1. Lafourche Parish Schools April 2017
Supporting Students with Disabilities in Accessing the Louisiana Academic Standards
Lafourche Parish Schools
April 2017

2. Agenda Welcome and review agenda A review of Executive Functioning 101
Connecting executive function skills to classroom performance
Providing support for those students who get stuck
Applying your knowledge to your student

5. Executive Functions
Cognitive control functions involved in goal-oriented behaviors.
Different from automatic, reactive behaviors

6. Executive Functions Core Executive Functions
Inhibitory Control (self control)
Working Memory
Cognitive Flexibility
Higher Order Executive Functions:
Problem solving
Reasoning
Planning

7. Skills Associated with Executive Functions
Inhibitory Control
Sustaining attention
Emotional regulation
Impulse control
Self-monitoring
Following through on tasks to completion
Initiating tasks/activities
Cognitive Flexibility/Shifting
Being open to new ways of thinking/learning
Working Memory
Sorting /processing information
Moving information long term memory

8. Inhibitory Control: Discipline
Having the discipline to stay on task
Persistence: Seeing a task through to completion even when it is tedious or difficult.
Begin able to stay focused despite distractions.
Continuing to work although the reward may be a long time coming.

9. Inhibitory Control Being able to: Stay Focused despite distraction
Stay on task and complete the task, even in the face of temptation or frustration
Exercise self control by considering a response before acting— controlling behavior, responses, and language (not putting your foot in your mouth)
To review, Inhibitory control is persistence, focus, and self control.

10. Working Memory
Holding Information in mind while mentally working with it or while working on something else.
Follow a conversation while formulating what you want to say in response.
Remembering where something was hidden despite a delay and distractions before you get back to it.
Holding in mind what happened earlier and relating it to what is happening now.
Relating one idea to another.
Relating what you read earlier to what you are learning now.
Understanding cause and effect.

11. Working Memory
Critical to ability to see connections between seemingly unconnected things.
Critical to Creativity-ability to take apart and re-assemble elements or thoughts in new ways.

12. Cognitive Flexibility: Creativity
The ability to easily and quickly switch perspectives of the focus of attention, flexibly adjusting to changed demands or priorities— being able to
Think Creatively!
Thinking about ways to solve problems that no one else has considered before…
Reports have recently surfaced in the news that employers are having a hard time finding people who can think creatively to fill jobs.

13. Cognitive Flexibility
Ability to change course when what you are doing isn’t working.
Ability to adapt to change easily.
Ability to take advantage and seize opportunities when they arise, even if it means changing course.

14. VARIABLES THAT IMPACT STUDENT SUCCESS: GENDER DIFFERENCES

15. MEN'S BRAINS APPARENTLY WIRED MORE FOR PERCEPTION AND COORDINATED ACTIONS

16. FEMALE BRAINS ARE WIRED FOR SOCIAL SKILLS, MEMORY, AND BETTER EQUIPPED TO MULTI-TASK.

17. (Duckworth and Seligman, 2005)
Evidence shows that discipline accounts for over twice as much variance in final grades as does IQ, even in college.
(Duckworth and Seligman, 2005)

18. Developmental List of Executive Function Skills From Executive Function Skills in Children and Adolescents, by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
Grades 6-8
Help with chores, including daily and occasional tasks; tasks may take minutes to complete
Use system to organize school work like assignment book, notebooks, follow complex school schedule involving changing teachers and changes schedules
Plan and carry out long term projects, to be accomplished with a reasonable timeframe to follow, may require planning
Inhibit rule breaking in the absence of visible authority

19. Developmental List of Executive Function Skills From Executive Function Skills in Children and Adolescents, by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
High School
Manage school work on a daily basis, complete and turn in assignments on time, study for tests, create and follow timelines for long term projects, make adjustments in effort and quality of work in response to feedback from instructors
Establish and refine a long-term goal, make decisions for meeting the goal, goals beyond high school require planning, participate in extracurricular activities, sign up for SAT or ACT, apply for college, look for and plan for employment after high school
Make good use of leisure time, including employment or recreational activities
Inhibit reckless and dangerous behaviors

20. Ages and Stages: Key Shifts in Development
It takes the Executive Function 3 decades to reach full maturity!
Shift from External to Internal (mentally represented) events
Shift from the Temporal Now to the Hypothetical Future
Shift from Immediate Gratification to valuing the Delayed Consequences
Shift from being Controlled by others to Self Regulation

21. Motivation : comes from imagining the emotion of the future.
If I finish this assignment early, then I will be happy because I can watch my favorite show tonight!

22. Situational Awareness
S.T.O.P.
Space- read the room. Where am I?
Time – get on a timeline. What is happening at this moment?
Objects – sense of organization. How are things organized?
People - read the person. What is the face, body, appearance, mood, pace? What are they saying?

23. Effortful Control Basis for self regulation.
Match demands of the situation-sometimes inhibiting, sometimes motivating- Stop and Go functions.

24. Immediately Next Later In Awhile
Prospective Memory The Time Horizon/Temporal Window The ability to remember to do something in the future
Immediately Next Later In Awhile
Tomorrow Coming Soon

25. Weakness of the Executive Function
There is a weakness in the executive system and function
Time blindness – unable to connect to the future
When memory is not self directed

26. Development of the Time Horizon How Far Into the Future can Children Anticipate?
2 Years Old: Now
3-5 Years Old: minutes
1st Grade: Several hours
3rd Grade: 8-12 hours
12-16 Years Old: 2-3 days
17-23 Years Old: 2-3 weeks
23-35 Years Old: 3-5 weeks
The shift from immediate to delayed gratification

27. A Visual Image of Task Execution
Present State
Temporal Window
“Now”
What is
Desired State- “Later” –
Motivation Capacity
(Somatic Marker):
What is Wanted? How will I feel?
Space
Time
Objects
People
“If….then….”
“What if …”
Spatial Distance

28. Give the Student “Future Glasses”
Being able to “see” into the future…..
“If ….., then…

29. Develops the skill of comparing planned vs. actual
“See” into the future
Outcome

30. Create the Mental Mindset of Planning with the End in Mind
The Ultimate Goal?
Create the Mental Mindset of Planning with the End in Mind
Give the Child Future Glasses!

31. Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP
Get Ready
S Strategies/Sheets M Materials A Art Supplies R Reach Out/Resources T Technologies
Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP

32. Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP
Use Your SMARTs!
Graphic
Organizers
Handouts
Flash cards
Edit
checklist
Strategies/ Reach Out/
Sheets Materials Art Supplies Resources Technologies
Pencils
Books
Binders
Text Book
Class Notes
Calculator
Glue
Crayons
Markers
Colored Pencils
Scissors
Teacher
Parent
Classroom
School
Website
Flash Drive
Post Google
Docs
teacher
Internet
Specific Program
Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP

33. Handling Students who Get Stuck
Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP

34. EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING CHALLENGES: ACADEMICS
Forgets homework/forgets to pass it in
Leaves long-term assignments or chores until last minute
Can’t break down long- term assignments
Sloppy work
Messy notebooks
Loses or misplaces things (books, papers, notebooks, mittens, keys, cell phones, etc.)
Can’t find things in backpack
Doesn't bother to write down assignment
Forgets directions
Forgets to bring materials home
Keeps putting off homework
  Runs out of steam before finishing work
Chooses “fun stuff” Over homework or chores
Passive study methods (or doesn't study)

35. EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING CHALLENGES: BEHAVIORS
Acts without thinking
Interrupts others
Overreacts to small problems
Upset by changes in plans
  Overwhelmed by large assignments
Talks or plays too loudly
Resists change of routine
Doesn’t notice impact of behavior on others
Don’t see their behavior as part of the issue
Easily overstimulated and has trouble calming down
  Gets stuck on one topic or activity
  Gets overly upset about “little things”
Out of control more than peers
Can’t come up with more than one way to solve a problem
Low tolerance for frustration
Acts wild or out of control

36. Before I Get Started: Create My Space
Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP

37. Sensing the Passage of Time
Have Analog Clocks in the room
Make sure they are not Roman
Numeral!
Make sure they are at eye level
of the student.
Have a wall clock and a
WORKING clock. Try putting
Magnet strips on the back of the
Clock so it can stick to a magnetic
whiteboard.
A wall clock helps students visualize time passing……
Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP

38. Drawing Time: Create Time Zones
Draw How Much Time the student has
Create Time Markers
Identify/sketch the “Future Picture Image”:
If everything goes your way what will it look like?
Make sure to state over and over:
“Factor in time for _______” gathering materials,
the computer to boot, equipment, etc.
Mark the start time and the stop time
Mark a “time check” at the ½ way point
Stop
Start
½ way
Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP

39. Managing Time Robbers Identify – Remove – Re-Plan
What did the time robber steal from….
Me/My Organizer
Am I thirsty, hungry, tired….?
Where are my assignments and papers?
Are my papers/binders messy?
Where are my materials?
I don’t have a plan for how to do this.
My Scope
I don’t know how to start….
I can’t decide what to do…no goal….
I am trying to do too much….
I’m trying to make it perfect.
My Focus
I’m distracted by the computer or other electronic.
I’m socializing.
I’m jumping from task to task.
I forgot what the assignment was asking me to do. I’m going in a different direction.
Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP

40. Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP
½ Way Check Point
Am I half way done?
Am I still focused on the goal?
Has my priority changed?
Am I still answering this question?
Any time robbers?
Identify
Remove
Re-Plan
Do I need a faster or a slower pace?
½ way
Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP

41. Picture the End Result FIRST Ready – Do - Done
Stop
Adapted from Original Presentation by Sara Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP

42. All skills, including executive skills, improve with practice…
The more you practice, the better the skill.
Practice also makes the task less effortful.

43. Cognitive Flexibility
Use self-regulation routine
Implement flexibility routines
Discuss the change or new routine in advance
Practice the new routines before implementation
When change is implemented use behavioral momentum-building activitie to help students to be ready for change
Implement self-talk strategies
Use concrete organizers
Graphic organizers
Visual displays
Assurance that some routines will remain unchanged
Peer Support
Sense of self and acceptance of change

44. Planning and Organizational Strategies
Graphic Organizers
should incorporate an obvious sequential, step by step flow (linear graphic organizer
Stop and List
Build goal-setting, planning and organization
Three core steps:
Develop a goal for what the student wants to create
List the ideas (brainstorm)
Select from several of these ideas that will be included in the goal

45. Response Inhibition Environmental Increase external controls
Increase supervision
Find ways to cue the student to control impulses
Teaching the Skill
Explain what the skill that is being worked on and your intent for student’s behavior
Walk the child through the process and have them practice
When ready use the school in a natural environment with cues
Reinforce the student immediately for using the skill

46. Vignette: Kristen 7 years old Interrupts, doesn’t take turn, won’t raise her hand

47. Response Inhibition: Keys to Success
Have the student practice the skill in a classroom situation (either academic or social as appropriate to the skill being taught)
Use a cuing system (talking stick, chip system)
Review the rules and expectations just before entering the situation where the behavior typically occurs (tell me what you’re working on)
Have the student rate his or her performance to build self evaluation skills

48. Working Memory Environmental
Storage devices ( agenda books, notebooks, electronic devices)
Cuing devices (alarms on watches, visual cues, verbal reminders)
Teaching the Skill: design your cue and put systems in place to use the cue
Explain the problem as it shows to the student
Provide a range of options and have student pick one or generate their own
Mentally rehearse the connection between the cue and the working memory
Devise a monitoring system

49. Mario Age 11 Continually forgetting things to bring to and from school
Vignette
Mario Age 11 Continually forgetting things to bring to and from school

50. Working Memory: Keys to Success
Be thorough and positive with the student especially in the early stages of teaching the skill
Err on the side of cuing too long
Ensure the student has set aside time to actually do the monitoring

51. Emotional Control Environmental Teach the Skill Explain the skill
Anticipate the problem situations and prepare student for them
Give students scripts to follow in targeted situations
Breaking tasks into smaller steps to make them manageable
Model the practice of make positive self statements
Give students breaks if task appears to be upsetting
Teaching the student that how you think about an experience can affect how you feel about that experience
Use literature
Use a 5 point scale to help students identify their feelings and rate their handling of those feelings
Teach the Skill
Explain the skill
Have the student practice the skill
Reinforce the student for practicing the skill
Cue the student to use the skill in real life situations
Reinforce the student for using the skill successfully

52. Emotional Control: Keys to Success
When teaching children to manage emotions use the actual situations likely to trigger the emotional response
Work with the student to help him or her to brainstorm a plan to manage the situation
In the early stages of the plan an adult should cue and provide support when the student enters the situation
Adult and student should jointly evaluate the outcome and discuss changes in the plan

53. Sustained Attention and Task Initiation
Environmental
Writing start and stop times on assigned tasks
Using an incentive system
Breaking tasks into subtasks
Using a kitchen timer and challenging students to complete work within the set time
Choosing the time of day to complete key assignments
Providing supervisions
Making tasks interesting (choice)
Providing attention and praise for on task behavior
Teaching the Skill
Help students become aware of their own attentional capacity
Teach them to break down the tasks into doable amounts
Help them to develop a work plan
Cue them to follow their plan
Reinforce them for following the plan
Gradually transfer the responsibility for making the plan to the students themselves

54. Planning Environmental
Teacher provides a plan or a schedule for the student to follow
Us scoring rubrics when giving students assignments
Break long term projects into clearly defined subtasks and attach deadlines to each subtask
Create a template
Teach the Skill
Provide a step by step walkthrough of the plan or the rubric
Use an analogy for planning i.e planning a trip

55. Planning: Keys to Success
Ensure the plan is detailed enough for the steps to be specific and behaviorally defined
Ensure that the plan is realistic and that the child hasn’t attempted to take on too much at one time
If the student is struggling, provide a specific time line and check in with the student at those specific times

56. ORGANIZATION, STUDY SKILLS, AND TIME MANAGEMENT
 Organizing is what you do
before you do something, so
that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.
Christopher Robin in Winnie-The Pooh (Milne, 1926)

57. Your turn: Vignette (Organization and Time Management)
With a partner read the vignette
Identify environmental supports that could be provided
Identify how you would teach students specific skills to support organization and time management
Be ready to share your ideas

58. Your Ideas? Your own strategies: Think Pair Share
Core Executive Functions
Inhibitory Control (self control)
Working Memory
Cognitive Flexibility
Higher Order Executive Functions:
Problem solving
Reasoning
Planning
Share with a partner strategies you use for supporting EF skills.

59. Checking Your Understanding of Executive Functioning
The Match Game
Match the executive functioning skill to the situation!

60. Executive Skill Intervention Planning
Select the target skill
Based on skills required by the Louisiana Academic Standards
Determine Three Prong Approach
Environmental Supports / Modifications
Strategy to teach the specific skill(s)
Incentives / Data Charting

61. Plan a Three Prong Approach

62. Three Prong Intervention
Environmental Modifications
Instructional Strategies
Incentive Systems

63. Plan the Three Prong Approach – Environmental Supports / Modifications
Placement in the classroom
Structured work station
Teacher / peer cueing prior to beginning work
Class chart of steps of assignment
Organized work space
Video of task steps for review
Work ‘buddy’
Time deadline with incremental time ‘cues’

64. Plan the Three Prong Approach – Instructional Strategies
Define / demonstrate the target skill
Develop a visual chart showing the elements of the skill
Develop a video modeling the steps of the skill
Model the skill with the student on a short activity
Develop a planning template / graphic organizer for the skill
Determine a ‘cue’ to be used as a reminder of the target skill

65. Teaching Executive Functioning Skills
Step 1: Describe the problem behavior and associated Executive Functioning Skill(s)
Step 2: Set a goal
Step 3: Establish a procedure or set of steps to reach the goal – checklists etc.
Step 4: Monitor the student following the procedure
Step 5: Evaluate and revise if needed
Step 6: Fade the monitoring & reinforce positive outcomes

66. Creating a Classroom Culture that Promotes Executive Functioning
Teach students to become metacognitive learners who think about how they think and learn
Make using strategies count by grading students on their use of strategies as well as their answers
Have students use strategy reflection sheets as part of their homework and during tests and take time to process how they completed tasks

67. Creating a Classroom Culture that Promotes Executive Functioning – Cont.
Provide opportunities within class time for students to engage in strategy sharing; this helps students to think about how they learn
Use peer tutoring to help students understand what approach is effective for the task
Peer mentoring programs can promote self understanding, effort, persistence and resilience

68. Sample Behaviors Executive Skill Sample Behavior Response Inhibition
Raise hand during class discussion
Working Memory
Turning in homework/classwork on time
Emotional Control
Request help or “take a break” when task is frustrating or difficult
Sustained Attention
Complete assignments with a set timeframe
Task Initiation
Start assignments within 5 minutes of start time
Planning/Prioritization
Complete project/long term assignment
Organization
Maintain an neat workspace
Time Management
Able to determine how much time homework will take to complete
Goal Directed Persistence
Complete college applications
Flexibility
Use coping strategies to deal with obstacles
Metacognition
Use a proofreading checklist

69. Plan the Three Prong Approach – Incentive Systems
Determine the incentive for the individual student (must be reinforcing to the student)
Determine the level of the incentive:
Verbal reinforcements
Physical tokens, points
Group incentives
Determine criteria for measuring progress

70. Planning Interventions

71. Plan for a student and grade level standard.
Set Goal and Target.
Set up the Progress Monitoring Chart.

72. Executive Skills Self Management Checklist

73. STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE SOLVING OF WORD PROBLEMS
Search the Word Problem (STAR)
—  Search the word problem for operation terms.
—  Translate the words into a simply picture and then pick a strategy to solve the problem
—  Answer the problem by executing the strategy
—  Review the solution
¢  Translate the Words into a Simple Picture and Then Pick a Strategy
¢  Answer the Problem by Executing the Strategy
¢  Review the solution

74. SYSTEMATIC EDITING STRATEGIES
COPS
—  Capitalization – Have I capitalized the first words of sentences and proper nouns.
—  Overall appears – How neat and organized is my writing
—  Punctuation – Do I have periods at the end of all sentences, and have I inserted commons, semi- colons, and apostrophes where necessary?
—  Spelling – Do all my words look like they are spelled correctly? Use spell checker or dictionary to check on the ones I am not sure I have spelled correctly.

75. ERROR ANALYSIS
Teach children with executive deficits to become aware of the types of errors that they as individuals are prone to make, and to systematically check their work for these specific errors.

76. Instructional Tools for Supporting Executive Functioning in the Classroom
1. Maintaining Self-Control
2. Tools for Studying
3. Long Term Project Planning Sheet

77. Applying Your Knowledge of Executive Functions to Your Students
Select one of your students
Review their IEP (present levels of performance, current goals)
Based on the grade level standards, current goals and present levels of performance identify at least one executive functioning skill that this student would need to improve in order to be successful in achieving their standards aligned goal (remember some students and goals may require more than one executive function skill)
Create an “access goal” and objectives for the executive function skill(s)
Complete the Executive Function Instructional Planning Sheet for this student focusing on the selected executive function skill
Be prepared to share your plan