Executive Functioning

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As an eighth grade teacher of students with learning disabilities, I have encountered a wide range of learning challenges in my classroom. Some students may have trouble with reading fluency, while others might find it difficult to organize a 5-paragraph essay or remember their math facts.

For other students, the central issue may not be so easily identifiable. These students may have strong reading, writing, and math skills, but they may struggle to stay organized, get started on their class work, complete and turn in homework regularly, regulate their emotions, or control their impulses during class.

If any of these descriptions sounds familiar, then this website it for you! Students who struggle with these areas may likely face challenges with EXECUTIVE FUNCTIOINING.

In the following pages, I provide information about executive functioning challenges, geared toward teachers, parents, and students. I include descriptions of the challenges that executive dysfunction can present in the classroom and at home, as well as information on special education laws and helpful assistive technologies for students with executive functioning issues. On each page, a number of helpful links are included for your reference.

What is Executive Functioning?

The term “executive functioning” refers to a set of mental processes that controls and manages other processes in the brain. A 2001 study by Goldberg describes a person’s executive functioning skills as an orchestra conductor, responsible for making sure all the musicians in the orchestra are playing together.

Executive functioning skills continue to develop during adolescence, with peak development occurring around age 15-16. However, the good news is that we can all continue to improve our executive functioning abilities as we learn and grow throughout our lives!

In our brains, executive functioning skills fall under 9 domains:

1) Inhibition – the ability to think before acting

2) Initiation – the ability to begin activities

3) Organization of Materials – the ability to arrange materials

4) Shift – the ability to revise plans when necessary

5) Working Memory – the ability to hold multiple pieces of information in active memory

6) Task Monitoring – the ability to check and correct work if necessary

7) Emotional Control – the ability to manage emotions

8) Planning/Organization – the ability to set a goal and create a plan of action

9) Self-Monitoring – the ability to check behavior in relation to others