Do you often find yourself repeating instructions to your child, or notice they have difficulty transitioning between activities? Maybe they’re habitually late or disorganized, or they experience overwhelming emotions when faced with routine tasks. These are common signs of challenges with executive functioning (EF).
Understanding and developing EF skills can make a significant difference in a child’s ability to process information, transition, and respond in both home and school environments.
Executive Functioning and Its Role in Daily Life
I love this definition of Executive Function by Sarah Ward, MS, CCC, and Kristen Jacobsen, MS, CCC/SLP – Speech-Language Pathologists, who explain it as the ability to integrate a present awareness (what is happening now) with future anticipation (what is going to happen) and past experience (what they know about the past) to develop a plan for present action. Basically, executive functioning is the ability to have a mental picture of what is coming ahead (future thinking) in order to be able to know what to do to meet a goal (e.g., getting to school on time). She likens this to a “Mind Mime,” where just as a mime simulates an action, such as pulling an imaginary tug-of-war rope or climbing over an imagined box, we mime in our minds or create a mental movie of what we will look like and how we imagine ourselves moving through space and time to achieve the desired goal.
Expert Insights from Sarah Ward and Kristen Jacobsen: The Match the Picture Strategy
In an insightful video, Sarah Ward explains the “Match the Picture” strategy. This technique involves using actual photos of the child and or event/task to help children conceptualize and prepare for upcoming tasks and routines. By visualizing the desired outcome, the child can make a mental movie of what needs to happen, which helps build the muscle of future thinking for task initiation and completion. She calls this the “Match the Picture” concept.
She further explains the “Same but Different” strategy, which helps children understand that tasks and situations often share similar underlying structures. Recognizing these similarities allows children to apply known strategies to new scenarios, promoting flexibility and adaptability. For example, knowing what you look like when you are ready for school, you can flex that image if the future context is the ‘same but different’ – going to school on a cold day or having the items you need for a field trip.
Executive Functioning: Beyond Academic Success
Practical Tips for Developing EF Skills
Recognizing and nurturing executive functioning in children is critical for their overall development. By implementing strategies like those shared by Sarah and Kristen, we can give children the foundation they need to succeed in all aspects of their lives.
For more insights and practical strategies on enhancing your child’s executive functioning skills, explore Sarah Ward’s contributions in my book “Make Social and Emotional Learning Stick! 2nd Edition.“
Stay connected for up-to-date resources on supporting your child’s development at home and school and join myself and Sarah Ward in this important workshop: Practical Strategies to Boost Executive Functioning and Reduce Stress in Everyday Routines and Activities