A Note from the Director:
Many students look forward to back to school time as a fresh start, an opportunity to get organized and stay on top of things throughout the year. For some students that is a daunting challenge that can become overwhelming, sparking an emotional rollercoaster of a response. Students who experience challenges with organization and self regulation of emotions may need support with their executive functioning skills.
This issue of ISRC Review provides information on ways educators and family members can intervene to build executive functioning skills in students. Adults can establish predictable routines and make modifications in the environment to prevent meltdowns, provide organizational tools, teach expected behaviors, and provide incentives for demonstration of appropriate behaviors. One parent shares her personal experiences on Page 2, and a list of resources from ISRC is provided.
Also in this issue, ISRC shares data on student behavioral and emotional functioning at school and home. Students receiving individualized support from ISRC demonstrated a reduction in suspensions and office discipline referrals, with an increase in socially appropriate behaviors with peers and in unsupervised settings. Families of these students reported a reduction in several areas of stress, including home school relationships. The ISRC team is looking forward this school year to serving these students and their families, along with supporting the behavioral needs of all deaf and hard of hearing students in Illinois.
Cheri Sinnott, LCSW
ISRC Director
Illinois Service Resource Center Serv ing Deaf/ Hard of Hear ing S tudent Behav iora l Needs
A T e c h n i c a l A s s i s t a n c e C e n t e r o f t h e I l l i n o i s S t a t e B o a r d o f E d u c a t i o n 8 4 7 - 5 5 9 - 8 1 9 5 V o i c e 8 4 7 - 5 5 9 - 9 4 9 3 T TY 8 0 0 - 5 5 0 - 4 7 7 2 H e l p l i n e ( 2 4 H o u r )
Em a i l : i s r c@ i s r c . u s I n t e r n e t s i t e : www . i s r c . u s
Fall 2011 Edition
Review
Executive Functioning Skills Impact Academic And Behavioral Outcomes
Imagine life without a planner, a plan, a calendar, or a list. These tools provide structure and organization for our lives. The executive functions of our brain serve as the planner or administrative assistant to the rest of our brain. A brain that does not have fully developed executive functioning skills is like a hiker in the woods without a compass. When executive functioning skills are low, chaos is high.
Challenges with executive functioning skills fall into two major categories. First are the functions that involve thinking, planning, and organization. The second category includes emotional regulation skills such as impulse control, frustration tolerance, and temper.
Parents and educators can develop interventions that address three components of the behaviors related to executive functioning challenges. Antecedents are factors that take place before the behavior occurs, particularly environmental conditions. Changes to the environment can help establish a more predictable routine and minimize distractions. The second component is the behavior itself. Direct teaching of expected behaviors, breaking down large tasks into smaller chunks, and identifying routines for managing frustrating situations are some strategies to facilitate behavioral change. Consequences are factors that take place after the behavior occurs. Incentives for positive behavior are often effective. Consequences should be stated positively. For example, “You may watch TV as soon as you make your bed.” is preferable to “You can’t watch TV until you make your bed.”
Executive functioning skills are generated in the frontal lobes, which are the last part of the brain to mature. Therefore, executive functioning is not fully developed in most individuals until they are in their 30’s.
In This Issue Page 2. Parent Shares Personal Experience With E.F. Page 3. Student Behavior Improves With ISRC Support Page 4. ASL Literacy Kits on ISRC Website
Patty Torres is the parent of a middle school aged son who is hard of hearing and has academic challenges, including Executive Functioning Weakness. She recently shared some of her experiences with ISRC. The full text of her response can be found on the Parent Page of the ISRC website at www.isrc.us
What are some ways that your child has demonstrated challenges with EF? As the demands of upper elementary starting posing problems, I wondered why he was able to pass a test with flying
colors but as we would study together he would indicate a failing grade was shortcoming. He made mathematical
errors even though verbally he could explain multi-step processes. When projects such a dioramas were assigned he
didn’t know where to begin. He knew that he had to produce a diorama for the Indian lesson but didn’t understand that
such a simple project still required some degree of planning and organization. He had to think about what he wanted it
to look like, materials needed, how many days it would take to complete it and lastly check that requirements were met.
Have you implemented any strategies that have been successful? In an attempt to help my son, I started creating a weekly schedule of his homework assignments. We basically
transferred them from his planner but only now he wasn’t just seeing a note for Monday that said “Science Test on
Friday”. He was visualizing a whole week and what Friday really meant for him from a time perspective since he had
CCD classes on Tuesday evening and another project due on Thursday that would take away free time for studying.
Had we just talked about it, this would have gone way over his head. But now that he could see a picture he could
better manage his time to be more productive with it. Prioritizing his task items and checking them off as they were
completed soon became a non-issue. With organization issues, the Trapper Keeper became the Holy Grail for keeping
all of his different paper needs for each class. We worked with the teachers and eliminated the 5-6 different binders for
each class and had an extra set of books at home. For note-taking, he is given pre-written notes from his teachers and
just follows along in class by highlighting the information.
He is now very organized and independent and forgetfulness is a non-issue. The different strategies did take a lot of
work at first but it didn’t take the latest innovation to get them all implemented. It was the mere understanding that the
development of his brain’s Executive Functions were simply not where they were supposed to be for his age. He will be
more productive in life because he has learned to find solutions to problems and not just give up, take the easy way out
and will continue to produce quality results.
- ISRC Review Page 2 -
Parent Shares Executive Functioning Experience
Executive Functioning Resources Available From ISRC Library
ISRC has multiple resources available on executive functioning. ISRC’s free Resource Library sends items by mail with return postage included. The full Reading List is available on the website by visiting www.isrc.us and selecting the Library tab. Some highlights from the list include:
Late, Lost, and Unprepared: A Parents’ Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning by Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel. Includes strategies to address multiple very specific incidences of executive functioning challenges, such as a child who arrives at sports practice unprepared, a child who puts off major projects, or a child who interrupts others so she won’t forget what she has to say.
Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare. Includes ready made plans to teach children specific routines such as getting ready in the morning, learning to control impulsive behavior, learning not to cry over little things, and learning to solve problems. Also includes executive skills questionnaires along with sample IEP goals and progress measurement tools.
Executive Function in the Classroom: Practical Strategies for Improving Performance and Enhancing Skills for
All Students by Christopher Kaufman. Includes multiple templates for graphic organizers, building language and math fluency, note taking, homework and backpack checklists, and building social-emotional and behavioral skills. Outlines strategies for specific academic tasks and provides strong background information on brain function.
Student Behavior Improves With ISRC Support
Systematic Information Management of Educational Outcomes (SIMEO) is a shared data collection platform utilized by the Illinois State Board of Education Statewide Technical Assistance Centers. Data on individual student behavioral and emotional functioning at home and in school is collected quarterly. In FY11, SIMEO data was collected on 80 of the students receiving support from ISRC. ISRC has been collecting SIMEO data on students for four years, and is now able to look at longitudinal data on students served from July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2011. The ISRC Longitudinal Study Sample includes 72 students. The longitudinal data indicates that students receiving behavioral support from ISRC demonstrated a decrease in Office Discipline Referrals and Out of School Suspensions along with an increase in Classroom Behavioral Performance. Additional data demonstrated a decrease in Risk of Placement Failure in both the home and school environments. Data collected on individual family stressors indicated a decrease in cumulative family stress over time. The areas with the greatest decrease in family stress include parent-school relationship, aggressive or self injurious behavior of a student, respite or child care issues, and health and safety of the student. During the 2010-2011 school year, ISRC worked with 159 students on an individual basis, providing intensive level services. This represents approximately 4% of the 4,035 students in Illinois who are deaf or hard of hearing. Research indicates that 3-5% of students will need intensive level services. ISRC intensive level services include onsite visits at home and school, coordination of home-school team meetings, wraparound support, and assistance with the development of Functional Behavioral Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans.
- ISRC Review Page 3 -
Free CPDUs - New Modules Added The Illinois Service Resource Center online E-Learning Academy offers free CPDUs to educators. The ISRC E-Learning Academy users do not need to sign-up ahead of time or wait for a course to be offered. The modules may be completed at your own pace on the ISRC website www.isrc.us under the Training tab. The collection of online modules is always expanding so check back often to find the latest offerings in free professional development.
ISRC Trivia Question
What percentage of children who are
deaf and hard of hearing have additional
disabilities?
The first person to respond correctly via phone at 847-559-8195 or via e-mail at [email protected] will win a $25 gift certificate to Walmart for educational materials.
is Reduced number of Office Discipline Referrals
Reduced number of Out of School Suspensions
Improvements in Student Classroom Behavior
ISRC Team Cheri Sinnott, LCSW Director Dr. Steve Vaupel HI Behavior Specialist Dr. Daniel Friedman Psychologist Raven Stromek HI Behavior Specialist Michalla Sedano Librarian Debi Terfruchte Parent Facilitator – CE Cathy Lyons-Guidish Parent Facilitator – S Denesha Williams Administrative Asst. Todd Williams ISBE DHH Consultant Debra Kunz ISBE Consultant - ISTAC
ISRC fiscal agent - Center on Deafness
ASL Literacy Kits On ISRC Website
The ISRC library has recently added ASL Literacy Packets based on seven popular picture books including Rainbow Fish and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Each packet includes descriptions and demonstrations of the signs in the story, and three literacy activities - including all necessary handouts or manipulatives. You can view each packet as an e-book or download it as a PDF. The ASL Literacy Packets were developed by Illinois State University graduate student Afton Gillis.
To accompany these packets, we have a copy of each of the seven books as well as a DVD of Ms. Gillis signing all of the stories. To borrow the books or the DVD from our resource library, or if you have any questions about the materials in the packets, e-mail us at [email protected] or call us at 847-559-8195.
Learn more about services and resources available from the ISRC www.isrc.us
Executive Functioning
Executive functions are the command center of our brains, helping us regulate our emotions and
organize both our thoughts and behaviors. Executive functioning challenges fall into two major
categories: skills involving thinking/cognition and skills involving doing/behavior. These skills are
separate from intellectual capabilities. An individual can be very bright, but still have weak executive
functioning skills.
Strategies For Supporting Students
Impulse Control Emotional Control Organization Transitions Provide external
structure such as
guidelines and rules
Regulate the
environment
Break down tasks into
smaller chunks
Establish a consistent,
predictable
environment
Teach clear
expectations
Discuss situations ahead
of time to provide
expectations and
predictability
Provide organizational
tools and visual
strategies such as
checklists or photo
charts
Provide visual cues
Practice expected
behaviors regularly
Provide coping
strategies by identifying
options and alternatives
Use technology – teach
student to e-mail
assignments as a
backup, use
programmable watches
or cell phone alarms as
reminders
Prompt when there will
be changes to the
routine
Provide prompts such
as visual and verbal
cues
Develop a script for
problem situations
Walk through the
planning process to
identify steps involved
in planning an activity
or task
Teach strategies for
managing changes to
routines, such as self
talk
Establish routines Read stories with
characters who have
positive behaviors such
as The Little Engine that
Could
Provide step by step
directions
Model and practice
alternate ways of
dealing with changes
Teach alternate
behaviors
Role play situations that
trigger emotional
responses
Practice planning a
meal, weekend activity,
or other event
Teach self soothing
strategies
Reinforce successful
behaviors
Reinforce successful
behaviors
Reinforce successful
behaviors
Reinforce successful
behaviors
The ABCs of Intervention for Executive Functioning
A – Antecedent (before the behavior)
• Change the environment: Distractions, structure, routine, social demands
• Change the task demands: shorten, provide specific directions, adjust the
schedule, increase desirability of task
• Change the adult interaction: rehearse, verbal prompts, written reminders,
lists
B – Behavior
• Use scaffolding and games; build skills by creating smaller goals
• Have conversations and ask questions, relate to prior experience, ask them
to describe situations, identify characteristics, associate with feelings,
review cause and effect, categorize, discuss function or use of objects
C – Consequence (after the behavior)
• Provide motivation and effective praise
• Establish goals with rewards (something to work for, look forward to)
Strategies for Executive Functioning Challenges Impulsivity
• Games that require
waiting for a turn
• Role play waiting before
responding
Working Memory
• Have the child repeat
directions
• Memory strategies such
as pneumonics
Emotional Control
• Regulate the
environment
• Role play coping
strategies
Planning and Prioritizing
• Involve child in planning
meals or activities
• Ask: “What needs to get
done first?”
Task Initiation
• Break down tasks into
smaller parts
• Provide visual cues and
reinforcements
Sustained Attention
• Gradually increase
demand for attention
• Practice with high
interest tasks
Time Management
• Discuss how long things
last/ take
• Calendars, agendas,
visual strategies, timers
Flexibility
• Discuss various
outcomes for events
• Social stories
Metacognition
• Teach specific problem
solving strategies
• Checklists to be sure
tasks are done correctly
Illinois Service Resource Center A Technical Assistance Center of the Illinois State Board of Education
Information for Pinup from:
Cooper-Kahn, J. and Dietzel, L. (2008). Late, Lost, and Unprepared. Maryland: Woodbine House Dawson, P. and Guare, G. (2009). Smart but Scattered. New York: The Guilford Press
Kaufman, C. (2010). Executive Function in the Classroom. Maryland: Brookes Publishing