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Executive Function Fact Sheet

Executive function refers to mental processes that connect past experiences to present actions, such as planning, organizing, strategizing, and paying attention. Problems with executive function include difficulty with planning, organizing time and space, and working memory. Executive function abilities continue developing into adulthood and are shaped by both brain maturation and life experiences. There are many strategies to help people with executive function problems, including using visual schedules, checklists, organizers, breaking down assignments, and meeting regularly with teachers or supervisors.

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203 views3 pages

Executive Function Fact Sheet

Executive function refers to mental processes that connect past experiences to present actions, such as planning, organizing, strategizing, and paying attention. Problems with executive function include difficulty with planning, organizing time and space, and working memory. Executive function abilities continue developing into adulthood and are shaped by both brain maturation and life experiences. There are many strategies to help people with executive function problems, including using visual schedules, checklists, organizers, breaking down assignments, and meeting regularly with teachers or supervisors.

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Ad Maiora
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Executive Function Fact Sheet

By: National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) (2005)


What is Executive Function?
"Executive unction" is a ter! use" to "escribe a set of !ental #rocesses t$at $el#s us connect #ast
ex#erience %it$ #resent action& 'e use executive function %$en %e #erfor! suc$ activities as
#lanning( organi)ing( strategi)ing an" #aying attention to an" re!e!bering "etails&
*eo#le %it$ executive function #roble!s $ave "ifficulty %it$ #lanning( organi)ing an" !anaging
ti!e an" s#ace& +$ey also s$o% %ea,ness %it$ "%or,ing !e!ory" (or "seeing in your !in"-s eye")(
%$ic$ is an i!#ortant tool in gui"ing one-s actions&
.s %it$ ot$er !anifestations of LD( "isor"ers in executive function can run in fa!ilies& *roble!s
can be seen at any age but ten" to be increasingly a##arent as c$il"ren !ove t$roug$ t$e early
ele!entary gra"es/ t$e "e!an"s of co!#leting sc$ool%or, in"e#en"ently can often trigger signs
t$at t$ere are "ifficulties in t$is area&
How does Executive Function affect learning?
0n sc$ool( at $o!e or in t$e %or,#lace( %e-re calle" on all "ay( every "ay( to self1regulate be$avior&
Nor!ally( features of executive function are seen in our ability to:
!a,e #lans
,ee# trac, of ti!e
,ee# trac, of !ore t$an one t$ing at once
!eaningfully inclu"e #ast ,no%le"ge in "iscussions
engage in grou# "yna!ics
evaluate i"eas
reflect on our %or,
c$ange our !in"s an" !a,e !i"1course an" corrections %$ile t$in,ing( rea"ing an" %riting
finis$ %or, on ti!e
as, for $el#
%ait to s#ea, until %e-re calle" on
see, !ore infor!ation %$en %e nee" it&
+$ese s,ills allo% us to finis$ our %or, on ti!e( as, for $el# %$en nee"e"( %ait to s#ea, until %e-re
calle" on an" see, !ore infor!ation&
*roble!s %it$ executive function !ay be !anifeste" %$en a #erson:
$as "ifficulty #lanning a #ro2ect
$as trouble co!#re$en"ing $o% !uc$ ti!e a #ro2ect %ill ta,e to co!#lete
struggles to tell a story (verbally or in %riting)/ $as trouble co!!unicating "etails in an
organi)e"( se3uential !anner
$as "ifficulty %it$ t$e !ental strategies involve" in !e!ori)ation an" retrieving infor!ation
fro! !e!ory
$as trouble initiating activities or tas,s( or generating i"eas in"e#en"ently
$as "ifficulty retaining infor!ation %$ile "oing so!et$ing %it$ it/ e&g&( re!e!bering a
#$one nu!ber %$ile "ialing&
How are problems with Executive Function identified?
+$ere is no single test or even battery of tests t$at i"entifies all of t$e "ifferent features of executive
function& E"ucators( #syc$ologists( s#eec$1language #at$ologists an" ot$ers $ave use" !easures
inclu"ing t$e 'isconsin Car" 4orting +est (Berg( 5678)( t$e Category +est (9eitan( 56:6)( t$e +rail
;a,ing +est (9eitan( 56:6)( an" t$e *rogressive igures an" Color or! +ests (9eitan < 'olfson(
5685) to na!e a fe%&
Careful observation an" trial1teac$ing are invaluable in i"entifying( an" better un"erstan"ing(
%ea,nesses in t$is area&
What are some strategies to help?
+$ere are !any effective strategies one can use in %$en face" %it$ t$e c$allenge of #roble!s %it$
executive function& =ere are so!e !et$o"s to try:
General strategies
+a,e ste#1by1ste# a##roac$es to %or,/ rely on visual organi)ational ai"s&
>se tools li,e ti!e organi)ers( co!#uters or %atc$es %it$ alar!s&
*re#are visual sc$e"ules an" revie% t$e! several ti!es a "ay&
.s, for %ritten "irections %it$ oral instructions %$enever #ossible&
*lan an" structure transition ti!es an" s$ifts in activities&
Managing time
Create c$ec,lists an" "to "o" lists( esti!ating $o% long tas,s %ill ta,e&
Brea, long assign!ents into c$un,s an" assign ti!e fra!es for co!#leting eac$ c$un,&
>se visual calen"ars to ,ee# trac, of long ter! assign!ents( "ue "ates( c$ores( an"
activities&
>se !anage!ent soft%are suc$ as t$e ran,lin Day *lanner( *al! *ilot( or Lotus ?rgani)er&
Be sure to %rite t$e "ue "ate on to# of eac$ assign!ent&
Managing space and materials
?rgani)e %or, s#ace&
;ini!i)e clutter&
Consi"er $aving se#arate %or, areas %it$ co!#lete sets of su##lies for "ifferent activities&
4c$e"ule a %ee,ly ti!e to clean an" organi)e t$e %or, s#ace&
Managing work
;a,e a c$ec,list for getting t$roug$ assign!ents& or exa!#le( a stu"ent-s c$ec,list coul"
inclu"e suc$ ite!s as: get out #encil an" #a#er/ #ut na!e on #a#er/ #ut "ue "ate on #a#er/
rea" "irections/ etc&
;eet %it$ a teac$er or su#ervisor on a regular basis to revie% %or,/ troubles$oot #roble!s&
he bottom line
+$e brain continues to !ature an" "evelo# connections %ell into a"ult$oo"( an" a #erson-s
executive function abilities are s$a#e" by bot$ #$ysical c$anges in t$e brain an" by life
ex#eriences( in t$e classroo! an" in t$e %orl" at large& Early attention to "evelo#ing efficient s,ills
in t$is area can be very $el#ful( an" as a rule( "irect instruction( fre3uent reassurance an" ex#licit
fee"bac, are strongly reco!!en"e"&

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