with others in your group.
3. Complete the activity with your group.
4. Use the discussion questions to share your thoughts if there is time.

You could start with the questionnaire, if you prefer.

You can graph your responses, if that’s exciting for you.

Engage with your executive functions

When you get to a station…

• Choose a function you’re interested in.
• Read the definition, examples, and strategies with others in your group.
• Complete the activity with your group.
• Use the discussion questions to share your thoughts if there is time.

• 20 minutes for rotations
• Bell to rotate after 5 minutes
• Can stay longer
• make space for others to begin the station fresh

How might you use ideas of executive functioning in your classroom practice?

• Supporting yourself
• Supporting your students
• Collaborating with your students

🖉 Record your response.

You will share it with others in a moment.

Executive functioning in my classroom

Supporting myself

Executive functioning in my classroom

Supporting myself

Supporting my students

Executive functioning in my classroom

Supporting myself

Supporting my students

Collaborating with my students

Stand and share your reflection with someone from a different table.

When you finish, share with one more person.

Then sit down at any table.

• Talk to 2 people.
• Sit down.

What do you hope to gain from today’s session?

What made you select this workshop?

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If your intention was met, that’s great!

If not, what could we do to explore further?

Check in with your intention.

Sources

Faith, L., Carol-Anne Bush, & Dawson, P. (2022). Executive function skills in the classroom : overcoming barriers, building strategies. The Guilford Press.

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‌Rose, M (2022). Executive Functioning Activities: exercises and strategies to engage your child and help them organize their thoughts. Rockridge Press.

Resources

Executive Functions Teacher Questionnaire

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Executive Functions Student Questionnaire

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Executive Functions Student Questionnaire Slideshow

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Executive Functions Definition Posters

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Executive Function Lesson Slides (this is a work in progress, not a completed lesson progression)

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Example of using Barriers Strategies Protocol with students

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Thank you