Speak Your Mind

Some people describe executive function as “the boss" or "management system of the brain.” The executive functioning center of our brain lets us set self monitor our attention, think forward, use past memories to guide us, and use language to guide our planning.  It helps us to see the big picture, and connect socially.  When people struggle with executive function, it can impact many areas of our life. 

 Executive Functioning skills are responsible for helping us:

• Paying attention
• Organizing, planning, and prioritizing
• Starting tasks and staying focused on them to completion
• Understanding different points of view
• Learn from past mistakes  
• Learn from social situations
• Self-monitoring (keeping track of what you’re doing)

The association between executive functioning and language is well established.  Executive functioning skills and language development during childhood is related (Bishop et al, 2014; Gooch et al, 2016).  Executive functioning skill are required for our brains to organize various language processes.  Executive functioning is also hugely impactful on social skills, perspective taking, social awareness and social language.  

Examples how Executive Functioning deficits may impact children and communication:

- sometimes children are talking and talking and not tuning into their conversation partners.

- children may have a hard time interpreting social situations, why people act a certain way or connecting with their friends points of view.

- children may get behind on school work as they have a difficult time planning their time.  These challenges lead to negative self talk and a cascade of social challenges. 

:

1. Time Perception

• Estimating how long things will take
• Visualizing units of time and measurement
• Noticing the passage of time during tasks

2. Self Talk

• Saying language "in your head" to plan
• Using an inner monologue to self-evaluate
• Creating an inner voice to self-regulate

3. Future Pacing

• Visualizing the end goal
• Planning steps, strategies, and options
• Anticipating consequences of behavior

4. Episodic Memory

• Recalling mental images of past events
• Using past experiences for future planning
• Reflecting on the past to build self-confidence

5. Encoding

• Pairing mental images with words
• Visualizing steps/turning them in to language
• Using language for external tools (e.g., lists)

Children who demonstrate challenges in Executive Functioning are demonstrating underdeveloped skills in the above areas.  This is not a personality trait;  students are not lazy, or unwilling.  Research demonstrates that with appropriate training and the right tools we can help support children and their executive functioning skill development. 

Throughout our years supporting communication, we have observed students with weak executive functioning skills continue to struggle with communication and navigating the social world.  We have committed to learning how supporting executive functioning can help with social communication, self talk, learning and the internal monologue and LANGUAGE we need to plan successfully.  

Do you wonder....

• Why is it hard for kids to get started?
• Why do kids forget steps?
• Why do the kids rely on prompting?
• Why does my child not pick up on the social cues?

We would love to support you to help you answer the above questions.