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Helping Students Take Control of Everyday Executive Functions: The Attention Fix
This book presents an innovative model for supporting executive function in students with attention, memory, organization, planning, inhibition, initiative, and flexibility difficulties, including those with ADHD, ADD, autism spectrum disorders and related conditions. The author advocates a student-centred approach in which educators first explore 8 key 'ingredients' with the relationships; strengths and weaknesses; self-advocacy and responsibility; review and preview; motivation and incentive; synthesis and analysis; rhythm and routine; and practice and repetition. She provides a step-by-step explanation of how these 'ingredients' can then be used in different ways and in different combinations to successfully address particular areas of difficulty. The approach is clearly explained, and the book contains many useful examples, practical tips and strategies, suggested conversation starters, sample time management plans and other tools that can be adapted to meet the particular needs of individual students. Original and effective, the approach outlined in this book will be of interest to teachers and other professionals involved in supporting executive function in students of all ages, as well as parents and carers.
- GenresEducation
208 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2012
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72 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 6, 2016
Short-term memory: • responds to attention that makes a quick exposure and we quickly process the information to determine if it is important • organizes or recodes the information and changes, shortens or condenses it • processes information by filtering, sifting and sorting to prepare it for possible retention • assesses if information is new or novel, so that we can pay more attention to it • determines what it means, and considers if it is important or interesting • discards about 99 percent of the information we take in as short-term memory.
100.
• Active working memory: • holds information in your memory while you are working on it • has a general capacity of about seven items • connects the short-term and long-term memory, enabling us to remember a question while thinking of an answer • holds information in the mind while taking in additional information • makes it possible to alternate quickly between two trains of thought at a time, since it is impossible to actually process two trains of thought simultaneously • allows us to hold onto information long enough to decide either to store it in long-term memory or to discard it • is the “worker bee” of our memory—always busy, always working hard, always needed.
101.
Long-term memory: • is the “hard drive” of our memory, where we store consolidated memories and facts • provides limitless storage, so that we can file and access information.
102.
How the student remembers is the key to his or her learning process.
103.
visual memory—remembering what we see • factual memory—remembering facts • motor memory—remembering through action and doing • auditory memory—remembering because we heard it • sequential memory—remembering the order of things, such as the order of a math process • risk memory—memory for risks and consequences of behavior • procedural memory—an unconscious storage of knowledge about how to do something implicit; skills storage that comes from practice and repetition • declarative memory—the type of memory that we use to store information we need for speaking and writing; the memory we use when memorizing • episodic memory—remembering details of where and when an event happened • semantic memory—remembering words and their meanings; math rules; grammar.
104.
When a student experiences one form of memory as too challenging, there will always be another type of memory that can be used instead.
105.
Do you remember best once you have seen something? Do you prefer to remember through visualizing?
106.
Do you remember best if you hear the information?
107.
Do you remember best if you do something to help you remember, such as moving, writing, drawing, etc.?
108.
Do you remember best when you study or work on it with someone else?
109.
1. Rehearse: a. self-talk b. sub-vocalization c. read, write, whisper d. trace, write, recall. 2. Categorize and classify. 3. Connect to prior knowledge—make associations. 4. Visualize—draw, sketch, diagram. 5. Take notes, make lists, highlight. 6. Repeat. 7. Paraphrase. 8. Chunk—create word networks. 9. Use flashcards. 10. Use mnemonics—a way of “remembering.” 11. Create a song. 12. Use drama.
110.
The strategy your student chooses will hold the memory in short-term or working memory storage until he or she decides if the memory needs to be consolidated and sent to long-term memory storage. Consolidation brings many memories together so that they can be stored and retrieved—retrieval being an essential aspect of using memory.
111.
test does not produce perfect results. Last-minute learning works only if the student can hold the information sufficiently in active working memory, if there is not enough time to go through the consolidation process.
112.
We need good delivery systems for getting the memories into one of the storage levels and eventually into long-term memory. We also need good retrieval systems for getting the memory back out when it is needed. A student might be very good at getting the memory into storage, but not as successful getting it back out. These students typically do not do as well on exams.
113.
Relationship: • Work together with others when trying to study or remember a great deal of information. • Anchor information through the “relationship stories” in the material—this is especially useful when trying to remember facts in history. • The personal relationship matters, so pay attention to who you are learning with and who you are learning from. • If there is a power imbalance in the relationship, memory will be impacted—this is especially apparent in the power imbalances that appear between teacher and student.
114.
Strengths and weaknesses: • Recognize your learning strengths and weaknesses. • Always start from your memory strengths first.
115.
Self-advocacy to self-responsibility: • Communicate your learning style and your learning needs. • Ask for support based on your personal needs. • Accept responsibility for your memories—no one else can hold your memories for you.
116.
Review and preview: mental images: • Use review as much as possible when consolidating memory. • Use preview and look ahead to get an overview of what needs to be held in memory. • Create imaginative, vibrant, mental images to support memorization of all kinds.
117.
Motivation and incentive: • What is your motivation for doing the work to remember this material? • What is your incentive for doing this work? • Is it enough to get you motivated and actively working?
118.
Analysis and synthesis: • Do you prefer to keep the overview in mind? • Do you prefer to chunk the parts and gradually create the overview?
119.
Rhythm and routine: practice and repetition: • Learning that utilizes rhythm anchors information in “rhythmic memory.” • Set up a repeatable study time. • Repetition and practice are your friends when memorizing or strengthening your memory.
120.
Implicit and explicit: • Do you understand the subtleties of what you are learning? • Do you need to make something explicit in order to learn it?
121.
By going through these questions, the student will come to understand memory better, and will be more able to identify a working process that makes establishing reliable memory much easier.
122.
Use imagination as a powerful tool to strengthen memory. • Build strong mental images, and actively use preview and review to help establish and consolidate memory. • Link memories as much as possible to sensory experience to “hook” the experiences in memory.
123.
Organization can be differentiated into three distinct areas that organize: • thoughts and ideas • feelings and emotions • activity and responsibilities.
124.
The idea of past, present, and future, or close, closer, closest, is an organizational system that can be applied to a number of areas of a student’s life. It can be applied to organizing sports equipment, clothing, and books, video games, and music.
125.
the idea of keeping all her papers organized in all her binders all of the time was just too much. So, focusing on her homework as a single item to organize could be a successful solution to the problem.
126.
Organization is best understood if differentiated into three distinct areas of: • thoughts and ideas • feelings and emotions • activity and responsibilities.
127.
Organization is one of the executive functions that benefits from the coherence arising out of the student understanding what they need to do, finding meaning in their work that makes them feel better, and managing the given responsibilities on their own terms.
128.
Planning requires skills in: • time management • sequencing • overview of whole and parts • understanding the relationship of the event and project to the overall situation.
129.
Time management and planning require the student to review the work and get a picture of the whole, then review what is completed in relation to the parts.
130.
If a student responds better to the rhythm of work, it can also be a very effective time-management strategy, because students will always naturally work according to their strengths. A student managing time through rhythm might plan the project to get a lot accomplished at first, take a break and think about things, then come back later to review, readjust, and complete the project. In this approach, during the four weeks available for the project, one student’s rhythm might be to get a lot done in the first week, nearly nothing in the second week, and rush toward the finish in the third week, and in the fourth week put in the finishing touches. This is a rhythm of managing time, not a routine, and can be very effective for some students.
131.
Engaging with a cohesive sense of past, present and future give us a clear sense of life being: • understandable because we understand what has happened • meaningful because it is relevant to what is presently happening • manageable because we can manage our future behavior based on these insights.
132.
Inhibition and initiative are the stop and start buttons for one’s behavior. Learning how to start and stop actions is based on understanding why the actions are wanted and needed. What constitutes initiative? Initiative cannot be controlled from outside; it needs to arise from within the individual. Merely being told to stop or inhibit a behavior will not teach what is needed to understand one’s own personal initiative and inhibition.
133.
the teacher determines how students will behave and learn, even if the students know they learn better using a different method. The teacher is effectively teaching the students to ignore what they know about their own learning style, and teaching that taking initiative for their learning will result in reduced grades. Ironically, that same teacher might be the one complaining about a student not taking the initiative to get their work done. The dilemma boils down to a power tug-of-war.
134.
Threats and negotiations do not teach a child how to manage the executive function of inhibition. Granting or denying choices and options alone does not teach initiative. These approaches attempt to teach through the negative, but they are not successful strategies.
135.
“What approach to this project works best for you?” • “When is the right time for you to get started? What kind of time-frame do you think this project needs?” • “Are there any tools you need? Do you need help getting those tools organized?” Help set up the environment for success, and use this kind of objective involvement as a good example.
136.
The individual with ADHD can have behaviors that mimic initiative, but are really impulsive, unconscious drives to move and act in the moment.
137.
Through our relationship with the child we provide opportunities for imitation, we lead by example, demonstrating how one responds rather than reacts to others.
138.
There might be an easily identified area of strength that can be used as a basis for teaching initiative, such as learning by doing what is naturally interesting before trying to teach something that is not natural or not interesting. Start with the activities that the student is good at, and from a strong foundation continue to work on areas that are not so strong.
139.
If students know what they need, they are more likely to take initiative and initiate those actions. If a student has been successful with initiative, follow-through becomes more possible and it is easier to inhibit behaviors that do not lead to success.
140.
Inhibition becomes differently relevant when it arises out of review and preview, because it can be seen and experienced in the context of the decisions the student is making.
141.
Inhibition is the action of the present moment that synthesizes previous experiences, weighs or analyzes the consequences of future actions, and guides the decision in the moment.
142.
Practicing little steps of initiative and possibly developing those through rhythm and routine will provide fantastic learning opportunities for strengthening initiative.
143.
It is easier for a student to engage in an activity or stop an activity if they: • understand the options before they decide to act • recognize how the action affects them or makes them feel • can see what the right choice for action could be.
144.
Every individual has some measure of flexibility or rigidity in thinking, in feelings, and in actions. The level of ease or difficulty a student has in shifting from one activity to another, or from one thought to another, or from one feeling to another, affects the way the student makes decisions and the way the student acts.
145.
Understanding flexibility from the perspective of inner and outer changes makes it possible to establish important differentiations.
146.
Executive function How is degree of flexibility manifested? What can be done? Attention • Shifts attention too frequently. • Fixes attention too strongly in one place. • Practice establishing attention decisions more concretely. • Decide in advance what you will pay attention to so you can shift when needed.
147.
Memory • Gets a picture of events and can’t let it go even if it is not right. • Record events either on video, or by voice recording or journaling. • Compare memories of the event with others.
148.
Organization: space • Wants to have a set/rigid organization system. • Have some items in labeled, predictable places. • Have some places that are general collection spots. • Try different kinds of organization to establish not only the best system, but the right approach for the individual.
149.
Planning: time • Following timetables is difficult—takes too much or too little time. • Lacks a good sense of how much time an activity needs. • Procrastination—has a hard time getting started. • Goes on too long—has a hard time finding a good stopping place. • Give plenty of warning before time is up. • Give a visual as well as a spoken warning. • No surprises or changes in schedule, give a fixed time for everything. • Allow for enough time to transition. • Plan out portions of time using a calendar, schedule, list, or pictures. • Use timers and visual clocks to establish an understandable sense of the movement of time.
150.
Initiative and inhibition • Takes initiative only if it relates to repeated patterns. • Only able to engage on personal terms. • Stops action when it no longer fits inner picture, not because it doesn’t fit the outer situation. • Guide the beginning of a new event. • Engage preview and review so there is structure and context to events: make it possible to see what is coming, and look back and review what just happened so that you know if you want to repeat the behavior or event.
151.
Control of behavior and emotion • Friends don’t follow the rules. • Parents or teachers do the unexpected. • Routinized behavior—rigid ways of doing things. • Emotional volatility—easily hurt. • Can be easily emotionally aroused. • When stressed, self-talk through the issues, reviewing the entire situation before making a decision. • Prepare for events in advance, so the emotional response is not unexpected. • Choose your battles carefully—not everything can be changed and people are not usually open to being changed by someone else.
152.
student might find that moving from the big picture to the details is a challenging shift. Some students describe this as the reason they struggle with written expression. They get one idea for a written assignment, and they are not able to shift it to a new perspective or approach. The student might be able to get the overview and not be able to shift to the various details. Or the student might grasp the details and not be able to synthesize them into an overview. Either way, lack of flexibility in thinking might be the root cause.
153.
Flexibility and shift have to do with movement, so the challenge is to begin or inhibit that movement as needed for the situation.
154.
Flexibility in thinking requires the student to look at an issue from more than one perspective, to think through the consequences, and to be able or willing to consider more than one option.
155.
Flexibility in feeling makes it possible for the student to see an issue from the other’s point of view or have a response rather than a reaction to a situation. When confronted with a challenging emotional situation, the student might try self-talk to make the situation more understandable. The student might also seek conversation with a trusted friend or adult, or try to approach the situation through a story or imagination.
156.
Flexibility in actions can be strengthened through preview and review. The student can look ahead and see where the action will take him or her, and therefore be prepared. Review allows for the needed reflection, so if the student decides to repeat an action or make a new decision, he or she can base that decision on a measured consideration of previous experiences. The decision to act is then in an appropriate context.
157.
Students need flexibility in order to: • start and stop, or initiate and inhibit behaviors and attention • change speed—speed up or slow down appropriate to the situation • review and preview—learn from experiences and be flexible enough to change behavior and attention accordingly • be adaptable in variable situations.
158.
Control of one’s behavior and control of one’s emotions can only arise out of a very personal, inner place. Education of any kind needs to arise from inside the individual, through personal volition, coming from personal initiative, based on personal control.
159.
• All executive activity requires goal setting. At times it is inherent or implicit in the activity, at other times it needs to be very explicit. • Goals can be short-term, intermediate, and/or long-term. There can also be immediate and general goals. When something needs to happen, but it isn’t going to get done by itself, it helps to set a goal. Goals help modify behavior in order to achieve the desired result.
160.
The knowledge and understanding about executive functions meets practical applications based on insight and understanding. In the Introduction, the concept of “cohesion” was introduced, and through applying the ingredients to the executive functions, the “cohesion” triad of comprehensibility, meaningfulness, and manageability finally becomes complete.
161.
My executive function map
162.
Memory • Strengths: • Active working memory. • Long-term memory. • I have a photographic memory. • I remember stuff that is interesting to me. • I remember what I see. • Weaknesses: • I can only remember when I think the end is near. • I forget what people say really fast. • I remember everything, even things I don’t need to remember. • Goals: • To figure out the important stuff to remember. • To study enough to remember facts. • Strategies: • Review and preview. • Repetition. • Study with my friends. • Flashcards work for me. • Write more stuff down.
163.
Golden rules • Always work from your strengths. • Only change one thing at a time. • Use attention decisions and keep them short enough to stay fresh. • If attention “fades,” turn it back on through movement or a shift in attention. • Choose a way to support your memory (notes, cards, etc.). • Organize only the most important things first—don’t overwhelm yourself with organizational demands. • Plan your time using your personal learning style. • Use preview and review as much as possible.
100.
• Active working memory: • holds information in your memory while you are working on it • has a general capacity of about seven items • connects the short-term and long-term memory, enabling us to remember a question while thinking of an answer • holds information in the mind while taking in additional information • makes it possible to alternate quickly between two trains of thought at a time, since it is impossible to actually process two trains of thought simultaneously • allows us to hold onto information long enough to decide either to store it in long-term memory or to discard it • is the “worker bee” of our memory—always busy, always working hard, always needed.
101.
Long-term memory: • is the “hard drive” of our memory, where we store consolidated memories and facts • provides limitless storage, so that we can file and access information.
102.
How the student remembers is the key to his or her learning process.
103.
visual memory—remembering what we see • factual memory—remembering facts • motor memory—remembering through action and doing • auditory memory—remembering because we heard it • sequential memory—remembering the order of things, such as the order of a math process • risk memory—memory for risks and consequences of behavior • procedural memory—an unconscious storage of knowledge about how to do something implicit; skills storage that comes from practice and repetition • declarative memory—the type of memory that we use to store information we need for speaking and writing; the memory we use when memorizing • episodic memory—remembering details of where and when an event happened • semantic memory—remembering words and their meanings; math rules; grammar.
104.
When a student experiences one form of memory as too challenging, there will always be another type of memory that can be used instead.
105.
Do you remember best once you have seen something? Do you prefer to remember through visualizing?
106.
Do you remember best if you hear the information?
107.
Do you remember best if you do something to help you remember, such as moving, writing, drawing, etc.?
108.
Do you remember best when you study or work on it with someone else?
109.
1. Rehearse: a. self-talk b. sub-vocalization c. read, write, whisper d. trace, write, recall. 2. Categorize and classify. 3. Connect to prior knowledge—make associations. 4. Visualize—draw, sketch, diagram. 5. Take notes, make lists, highlight. 6. Repeat. 7. Paraphrase. 8. Chunk—create word networks. 9. Use flashcards. 10. Use mnemonics—a way of “remembering.” 11. Create a song. 12. Use drama.
110.
The strategy your student chooses will hold the memory in short-term or working memory storage until he or she decides if the memory needs to be consolidated and sent to long-term memory storage. Consolidation brings many memories together so that they can be stored and retrieved—retrieval being an essential aspect of using memory.
111.
test does not produce perfect results. Last-minute learning works only if the student can hold the information sufficiently in active working memory, if there is not enough time to go through the consolidation process.
112.
We need good delivery systems for getting the memories into one of the storage levels and eventually into long-term memory. We also need good retrieval systems for getting the memory back out when it is needed. A student might be very good at getting the memory into storage, but not as successful getting it back out. These students typically do not do as well on exams.
113.
Relationship: • Work together with others when trying to study or remember a great deal of information. • Anchor information through the “relationship stories” in the material—this is especially useful when trying to remember facts in history. • The personal relationship matters, so pay attention to who you are learning with and who you are learning from. • If there is a power imbalance in the relationship, memory will be impacted—this is especially apparent in the power imbalances that appear between teacher and student.
114.
Strengths and weaknesses: • Recognize your learning strengths and weaknesses. • Always start from your memory strengths first.
115.
Self-advocacy to self-responsibility: • Communicate your learning style and your learning needs. • Ask for support based on your personal needs. • Accept responsibility for your memories—no one else can hold your memories for you.
116.
Review and preview: mental images: • Use review as much as possible when consolidating memory. • Use preview and look ahead to get an overview of what needs to be held in memory. • Create imaginative, vibrant, mental images to support memorization of all kinds.
117.
Motivation and incentive: • What is your motivation for doing the work to remember this material? • What is your incentive for doing this work? • Is it enough to get you motivated and actively working?
118.
Analysis and synthesis: • Do you prefer to keep the overview in mind? • Do you prefer to chunk the parts and gradually create the overview?
119.
Rhythm and routine: practice and repetition: • Learning that utilizes rhythm anchors information in “rhythmic memory.” • Set up a repeatable study time. • Repetition and practice are your friends when memorizing or strengthening your memory.
120.
Implicit and explicit: • Do you understand the subtleties of what you are learning? • Do you need to make something explicit in order to learn it?
121.
By going through these questions, the student will come to understand memory better, and will be more able to identify a working process that makes establishing reliable memory much easier.
122.
Use imagination as a powerful tool to strengthen memory. • Build strong mental images, and actively use preview and review to help establish and consolidate memory. • Link memories as much as possible to sensory experience to “hook” the experiences in memory.
123.
Organization can be differentiated into three distinct areas that organize: • thoughts and ideas • feelings and emotions • activity and responsibilities.
124.
The idea of past, present, and future, or close, closer, closest, is an organizational system that can be applied to a number of areas of a student’s life. It can be applied to organizing sports equipment, clothing, and books, video games, and music.
125.
the idea of keeping all her papers organized in all her binders all of the time was just too much. So, focusing on her homework as a single item to organize could be a successful solution to the problem.
126.
Organization is best understood if differentiated into three distinct areas of: • thoughts and ideas • feelings and emotions • activity and responsibilities.
127.
Organization is one of the executive functions that benefits from the coherence arising out of the student understanding what they need to do, finding meaning in their work that makes them feel better, and managing the given responsibilities on their own terms.
128.
Planning requires skills in: • time management • sequencing • overview of whole and parts • understanding the relationship of the event and project to the overall situation.
129.
Time management and planning require the student to review the work and get a picture of the whole, then review what is completed in relation to the parts.
130.
If a student responds better to the rhythm of work, it can also be a very effective time-management strategy, because students will always naturally work according to their strengths. A student managing time through rhythm might plan the project to get a lot accomplished at first, take a break and think about things, then come back later to review, readjust, and complete the project. In this approach, during the four weeks available for the project, one student’s rhythm might be to get a lot done in the first week, nearly nothing in the second week, and rush toward the finish in the third week, and in the fourth week put in the finishing touches. This is a rhythm of managing time, not a routine, and can be very effective for some students.
131.
Engaging with a cohesive sense of past, present and future give us a clear sense of life being: • understandable because we understand what has happened • meaningful because it is relevant to what is presently happening • manageable because we can manage our future behavior based on these insights.
132.
Inhibition and initiative are the stop and start buttons for one’s behavior. Learning how to start and stop actions is based on understanding why the actions are wanted and needed. What constitutes initiative? Initiative cannot be controlled from outside; it needs to arise from within the individual. Merely being told to stop or inhibit a behavior will not teach what is needed to understand one’s own personal initiative and inhibition.
133.
the teacher determines how students will behave and learn, even if the students know they learn better using a different method. The teacher is effectively teaching the students to ignore what they know about their own learning style, and teaching that taking initiative for their learning will result in reduced grades. Ironically, that same teacher might be the one complaining about a student not taking the initiative to get their work done. The dilemma boils down to a power tug-of-war.
134.
Threats and negotiations do not teach a child how to manage the executive function of inhibition. Granting or denying choices and options alone does not teach initiative. These approaches attempt to teach through the negative, but they are not successful strategies.
135.
“What approach to this project works best for you?” • “When is the right time for you to get started? What kind of time-frame do you think this project needs?” • “Are there any tools you need? Do you need help getting those tools organized?” Help set up the environment for success, and use this kind of objective involvement as a good example.
136.
The individual with ADHD can have behaviors that mimic initiative, but are really impulsive, unconscious drives to move and act in the moment.
137.
Through our relationship with the child we provide opportunities for imitation, we lead by example, demonstrating how one responds rather than reacts to others.
138.
There might be an easily identified area of strength that can be used as a basis for teaching initiative, such as learning by doing what is naturally interesting before trying to teach something that is not natural or not interesting. Start with the activities that the student is good at, and from a strong foundation continue to work on areas that are not so strong.
139.
If students know what they need, they are more likely to take initiative and initiate those actions. If a student has been successful with initiative, follow-through becomes more possible and it is easier to inhibit behaviors that do not lead to success.
140.
Inhibition becomes differently relevant when it arises out of review and preview, because it can be seen and experienced in the context of the decisions the student is making.
141.
Inhibition is the action of the present moment that synthesizes previous experiences, weighs or analyzes the consequences of future actions, and guides the decision in the moment.
142.
Practicing little steps of initiative and possibly developing those through rhythm and routine will provide fantastic learning opportunities for strengthening initiative.
143.
It is easier for a student to engage in an activity or stop an activity if they: • understand the options before they decide to act • recognize how the action affects them or makes them feel • can see what the right choice for action could be.
144.
Every individual has some measure of flexibility or rigidity in thinking, in feelings, and in actions. The level of ease or difficulty a student has in shifting from one activity to another, or from one thought to another, or from one feeling to another, affects the way the student makes decisions and the way the student acts.
145.
Understanding flexibility from the perspective of inner and outer changes makes it possible to establish important differentiations.
146.
Executive function How is degree of flexibility manifested? What can be done? Attention • Shifts attention too frequently. • Fixes attention too strongly in one place. • Practice establishing attention decisions more concretely. • Decide in advance what you will pay attention to so you can shift when needed.
147.
Memory • Gets a picture of events and can’t let it go even if it is not right. • Record events either on video, or by voice recording or journaling. • Compare memories of the event with others.
148.
Organization: space • Wants to have a set/rigid organization system. • Have some items in labeled, predictable places. • Have some places that are general collection spots. • Try different kinds of organization to establish not only the best system, but the right approach for the individual.
149.
Planning: time • Following timetables is difficult—takes too much or too little time. • Lacks a good sense of how much time an activity needs. • Procrastination—has a hard time getting started. • Goes on too long—has a hard time finding a good stopping place. • Give plenty of warning before time is up. • Give a visual as well as a spoken warning. • No surprises or changes in schedule, give a fixed time for everything. • Allow for enough time to transition. • Plan out portions of time using a calendar, schedule, list, or pictures. • Use timers and visual clocks to establish an understandable sense of the movement of time.
150.
Initiative and inhibition • Takes initiative only if it relates to repeated patterns. • Only able to engage on personal terms. • Stops action when it no longer fits inner picture, not because it doesn’t fit the outer situation. • Guide the beginning of a new event. • Engage preview and review so there is structure and context to events: make it possible to see what is coming, and look back and review what just happened so that you know if you want to repeat the behavior or event.
151.
Control of behavior and emotion • Friends don’t follow the rules. • Parents or teachers do the unexpected. • Routinized behavior—rigid ways of doing things. • Emotional volatility—easily hurt. • Can be easily emotionally aroused. • When stressed, self-talk through the issues, reviewing the entire situation before making a decision. • Prepare for events in advance, so the emotional response is not unexpected. • Choose your battles carefully—not everything can be changed and people are not usually open to being changed by someone else.
152.
student might find that moving from the big picture to the details is a challenging shift. Some students describe this as the reason they struggle with written expression. They get one idea for a written assignment, and they are not able to shift it to a new perspective or approach. The student might be able to get the overview and not be able to shift to the various details. Or the student might grasp the details and not be able to synthesize them into an overview. Either way, lack of flexibility in thinking might be the root cause.
153.
Flexibility and shift have to do with movement, so the challenge is to begin or inhibit that movement as needed for the situation.
154.
Flexibility in thinking requires the student to look at an issue from more than one perspective, to think through the consequences, and to be able or willing to consider more than one option.
155.
Flexibility in feeling makes it possible for the student to see an issue from the other’s point of view or have a response rather than a reaction to a situation. When confronted with a challenging emotional situation, the student might try self-talk to make the situation more understandable. The student might also seek conversation with a trusted friend or adult, or try to approach the situation through a story or imagination.
156.
Flexibility in actions can be strengthened through preview and review. The student can look ahead and see where the action will take him or her, and therefore be prepared. Review allows for the needed reflection, so if the student decides to repeat an action or make a new decision, he or she can base that decision on a measured consideration of previous experiences. The decision to act is then in an appropriate context.
157.
Students need flexibility in order to: • start and stop, or initiate and inhibit behaviors and attention • change speed—speed up or slow down appropriate to the situation • review and preview—learn from experiences and be flexible enough to change behavior and attention accordingly • be adaptable in variable situations.
158.
Control of one’s behavior and control of one’s emotions can only arise out of a very personal, inner place. Education of any kind needs to arise from inside the individual, through personal volition, coming from personal initiative, based on personal control.
159.
• All executive activity requires goal setting. At times it is inherent or implicit in the activity, at other times it needs to be very explicit. • Goals can be short-term, intermediate, and/or long-term. There can also be immediate and general goals. When something needs to happen, but it isn’t going to get done by itself, it helps to set a goal. Goals help modify behavior in order to achieve the desired result.
160.
The knowledge and understanding about executive functions meets practical applications based on insight and understanding. In the Introduction, the concept of “cohesion” was introduced, and through applying the ingredients to the executive functions, the “cohesion” triad of comprehensibility, meaningfulness, and manageability finally becomes complete.
161.
My executive function map
162.
Memory • Strengths: • Active working memory. • Long-term memory. • I have a photographic memory. • I remember stuff that is interesting to me. • I remember what I see. • Weaknesses: • I can only remember when I think the end is near. • I forget what people say really fast. • I remember everything, even things I don’t need to remember. • Goals: • To figure out the important stuff to remember. • To study enough to remember facts. • Strategies: • Review and preview. • Repetition. • Study with my friends. • Flashcards work for me. • Write more stuff down.
163.
Golden rules • Always work from your strengths. • Only change one thing at a time. • Use attention decisions and keep them short enough to stay fresh. • If attention “fades,” turn it back on through movement or a shift in attention. • Choose a way to support your memory (notes, cards, etc.). • Organize only the most important things first—don’t overwhelm yourself with organizational demands. • Plan your time using your personal learning style. • Use preview and review as much as possible.
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May 26, 2022Dit boek is beknopt. Dat is in die zin fijn dat het snel to the point komt en doeltreffende analyses en beschrijvingen maakt. De hoofdstukken zijn kort.
Dat is tegelijk niet zo fijn omdat ik regelmatig op mijn honger bleef zitten.
Verder miste ik heel erg de toepassingen: hoe verbeter je nu in de praktijk bepaalde executieves functies?
Dit boek werd ivm scholieren geschreven.
Dat is tegelijk niet zo fijn omdat ik regelmatig op mijn honger bleef zitten.
Verder miste ik heel erg de toepassingen: hoe verbeter je nu in de praktijk bepaalde executieves functies?
Dit boek werd ivm scholieren geschreven.
August 17, 2014
A very good read. I very much enjoyed the foundational approach she took with the book. I believe it to be very helpful. I just wish there was more insight into either her own way of interacting with students or suggestions on practical ways to interaction with students that is in accordance with her philosophy. Her example letters before the conclusion was helpful, but I ended the book feeling that I had good foundational knowledge, but little idea on how to progress in any practical way.
July 27, 2014
This book definitely gives you things to work on with your child or students. Realizing that an "I don't care" attitude can sometimes mean there are missing building blocks that lead to a child or teen becoming embarrassed by feeling ignorant and then covering it with inadequate work. I loved the section on relationships.
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December 3, 2013This book was incredible the first time I read it! It is a fantastic read for anyone who knows someone with executive function issues.
I am re-reading it to brush up on some of the wonderful anecdotes and ideas contained therein:-)
Thank you Paula!!
I am re-reading it to brush up on some of the wonderful anecdotes and ideas contained therein:-)
Thank you Paula!!
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October 28, 2013Like another friend, I just skimmed through it. I didn't see anything I am dying to try.
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