Executive function Toolkit: Study Space

 

Merriam-Webster defines executive function as the group of complex mental processes and cognitive abilities (such as working memory, impulse inhibition, and reasoning) that control the skills (such as organizing tasks, remembering details, managing time, and solving problems) required for goal-directed behavior. When students try to study or do homework in spaces that are not conducive to focusing (like bed or the couch) and have multiple distractions, they are often unproductive. One way parents can significantly help their children is to establish a study space for their children.

Help your child set up a space. They need to be involved. If you lack organizational skills, perhaps you need to engage someone else to help you and your child in this. If you do it all, then your child will not learn the skill of doing this on their own. If they are going to college, they MUST be able to do this on their own.

1.      Dedicate a space. This could be a desk or a table with comfortable seating, proper lighting, and limited clutter.

2.      Include only essential items. Pens/pencils, paper, computer, calculator, white board/cork board, earplugs, chargers, reference materials, computer. A phone is NOT an essential item. Have a place for everything. If they have a separate individual desk this is easy. If they must use a shared space like the kitchen table, a box or crate or set of shelves can work.

3.      No music with words. Students will constantly tell you they can multitask. They cannot when doing thought heavy work. Studying and homework are thought heavy work and need your brain’s attention. TV, movies, and radio are designed to grab your attention. They need to NOT be on in the space when working.

4.      Set up a visual calendar. Yes, in paper that can be viewed by everyone. This can include activities like Scouts’ meetings, sports activities, and family events as well as long term project deadlines.

5.      Have a to-do list. This could be a planner, electronic agenda or index card. Find a system that works for the child.

6.      A timer should be available. Students can say I will work on this for 10-25 minutes and then take a break. The Pomodoro method is a formal way of managing time when working. The timer helps students stay accountable, identify how long it takes to do things and stay focused. (People with EF concerns are often time blind- they are not good at determining how long it takes to do things. Using a timer helps them to better plan in the future.)

7.      Set ground rules. Children cannot interrupt each other when they are in their study space. Materials in the space cannot be “borrowed” because all too often they go missing. When someone is studying others should not intrude with noise, teasing, changing lighting…

8.      At least once a week the space should be formally picked up. (When I was in college, everything had to be picked up before I started to work. Because I had to work regularly, my space never got too out of hand.) Students may need help with this part.

You can help your child to focus and study better, but they are likely to resist because these are hard skills and require giving up more preferred tasks. Persist and highlight how dedication helps them to be successful.

Sources

Seth Perler and the Sacred Study Space

Creating the Perfect Study Space for Your Teen

Healthline, Music and studying

Executive Function Toolkit: Prioritizing

 Executive Functioning (EF) is the collection of skills required to get things done and get along with others. This includes things like organizing, time management, regulating your emotions, task initiation and persistence, planning, cognitive flexibility,  prioritizing, and memory. Most people have some strands of EF that are stronger than others.

Kids with prioritizing issues often seem like they cannot get anything important done. They may wander from task to task without completing things, only do the easy things, habitually miss deadlines, delay tasks, or be frozen so that they cannot complete anything. Prioritizing impact writing and reading where a person needs to identify the most important evidence and locate main ideas. “Prioritizing is what takes place when the brain distinguishes main ideas from low-relevance details. It is also at work when students plan how to invest their time and effort. (Willis)” If you have issues with prioritizing, you might become victim of the urgency effect- do whatever is in front of you. You might experience this when you are trying to pick up a space: find something for another room, take it there, see something to do there, do that, and never get back to picking up the room.

Having a weakness does not mean you cannot get better at something. It means you need to work harder to develop skills in an area. Some ways to develop prioritizing skills include:

1.      Recognize skills someone already has: Everyone has some skills in prioritization. You might be good at prioritizing the bedtime book, TV show to watch, or music to listen to. You might be good at prioritizing which friends you want to hang out with. When eating, does the individual eat the thing they like best or worst first and why? Someone might be good at knowing that something needs to be done, but not have the emotional wherewithal to do it. Compliment kids when they show off a prioritizing skill, even it if seems really small. Baby steps will get you across the finish line.

2.      Clarify goals: What are you trying to do? Clean the house/room/backpack? Pass all your classes? Sometimes these goals are too big, especially if you have EF troubles. You need to identify the parts of the big goal and work on the parts that will lead to that goal.

3.      Showcase that planning is productive: At home you do this all the time. When you make a grocery list, you go to the store less often and, probably, spend less money. If you are going on vacation, you need to plan- who will water the plants, where will you stay, what will you do? To clean the house for company, do you start in the bathroom, kitchen or living room? Let kids help plan and carry out the plan. It gives value to the hard work of planning. Make lists and cross things off. This makes it seem like you are getting somewhere.

4.      Practice with no fear of being wrong: Some of the above things fall into this category. It doesn’t matter where you start cleaning, as long as everything gets done. If organizing your photos, it doesn’t matter if beach pictures or Christmas comes first. If you are sending a note to Grandma, do you include one picture or a link to a Facebook post?

5.      Practice identifying best: Sometimes there is a best, but this might be a personal choice. If I am prioritizing snacks, my go to will be something sweet and chocolaty whereas my husband has something salty. When buying a used car will it be the 2018 Honda Odyssey ($29,833) or the 2014 Chrysler Town &Country ($15,590)? Is the thing that is most important, the cost, quality or number of seats or cup holders?

6.      List assignments and due dates: Oftentimes kids with EF concerns end up behind in their assignments because they cannot choose which to start on. List out what is due and when it is due. For bigger projects and papers, identify the parts that need to be done to complete the task. Put these on a calendar or just a list and do them in order. Cross things off for the sense of accomplishment.

7.      Help manage the late work pile up. Look at how much each thing on the overdue list is worth and do the things worth the most: If they are really behind, do the assignments with the most bang for the buck. A quick write that takes 5 minutes or a page of math problems that are worth the same number points or percentages? Do the quick write because it is faster and probably easier. A paper that is worth 40% of the grade or a homework assignment that will be 1/20^th of 20% of the grade? Pick the paper because even though it takes longer to complete, you will likely fail without it being done and a 50 on it will have more positive impact than a 100 on the homework. An EdPuzzle that will take 10 minutes or answering questions based on the reading that will take 10 minutes, both are worth the same amount? Which is easier for the student to complete?

Walk children through these decision-making activities. Start with the simpler and smaller activities and work towards bigger goals. For someone with an EF weakness it can easily take 3 or 4 times as long as someone with these weaknesses to reach the same proficiency with prioritizing. Stick with it.

Susan Brown

Awards and Education Chair

ptasusanb@gmail.com

Resources

Willis, J.. Prioritizing: A Critical Executive Function https://www.edutopia.org/blog/prioritizing-a-critical-executive-function-judy-willis

Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities https://www.smartkidswithld.org/getting-help/executive-function-disorder/ef-skills-planning-prioritizing/

Marydee Sklar https://executivefunctioningsuccess.com/how-to-prioritize-tasks-with-an-executive-function-challenged-brain/

Colleen Beck https://www.theottoolbox.com/executive-functioning-skills-planning-prioritization/

Kris Pathway 2 Success https://www.thepathway2success.com/10-executive-functioning-skills-the-ultimate-guide/