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The fourth in a series of five articles with specific special needs resources

Challenges with executive function—a set of mental processes that helps connect past experience with present action—can be seen at any age and often contribute to the difficulties that individuals with LD already face in academic learning. Many individuals struggle with executive function, which governs a person’s ability to plan, organize and manage details in everyday life.
(Source: National Center for Learning Disabilities---Executive Functioning: Please see website link to follow below here.)

Children who experience executive function disorder (EFD) will often struggle in school with late and/or missing assignments and will have difficulties trying to manage a daily schedule that promotes academic success. These affected children frequently have difficulties with the following:

• managing time & attention
• switching focus
• planning/organizing work & responsibilities
• remembering details
• curbing inappropriate speech or behavior
• integrating past experience with present situations

For adults with executive function issues, behavior such as procrastination, tardiness, memory challenges and more will negatively impact one’s effectiveness and success at work as well as the person’s relationships and home life.

So, what can a parent or teacher do about improving or developing executive functioning skills in a child affected by such challenges? Are there strategies or tips that might help an affected adult with these executive function issues?

We think that the best place to start is with the best information available about executive functioning skills. In keeping with this October’s commemoration of LD Awareness Month, we have gathered some helpful website resources on this topic here in our fourth in a series of five articles. We hope these links will provide the assistance needed to help you or someone you care about with executive functioning challenges.

National Center for Learning Disabilities---Executive Functioning
http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/executive-function-disorders

Executive Function 101---FREE e-Book from the National Center for Learning Disabilities
http://ncld.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=21301.0&dlv_id=32771

Executive-Function Deficits in Children---from ADDitude Magazine
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/8392.html

Is It Executive Function Disorder (EFD) or ADD/ADHD?---from ADDitude Magazine
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/7051.html

What Is Executive Function?---from WebMD
http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/executive-function

For information on customizable reading tools:
www.FocusandRead.com Tools for struggling readers of all ages!
www.BrennanInnovators.com Info & support for struggling readers
314-892-3897

Image courtesy of: Brennan Innovators, LLC

The summer break period can be an excellent time for parents to help children prepare for the next school year. That time can also provide a great opportunity to improve on such things as problem-solving, goal-setting, follow-through and other skills included in what are often called executive functions. Believe it or not, such skills can be developed or improved by using specific activities, strategies and even games---yes, games. We can't think of a better time to do this than during the summer break!

There has been a recent increase in the amount of information available about these executive functions. What are executive functions? Psychologists and neuro-scientists refer to this term as a unique set of mental functions or skills. These functions are related yet distinct abilities that provide for intentional, goal-directed, problem-solving actions.

In our article this week, we wanted to help parents and teachers help better prepare children and teens for the coming school year. As a result, we are including here a list of links that will provide general information, strategies, games and other resources related to the development and improvement of the various executive functions. Working on these skills now could very well enable your child or student(s) to enjoy a much more successful school year!

General Information about Executive Functions

Executive Functions & ADHD– Overview and invention strategies for parents and teachers (Includes operational definitions of terms) by Adam J. Cox, Ph.D.
http://www.lehighpsych.com/art_adhd.htm

Executive Function Skills and Disorders – WebMD explains what executive function is and discusses problems of executive function, such as difficulty in planning and organizing.
http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/executive-function

Executive-Function Deficits in Children - ADDitude Magazine -- Improving executive-function skills can help your ADHD child overcome academic obstacles and frustration and succeed in school. Includes information about ADHD symptoms, diagnosis, etc.
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/8392.html

Executive Function..."What is this anyway?" by Chris A. Zeigler Dendy, M.S.
Information provided about the components of executive functions, school success strategies and more. Article contains information helpful to teens with ADHD.
http://www.chrisdendy.com/executive.htm

Activities & Strategies to Help Improve Executive Function

Executive Function and ADHD – Improve decision making skills with scientifically designed brain games.
http://www.lumosity.com

Improve Executive Function Through Games - ADDitude Magazine -- Games that help ADHD children (and others) develop or improve executive function.
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/8935.html

How to Promote Executive Function in Children with ADHD, Autism and Learning Disabilities – by Nancy Konigsberg MA OTR/L—Tips and strategies from a mother who is also an occupational therapist.
http://www.milestonemom.com/how-to-promote-executive-function-in-children-with-adhd-autism-and-learning-disabilities/

For information on customizable reading tools:
www.FocusandRead.com Tools for struggling readers of all ages!
www.BrennanInnovators.com Info & support for struggling readers
314-892-3897

Image courtesy of: Burgeoning School Psychologist: http://skoolpsych.blogspot.com/2013/01/skills-focus-executive-functioning.html

Now that the New Year 2013 is well underway, students are returning to classrooms. Teachers are resuming the assignments of class work and homework. Parents are once again facing the sometimes daunting task of motivating their children to complete challenging, long-term projects or helping them prepare for tests.

That is why today’s article will provide teachers and parents with resources to help with the successful completion of school work and study. We have listed below here some FREE options to assist students of ALL ages and abilities with time management, organization and study tips and tricks, the key pieces for academic success. We hope you will find each resource to benefit someone you know who needs a little extra help in the “homework & study department” for the new year.

Time Management Tools

Basic Blank Monthly Calendars---FREE printables for easy customizing to individual needs and notes (2 versions)
http://www.studenthandouts.com/Assortment-01/Graphic-Organizers/Blank-Monthly-Calendar-Directions.html

More Blank Monthly Calendar Templates---More FREE printables for customizing to individual needs on a monthly basis (includes templates through December 2015)
http://www.studenthandouts.com/calendarmain.htm

High School and College Assignment Planner--- FREE printable for College and High School Course Assignment Semester/Year Planner (can be used for middle school students as well)
http://www.studenthandouts.com/Assortment-01/Graphic-Organizers/High-School-College-Assignment-Planner.html

APPS--5 Time Management Apps for the iPhone---by Eric Baxter and HowStuffWorks.com---A short list of a few iPhone apps that have been designed to help you better manage your time.
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone-apps/5-time-management-apps-for-iphone.htm

APPS--15 Awesome Time Management Tools and Apps---You will find that most of these tools are browser-based and can work on any computer whether it is Windows, Mac or Linux. By the way, , you will also notice that ALL of these tools are FREE!
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2009/04/15-awesome-time-management-tools-and.html

Organizational Tools

Graphic Organizers (for Primary Students)---Many kinds of FREE graphic organizers for primary teachers and parents of younger students can be found here. These graphic organizers are great for teaching lessons to elementary children. These can also help to organize thoughts for writing and retention of information.
http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/graphic/graphic.htm

Graphic Organizers (for Elementary Students)--- Help your students or children classify ideas and communicate more effectively. Use these FREE graphic organizers to structure writing projects, to help in problem solving, decision making, studying, planning research and brainstorming.
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/

Graphic Organizers (for Middle & High School Students)---Middle and high school as well as college students can benefit from the FREE graphic organizers on this site. Templates for Brainstorming, a Classroom Weekly Newsletter and others can be accessed via this site.
http://www.studenthandouts.com/graphicorganizers.htm

APPS--Top 5 Apps for Organizing School Work---From Edudemic---Here are a few apps geared specifically towards organization for the student.
http://edudemic.com/2012/01/top-5-apps-for-organizing-school-work/

Study Tips

Why Your Good Study Habits Are Wrong---Article from WebMD with a list of new tips to include in a young student’s study routine (includes a “listening” option for the article)
http://fit.webmd.com/kids/move/article/good-study-habits

Homework & Study Skills---A compilation of articles from the National Center for Learning Disabilities, each containing information and many study resources for both young AND older students (teens, too), especially for those with reading and learning challenges
http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/homework-study-skills

9 Awesome Study Tips For College Students---Article from the Huffington Post that presents “new” study tips that work for college students (some information shared from the New York Times)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/08/study-tips-for-college-_n_709096.html#s136089&title=Alternate_Study_Spaces

AcademicTips.org’s College Study Tips---This web site contains college study tips, guides and tricks to help you manage your time, take better notes, study more effectively, improve memory, take tests, etc.
http://www.academictips.org/

APP--Study Tips---by CoolAppsA --- FREE app for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad-Requires iOS 5.0 or later---The 365 tips and quotes included in the app are based on decades of research in the fields of education and psychology and on field tests with a broad spectrum of students from middle school to post-graduate level, including many with attention and learning issues.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/study-tips/id528269160

Happy reading and studying in this New Year 2013!

For more information:
www.FocusandRead.com Tools for struggling readers of all ages!
www.BrennanInnovators.com Info & support for struggling readers
314-892-3897