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Executive Functioning: The Skills We Need to Get Stuff Done
Proven and Effective Interventions to Enhance Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents
3 Key Concepts about Executive Skills
1
Brain-based Skills
What they are: brain-based skills that take a minimum of 25-30 years to reach full maturation.
2
Surrogate Frontal Lobes
Until these skills are fully mature, it's the job of parents and teachers (and adults who work with kids) to act as surrogate frontal lobes.
3
Skill Development
It is also the job of parents, teachers, etc. to ensure that kids grow their own executive skills.
- Dr. Peq Dawson
Published: September 15, 2008
The Child's Developing Brain
Different areas of the brain mature at different rates, which helps explain many of the intellectual and emotional changes seen in children, teens and young adults. While no two children develop in exacty the same way, scientists have been able to link certain developmental milestones to changes in brain tissue, observed by MRI scans taken repears.
What Impacts our Executive Skills?
Neurodiversity
  • ASD
  • ADHD
  • Tourette's
  • OCD
  • FASD
  • Learning Disabilities
  • PTSD
Medical Conditions
  • Trauma
  • Depression
  • Epilepsy
  • Cancer Treatments
  • Brain tumors
  • Stroke
Environmental Factors
  • Poverty
  • Infections
  • Concussions
  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • Addiction
Lifestyle Factors
  • Nutrition
  • Sleep
Executive Skills (ES) that Underlie School Success
Foundational Skills
  • Response Inhibition
  • Working Memory
  • Emotional Control
  • Flexibility
  • Sustained Attention
  • Task Initiation
Advanced Skills
  • Planning/Prioritizing
  • Organization
  • Time Management
  • Goal-Directed Persistence
  • Metacognition
Complete the ES Questionnaire
Click on this link to access the Executive function questionnaire:
1
Choose a Strength
Choose one of your executive skill strengths (higher score).
Talk about how that helps you do your job.
2
Choose a Challenge
Choose one of your executive skill challenges (lower score).
Talk about how affects how you do your job.
3
Reflect
How did you learn these skills?
Learn More About Executive Functional Skills
For more information about Executive Functioning Skills, please click on the link below or scan the QR code: