Executive functioning skills shape how students work independently, build friendships, and learn. Working memory lets them hold information while solving math problems or answering reading questions. Poor executive function makes it hard to start assignments, stay focused, and manage distractions.
3 big ways that executive functions impact everyday classroom behaviors are: first, with independent work. Anything related to independent work or that things that kids have to do by themselves, like turning in their homework, getting their lunch ticket, all of that is executive functions. From getting started to completing the task to avoiding distractions. Second, social skills. Making and maintaining friendships, a million executive functions included into all of those different skills. And last, we need a lot of working memory when we're learning. Working memory is a really important executive function. It helps us remember something while do while doing something else. Complex math, when we're reading and decoding, when we're answering comprehension questions, all of that requires executive functioning skills.
