Troy's learning news
Executive Functions
With our term focus being on flexibility I thought it would be a good chance to talk about executive functions.
What are executive functions?
"Executive function and self-regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Just as an air traffic control system at a busy airport safely manages the arrivals and departures of many aircraft on multiple runways, the brain needs this skill set to filter distractions, prioritize tasks, set and achieve goals, and control impulses." (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/executive-function/)
What we know is that there are three components of executive function: impulse control, working memory and cognitive flexibility.
Impulse control is the ability to stop and think before acting, pause and ignore distractions or wants rather than doing what is right or best needed to achieve our goals. It may be stopping ourselves from reacting when we get angry, ignoring the person who is chatting near us to complete the task given or even persisting with something even though it's really hard.
Working Memory often is confused with short-term memory. It differs in that it isn't just how much information we can hold, but also how we can use that information. Have you ever been trying to do something and suddenly forget what the next step is? This is an example of a working memory overload. It's the ability to hold information and apply it in useful situations.
Cognitive flexibility is the ability to flexibly adjust to changed demands, priorities or perspectives. It helps you to think about an idea in a way that is different to what was taught. It underpins the ability to make new connections, see implications and form analogies. (Executive Function - Empowering Local Learners Project)
What studies have shown is many aspects of our lives and how successful we are in them are related to our executive functions. We all have executive functions but how developed are they and what can we do to strengthen these?
In the next newsletter I will discuss different strategies to assist the development or application the three functions.
Feel free to have a look at this website which includes videos and more information about executive functions from a schools and parents perspective. Executive Function - Empowering Local Learners Project