Executive Function
Executive function skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember, and juggle multiple tasks. Most students could benefit from more explicit, intentional strategies and supports for developing their executive function skills.
Hill has taken the time-tested approaches integrated into our school’s methodology and developed practical, effective workshops and resources for educators.
In-Person Workshops
Excellent decoders are not always excellent comprehenders. Many times, our students seem to have all of the necessary skills they need to be good readers (things like phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies, to name a few), but somehow, they still struggle with putting all of these things together in order to comprehend texts. In this workshop, we will dig a bit deeper than the familiar skills listed above to explore essential thinking skills, called executive functions, that support successful reading comprehension.
Learn MoreExecutive skills are task-oriented skills that underlie students’ ability to learn. Although seldom taught explicitly, many educators now see that students who are strong in these skills are more successful than those who aren’t. This workshop will introduce the 11 executive skills featured in the “Smart but Scattered” model, with suggestions for school-based strategies for strengthening each skill across the grade levels. It will also describe a process for embedding executive skills into classroom lessons and daily routines.
Learn MoreCustom Offering for Schools and Districts
Building School Capacity for Supporting Executive Function
This 6-part series will allow schools to learn the foundations of executive functioning, how to teach executive functioning skills explicitly, and how to integrate them effectively into classrooms and school culture. This offering is geared toward school groups of at least 10 educators.
Learn MoreExecutive Function Series on YouTube
Check out our YouTube channel to learn all about executive function study skills! From improving your skills at home and school, to creating a study plan, we’ve got you covered!
On the Blog
10 Resources to Help
Managing Executive Function Challenges
Children who struggle with executive function might have difficulty prioritizing or completing tasks, following step-by-step instructions, switching from one task to the next, and organizing their time or belongings. With the uncertain nature of today’s school schedule, children who struggle with executive functioning may be having more difficulty than usual. In an effort to remain supportive, we’ve put together the following list of 10 resources, designed to help manage executive function-related challenges.