Three Parts of Executive Functioning

Executive functioning is the crux of soft skills, which are vital in helping your children succeed in the classroom. In order to understand what makes executive functioning so valuable, we first have to break it down into parts. Executive functioning is made up of three main skill groups: working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. 

Working memory is the ability to process, remember, and store information for short periods. Critically, working memory is an active process, which means that it takes active effort to remember this information, and it is only held until it is needed. Additionally, your children require working memory to retain the information they receive while they are working on a different task. 

The second element of executive functioning is cognitive flexibility. Cognitive flexibility is the ability to transition between tasks and manage multiple tasks at the same time. For example, if your child struggles to start their math homework immediately after finishing their history homework, they might need to work on their cognitive flexibility skills. Additionally, cognitive flexibility allows us to filter out irrelevant information and just focus on the important information in a given setting. 

Lastly, executive functioning is made up of inhibitory control, which is the ability to control attention, behavior, thought, and emotional urges. These urges may look like thinking before acting, considering the outcome and potential consequences of a choice, guiding focus and attention in distracting environments, regulating emotions, and controlling motor behaviors such as staying seated while in class. 

These three skills make up executive control, which is vital for educational, social, and emotional development. Without strong executive functioning, your children will likely find it hard to focus on their school work and struggle to complete tasks at home. In this blog, we will discuss some tips and tricks for fostering your children’s executive functioning at home.

Strategies to Improve Executive Functions

Establish a Routine

For many children, addressing problems as they arise can feel challenging. Figuring out where to sit and complete their homework, for example, can feel like a huge hurdle that drains their mental battery. Circumvent these issues by establishing a clear after-school routine that includes a designated location to complete assignments. First, take time to explore what works best. Some children work best with music in the background, while others prefer absolute silence. Some students like working around people, and others prefer working alone. Experiment with surroundings until you find an environment that suits your child. 

Then, establish a routine. For instance, your child should strive to work on their school assignments during the same timeframe each weekday. Include extracurricular activities, time to eat, and breaks in the routine. Establishing a routine provides stability and comfort as your child will know what to expect and won’t have to devote time or mental resources to figuring out what to do next. Additionally, routines assist in the development of inhibitory control, as the predictability of their environment tends to have a calming effect. 

Chunk Tasks

The role of a student is to encounter new academic problems and learn how to solve them. Sometimes, this process is simple, such as completing a quick worksheet. Other times, this process can be quite complex, like composing a research paper. 

It can be helpful to break large, complex, or multi-step tasks into smaller and more manageable pieces. Help your children break down their assignments, explaining the reasoning behind each step. Chunking tasks assists in the development of the working memory as it takes meaningful effort to break down tasks and perform each part successfully. Over time, children should be able to break down major assignments on their own, and even apply this skill to nonacademic matters such as chores and relationships.  

Take Frequent Breaks

For some children who struggle with executive functions, they are constantly fighting the urge to fidget. Give your children’s inhibitory control systems a chance to regulate by taking frequent breaks. Set a timer for five to ten minutes and allow your children to stand up, stretch, dance, or wiggle. Doing so allows your child to both mentally and physically reset. 

The breaks must stay relatively short, as longer breaks can make it difficult to transition back to the task at hand. Additionally, make sure your children don’t start a new fun activity during their break time, as that may make it more difficult for them to return to their original task and finish it. After the timer goes off, guide your children back to their task and watch as they start again with a regulated mind and body. 

Explain the Reasoning

Let’s face it. No one likes being told what to do, especially if the reasoning behind a task is unclear or redundant. Help your children understand the importance of each task by explaining the thinking behind the task. Doing so illuminates the importance of seemingly unremarkable tasks. For instance, take the time to explain what valuable skills their homework assignment is teaching them and how what they are learning in school relates to real life.  Thinking through tasks in a deeper and more interconnected manner is important for the development of cognitive flexibility. It also assists with the ability to focus on relevant information and not get caught up on unimportant details. 

Listen to Stories

Working memory can be a tricky facet of executive functioning to improve. One way to do so is through storytelling. Verbal storytelling engages the brain and forces it to remember details without the visual assistance of words on a page. Try taking turns to tell engaging stories over dinner. Read stories together. Listen to podcasts and audiobooks as a family. These are fun and memorable ways to improve working memory. 

Conclusion

Executive functioning is an essential skill that serves students both in the classroom and out. While it may seem daunting to improve your child’s executive functions, it is possible by utilizing tips and tricks that target working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control, such as creating a routine, chunking tasks, and listening to stories. 

Here at E.R.E., our tutors are trained in teaching soft skills while providing students with academic tutoring. With a proven track record of improving soft skills in our students, our tutoring program is an innovative way to prepare students for life. Donate today to help us to help more students succeed in school and beyond!