Since November we have been discussing the processes of Executive Functions and how difficulties in these areas impacts children and the adults who care for them. In the past few weeks we have spoken about how help children manage their difficulties in the area of Executive Functions. We spoke about giving children choices, some control, helping them process directions, limit over scheduling, singing and praising organized behavior. The next tip seems so basic, but it still needs to be said:
Develop routines
Parents can make charts for repetitive procedures or routines. A chart lays out the standard steps to complete a repetitive task and can be useful for a variety of home and school demands.
Charts are helpful for children who have difficulty with working memory and have trouble planning and organizing. Templates are particularly helpful for those who have trouble with planning and organizing, in addition to working memory weakness.
Cooper-Kahn & Dietzel, the authors of “Late, Lost and Unprepared” suggest teaching the use of concrete external storage systems to take the burden off of the internal working memory. For example:
For young children, make a to-do list or schedule using pictures. This can also help kids who have trouble keeping track of steps in their morning and evening routines. These can even be laminated so the child can use a dry erase marker to check off each step as it is completed. This visual component illustrates competence to the child and ultimately builds confidence and motivates future success.
It is also important to empathize with children because it is so difficult for them to follow routine and shift activities. According to Cooper-Kahn & Dietzel (2008) it would be helpful to say things like:
• “It is hard to keep track of doing so many things at once. Would it help if I make a list so you can check off each step?”
• “Sometimes it is hard to manage complicated directions. Let’s read these aloud and then take it one step at a time.”
Want to learn more?
Get 20% off COGMED
Visit A+ Solutions…