What Is Executive Function In Children?
What Is Executive Function In Children? Executive function (EF) is a critical set of skills that help children manage their thoughts, emotions and behavior. EF skills allow children to plan and execute tasks, stay on task, keep track of information, and inhibit impulsive behaviors. EF skills are important for success in school and in life. Poor EF skills can lead to problems such as difficulty completing homework assignments, trouble following instructions, and impulsively blurting out answers in class. EF skills can be improved through targeted interventions and practice. Parents can help their children develop EF skills by providing structure, clear expectations, and regular feedback. What are some specific executive function skills? Some specific executive function skills include: -Task initiation: The ability to begin and complete tasks. -Time management: The ability to plan and track time spent on tasks. -Goal setting: The ability to identify and achieve goals. -Organization: The ability to keep track of materials and tasks. -Flexibility: The ability to adapt to changing situations. -Self-control: The ability to inhibit impulsive behaviors. What can parents do to help their children develop executive function skills? There are many things that parents can do to help their children develop executive function skills. Some tips include: -Providing structure and clear expectations: Children with poor EF skills need structure and clear expectations in order to stay on task. Parents can help by creating routines for homework and chores, and providing regular feedback on tasks. -Helping children set goals: Children with poor EF skills often have difficulty staying motivated. Helping children set and achieve small goals can help them stay focused and motivated. -Encouraging organization: Children with poor EF skills often lose track of materials and tasks. Parents can help by providing organizational tools such as folders, checklists, and calendars. -Encouraging flexibility: Children with poor EF skills often find it difficult to adapt to changing situations. Parents can help by modeling flexibility and providing opportunities for children to experience a variety of situations. -Teaching self-control: Children with poor EF skills often have difficulty inhibiting impulsive behaviors. Parents can help by teaching children how to pause before responding and how to manage strong emotions. If you need help with executive function in your child or have questions, please fill out the form or give us a call.
Test Taking Skills
While many students dread them, standardized tests are a reality for students of all ages. Even toddlers are now being subjected to standardized tests, with some schools beginning to administer screening tests to students as young as two. So it’s never too early for kids to learn how to best prepare for and take standardized tests. Some kids are naturally good test takers. They can stay calm and focused, their mind remains clear and uncluttered, and they can quickly and easily get down the answers they need. But for other kids, test taking can be a real challenge. Their minds may wander, they may get nervous and jittery, and they may have difficulty concentrating and focusing. But with a little bit of practice, all kids can improve their test taking skills. Here are a few tips: If you feel like you’re losing focus or are getting anxious, take a break. A few minutes of relaxation can help clear your mind and refresh you so you can continue. These are just a few basic tips. To get the most out of your studying and practice, it’s a good idea to find a tutor or test prep course that can help you specifically with the type of standardized test you will be taking. Helping kids develop best test taking skills can set them up for success in school and beyond. Some general tips to help students succeed in test taking environments include: being well-prepared, taking practice tests, knowing the format of the test, reading the questions carefully, and answering the questions to the best of their ability. A variety of other techniques and strategies can be helpful for different students, so parents and educators should work with kids to determine what works best for them.
Facing Deadlines With Homework
Does your child struggle with escalating late work, overload and shut down or even meltdowns? Are they able to get re-started when they are stuck? It’s important to know the developmental age of your child. Kids with executive function problems are often times two years younger developmentally than their chronological age. To help combat this here are a few tips: What can I do to motivate my child? What do I do when my child gets behind? My bright child is failing; what can I do? How do I know where to focus my help for my child? My child says that homework is not important; what can I do? If you’d like some more strategies or ideas for your child don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Midwest Educational Therapy and Associates Facebook, YouTube channel and at www.metaoh.
We’re Off To A Strong Start! Now How Do We Keep The Momentum Going?
Here are some additional back-to-school tips to keep your momentum going strong: If you’d like some more strategies or ideas for your child don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Midwest Educational Therapy and Associates Facebook, YouTube channel and at www.metaoh.org
Is Summer Really Over?
How is it the middle of August already? Our local stores sent out the subtle reminders with school supplies lining end caps and store fronts beginning in early July. While kids and adults alike are getting the end of summer blues and back to school jitters. Trying to get back into routines and building schedules. A mixture of nervousness and excitement for the new year as back to school shopping commences and new teacher assignments are made. As we begin the 2022-2023 school year in order to set up your student and your family for success it is important to reflect on the previous year. HOw do you do that? Here are some simple practices to get your family on track from the beginning:. Use back to school time to celebrate past successes and use those successes as a way to create ideas and build strategies for an even better new year. If you’d like some more strategies or ideas for your child don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Midwest Educational Therapy and Associates Facebook, YouTube channel and at www.metaoh.org
Find Your Summer Friends!
As summer ramps up with social activities like vacations, visits to the pool or hanging out with others, kids and teens can struggle to make connections to friends. Summer is a great time to deepen friendships and work on social skills. Looking ahead, setting up structured social times and having good social role models or wingmen, can go a long way to help make the summer more enjoyable. For more information, reach out to us on our Midwest Educational Therapy and Associates Facebook page or YouTube channel.
