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What Parents Need to Know: The Common Core

April 15, 2015 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

By Anne O’Brien
Original Source: Edutopia
Originally posted February 27, 2014

Educators know the important role that parents (and other family members and guardians) play in academic success. And when it comes to advocating for education policies that benefit all students, they know that parents are important allies. Here’s what parents need to know: the Common Core as a road to success and education.

So when it comes to one of the biggest education initiatives of our time, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Math and Literacy, it is concerning that educators are not doing more to build awareness of, and support for, the standards among parents and families. An August 2013 PDK/Gallup poll found that just 45 percent of public school parents had heard of the Common Core. And while awareness of the standards has likely risen in recent months as issues with their implementation have surfaced, the circumstances surrounding that increased awareness (for example, the drop in test scores in Common Core aligned assessments in New York last fall) could actually decrease support among parents.

To counteract the negative circumstances of implementation in many places, Common Core advocates need to work deliberately to gain the support of parents in the face of political backlash against the standards.

Raising Awareness

So what do you need to do to build parental awareness and support around the Common Core? In a recent interview, National PTA President Otha Thornton points out that:

It is important to identify the real cause of concern for the Common Core. Many parents are finding that their concerns are not actually related to the standards, but rather issues surrounding implementation (teacher training, aligning curriculum) and assessments (testing schedule, accountability, privacy).

Especially in areas that are experiencing pushback against the Common Core, this is an excellent starting point. Particularly when parents are getting much of their information from the popular press, which often lacks the nuanced analysis that is needed for its audience to sort through conflicting opinions and facts, knowing the issues in your community allows you to target messaging appropriately.

In general, Thornton says that the most important things that parents should know about the CCSS are that:

They are internationally benchmarked and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that students need to compete globally
With the transition to the Common Core comes a transition to new assessments that better measure if students are on track for college and career readiness — and while test scores may temporarily drop, educators expect the short-term decline to improve as teachers and students are better equipped to meet the new standards
More than 70 percent of teachers are enthusiastic about the implementation of the standards in their classrooms, believing they will hold students and teachers to higher expectations, improve students’ ability to think critically and use reasoning skills and provide nationwide consistency in a positive way

He also points out that it is important that parents know that the Common Core only sets expectations for what students must know to leave school prepared for college and careers — it is not an academic curriculum, and states, districts and teachers remain in control of curriculum and assessment decisions.

When it comes to student privacy, an enormous concern of parents and families, Thornton reminds us that the Common Core is not a mechanism for federal data collection — the federal government does not have access to the student-level data held in state databases, and federal law prohibits the reporting of aggregate data that could identify individual students.

Building Capacity

For implementation of the Common Core to be truly successful, parents and families must not only know about the CCSS, they must have the capacity to help students learn in accordance with the standards. The Common Core requires a number of shifts in the teaching and learning of English/language arts (for example, an increased emphasis on non-fiction reading and discussion of reading using evidence) and mathematics (for example, a focus on going deeper into fewer topics and applying learning to real-world situations). So to best support their child’s learning, parents need to be aware of what is being asked of their students and learn strategies to work with them at home.

There are a number of resources available to help increase general awareness and build capacity to support learning under the Common Core among parents, including:

Parents’ Guide to Student Success detailed grade-by-grade information from the National PTA to help parents understand the importance of academic standards; what students should be able to know and do at the end of each grade K-8 (plus separate overviews for high school math and high school English based on the CCSS; and how they can support their child’s learning at home
Common Core State Standards Assessment and Accountability Guides, another National PTA resource, developed for every state that has adopted the Common Core State Standards and including state-specific information about their assessment consortium, the testing timeline, sample test questions, impacts on students, new accountability systems and ways for parents to get involved and support their child’s learning at home
Spotlight on the Common Core State Standards: What Do Parents Need to Know?, part of Northwest Education’s series of documents to keep stakeholders informed about the Common Core, featuring basic information about the standards as well as samples of how students might learn under them
Sample Parent Letters on selected mathematics topics for grades K-8, prepared by the AFT, to help parents better understand some of the new language in the CCSS and identify strategies they may see their children use on their journey to achieving under the Common Core

Additional articles and resources can be found in the National School Public Relations Association’s Common Core Communications Network, which includes a section on How Parents Can Help Their Kids (some resources are available only to NSPRA members, but many are available to the general public).

Again, the success of the Common Core depends in large part on parent and family understanding and support of it. Educators must address their concerns and provide the opportunity to help them help their children succeed, which is, after all, the ultimate goal of the standards.

Teaching Confidence to Kids

April 14, 2015 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

Where does confidence come from?

Some people would say it’s a quality some people have inherently, while others think it can be learned. Despite controversy of its origin, most agree that confidence is a positive quality that helps young people and adults attack daily tasks with less anxiety, inspire others, and feel more comfortable in one’s own skin.

There’s no solid answer to where confidence comes from (the same lack of a definitive answer applies to most questions involving human beings), but I can share some observations about false confidence and true confidence.

Most of my students have been told their entire lives how smart they are and how they can accomplish anything because of their pure potential. A great aspect of this type of confidence is that young people attack tests and homework assignments without being intimidated because they are comfortable in their abilities. They’re smart people, their parents and teachers told them so.

However, when these students reach middle school and high school their confidence can falter. This is when classes get more difficult.

This is when young people need to cultivate a new form of confidence through experience and hard work.

It’s the old question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
A chicken had to lay the egg, right? But, the first chicken hatched from an egg too.
Which came first?

In America we believe that confidence comes first and performance logically follows. If a student believes they can succeed, they will. And, they do…for a while.

In other countries, students are treated differently. They are informed in their early years of school how difficult their lives will be if they don’t get into the best schools. The proof is in the performance, and you can’t be perceived as a great student unless you can get good grades and test scores.

For us, confidence comes first, for them confidence comes after years of hard work.
Both systems have consequences.

I’ve seen so many kids attack the SAT again and again who are astounded to see that they keep earning the same scores. They’ve been told they are smart their entire lives and lower scores confront their beliefs and erode their confidence. Many of my students (and myself at that age) thought that if they went at it with the most enthusiasm and positive thoughts, the test scores would soar. They didn’t.

The other side of this spectrum is a collection of sad stories of children and young adults in other countries that fail to get into the best schools and punish themselves because they believe they are not a person of value.

I don’t think either model is ideal and for my students and your children.

There is a third alternative to build the most confidence and achieve the most success possible.

Early on kids need to be encouraged. They should be told that they are intelligent and capable so they can experience their schooling with enthusiasm and joy. Learning is fun for them because they are smart and good at it—they’ve been told this repeatedly and…it must be true.

Later in life, confidence needs to evolve from something that comes from the outside to something that’s born from deep within. Instead of being told by others they will succeed, students need to know that they will succeed because of their hard work.

With my younger students, I heap on as much praise as they can stand and keep pointing out all of the things they do correctly. Enthusiasm for learning is key at all levels of school and it needs to be a part of their lives early on.

Later, especially with High School students, I talk about earning confidence

When I do test prep for the SAT/ACT, I recommend students take practice tests and that they do sections for homework. After a few months of study, I point out how they can feel confident and prepared because of how much they’ve studied the test and how well they have done every time.

While it’s still a good idea to praise your kids on their abilities, it is especially important to cultivate in later years examples of how they can feel confident in themselves due to the amount they studied and their amount of practice.

Boys in particular like sports analogies—for example:

Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team and forced to play on the junior varsity team at Laney High for his freshman year. Instead of being angry, he decided to improve himself. In addition to regular practice, he threw 100 free-throws and 100 3-point shots every day. He put in the time and got the results. He earned his confidence (and developed skills) and became the best basketball player in the world.

I find it kind of funny that most kids have no problem accepting that in order to be the best at a sport one needs extra practice; however, they have a very hard time accepting the idea that they need to study.

Any student can get any score on any test if they put in the practice over time. I’ve tutored some “Michael Jordans” of the SAT world and they feel confident because they know they demanded more of themselves than anyone else would expect.

They feel good and they are confident because they did the work and they believed. They earned it, and they got the rewards.

Encourage your kids to feel good about themselves early on, but later push them to earn their confidence through hard work. Theirs will be a solid sense of self-worth built up inside over the years.

Practice makes it all happen. Go out there and earn that confidence.

Written by: Editorial Team, My Learning Springboard, Inc.

Special Education

April 1, 2015 Leave a Comment

My Learning Springboard is a professional community of experienced educators and learning specialists under the leadership of a multidisciplinary team. From individualizing classroom learning, to navigating bureaucratic red tape, to finding and pursuing a child’s interests, our goal is to make sure that our students and their families receive the resources that they need. Ongoing communication among all stakeholders — students, families, schools, and related service professionals — is crucial for a child’s academic, social and emotional success. Therefore, we provide special education services, consultation, and guidance at every step.

Our faculty and professional network includes Board Certified Educational Planners, special education teachers, educational therapists, reading and math specialists, behavior specialists, family advocates, legal counsel, psychologists, developmental pediatricians, language and speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and holistic health professionals among others.

We offer both short-term special education consultation and ongoing comprehensive support depending on a family’s needs. We help families to navigate, select, develop or pursue appropriate special education services in any of the following areas and beyond:

Early intervention
IEP or 504 processes
Documentation review and strategic planning
Private evaluations and expert witnesses
Autism support
Behavior intervention
Parent coaching
Homeschool programs
Private Special Education Itinerant Teachers (SEITs)
Shadow teachers and paraeducators

Our leadership team manages cases collaboratively benefitting from our complementary expertise. We often include reading and math specialists to assist with comprehensive diagnostic assessments and then work together to define recommendations and ongoing programs. Selected learning specialists or special education teachers from our faculty may become involved in direct instruction or consultation with families. Ongoing assessment and benchmarking is always built into our approach.The needs of every child and every family are different, and our goal at My Learning Springboard is to promote collaboration and facilitate success for every student.

Read more about private evaluations and related services or the most common assessments typically selected for educational testing or neuropsychological evaluations.

Please contact our office for more information.

Most Common Formal Assessments for Educational Evaluations

March 16, 2015 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

Psychologists and educational professionals use many different different assessment tools to conduct educational evaluations. Our Leadership Team helps families to review educational testing and neuropsychological evaluations in order to determine next steps and interventions in collaboration with related service professionals. In our review of student documentation, we’ve found that the following assessments are some of the most commonly selected by educational professionals and psychologists.

Autism Spectrum Rating Scale (ASRS)

The ASRS was designed to effectively identify symptoms, behaviors, and associated features of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) in children and adolescents aged 2 to 18. The ASRS provides the first nationally standardized, norm-referenced ASD Rating Scale. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration

The Beery-Buktenica visual-motor integration test is a neuropsychological test that analyzes visual construction skills. It identifies problems with visual perception, motor coordination, and visual-motor integration such as hand-eye coordination. The Beery-Buktenica Test, also known as Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration or VMI, is designed to identify deficits in visual perception, fine motor skills , and hand-eye coordination. It may be used to diagnose cognitive development disorders in young children through an analysis of visual construction skills. It can be administered to individuals from age two through young adulthood and can also be used to test adults of all ages, particularly those who have been disabled by stroke , injury, or Alzheimer’s disease. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC)

A comprehensive set of rating scales and forms including the Teacher Rating Scales (TRS), Parent Rating Scales (PRS), Self-Report of Personality (SRP), Student Observation System (SOS), and Structured Developmental History (SDH). Together, they help you understand the behaviors and emotions of children and adolescents. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF)

Determines language strengths and weaknesses. Provides Receptive Language and Expressive Language scores, and additional composite scores-Language Structure, Language Content, Language Content and Memory, and Working Memory. For ages 5-21. The CELF–5 offers a more robust assessment of pragmatics using observations and interactive activities. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Connors’ Rating Scale

The Conners’ Rating Scales–Revised (CRS–R™), the Conners 3 has a greater focus on ADHD and associated features. The Conners 3 now also addresses comorbid disorders such as oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. Each parent, teacher and self-report form is available in a full-length and a short version. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Delis-Kaplan Executive Function Scale

The Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) is a neuropsychological test is used to measure a variety of verbal and nonverbal executive functions for both children and adults (ages 8 – 89 years). This assessment was developed over the span of a decade by Dean Delis, Edith Kaplan, and Joel Kramer, and it was published in 2001. The D-KEFS comprises nine tests that were designed to stand alone. Therefore, there are no aggregate measures or composite scores for an examinee’s performance. A vast majority of these tests are modified, pre-existing measures (e.g., the Trail Making Test), however, some of these measures are new indices of executive functions (e.g., Word Context Test). The D-KEFS can be distinguished from most other executive-function tests by its embrace of the “cognitive process approach” in which multiple measures are generated to isolate the mechanism of a patient’s poor score on a particular task. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT)

The Gray Oral Reading Tests – 5 is a comprehensive measure of oral reading skills. Specifically, the test is designed to (a) to help identify those students who are significantly behind their peers in oral reading and determine the degree of the problem, (b) to discover oral reading strengths and weaknesses within individual student, (c) to monitor students’ progress in special intervention programs and (d) to be used in research studying reading in school-aged students. The examiner can analyze to pinpoint strengths and use the miscue analysis procedure to select intervention strategies using the GORT-5. The GORT-5 is considered a reliable and valid tool for this purpose. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

*Designed for learners 6.0 years to 23 years, 11 months.

Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC) is a clinical instrument (psychological diagnostic test) for assessing cognitive development. Its construction incorporates several recent developments in both psychological theory and statistical methodology. The test was developed by Alan S. Kaufman and Nadeen L. Kaufman in 1983 and revised in 2004. The test has been translated and adopted for many countries. The KABC also gives special attention to certain emerging testing needs, such as use with handicapped groups, application to problems of learning disabilities, and appropriateness for cultural and linguistic minorities. The authors rightly caution, however, that success in meeting these special needs must be judged through practical use over time. They also point out that the KABC should not be regarded as “the complete test battery”; like any other test, it should be supplemented and corroborated by other instruments to meet individual needs, such as theStanford-Binet, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, McCarthy scales, or neuropsychological tests. the Japanese version of the K-ABC by the Japanese psychologist including Tatsuya Matsubara, Kazuhiro Fujita, Hisao Maekawa, and Toshinori Ishikuma. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement

The KTEA provides an individually administered measure of educational achievement for those aged 4 years 6 months – 25 years (comprehensive form) and 4 years 6 months – 90+ (brief form). The test can be used to identify an individual’s strengths and weaknesses in three key domains: maths, written language and spoken language. It can also be used as part of a comprehensive psychological, psychoeducational or neuropsychological test battery which can enhance understanding of the individuals total functioning. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

The Comprehensive Form consists of 14 subtests grouped into 4 domain composites, 4 reading-related composites, an overall Comprehensive Achievement Composite in addition to separate subtest scores.

The Brief Form is a curriculum-based instrument which provides norm-referenced assessment in the same three core achievement domains as the comprehensive form. There is no content overlap with the Comprehensive Form, it can be used for retesting and includes the following subtests:

Reading—word recognition and reading comprehension
Maths—computation and application problems
Written Expression—written language and spelling
The Brief Form provides a battery composite as well as subtest scores in reading, maths and spelling

Nelson-Denny Reading Test

The Nelson–Denny Reading Test was created in 1929 by M.S. Nelson and E.C. Denny, both of whom were on the faculty of Iowa State Teacher’s College. The purpose of the test is to measure reading ability among high school and college students. It is not appropriate for the clinical evaluation of reading disorders, however it may be used to identify students in need of remedial reading instruction. The Nelson–Denny includes two subtests (Vocabulary and Comprehension) both with multiple choice questions, and yields four scores. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Rey Complex Figure Test and Recognition Trial (RCFT)

Meaures visospatial ability and visuospatial memory in ages 6-89 years. RCFT captures five domains of neuropsychological functioning: visuospatial recall memory, visuospatial recognition memory, response bias, processing speed, and visuospatial constructional ability. The Recognition trial measures recognition memory for the elements of the Rey complex figure and assesses the respondent’s ability to use cues to retrieve information. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROFT)

The Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCF) is a neuropsychological assessment in which examinees are asked to reproduce a complicated line drawing, first by copying it freehand (recognition), and then drawing from memory (recall). Many different cognitive abilities are needed for a correct performance, and the test therefore permits the evaluation of different functions, such as visuospatial abilities, memory, attention, planning, and working memory (executive functions). First proposed by Swiss psychologist André Rey in 1941 and further standardized by Paul-Alexandre Osterrieth in 1944, it is frequently used to further explain any secondary effect of brain injury in neurological patients, to test for the presence of dementia, or to study the degree of cognitive development in children. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA)

The SATA measures the scholastic competence of persons from the ages of 16 through 70. The SATA’s aptitude and achievement components can provide an aptitude-achievement discrepancy analysis needed for LD placement. The SATA was normed on 1,005 persons residing in 17 states, and the sample is representative of the nation as a whole with regard to gender, race, ethnicity, urban/rural residence, and geographic region. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence (TONI)

The TONI-4, featuring new norms to help ensure proper representation of demographic changes in the U.S. population, offers you an assessment of intelligence, aptitude, abstract reasoning, and problem solving. This language-free test is ideal for evaluating those with questionable or limited language ability.
The administration and response format are pragmatic with simple oral instructions, requiring test-takers to answer with simple but meaningful gestures such as pointing, nodding, or blinking. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Wide Range Achievement Test

The Wide Range Achievement Test 4 (WRAT4) is an achievement test which measures an individual’s ability to read words, comprehend sentences, spell, and compute solutions to math problems. The test currently is in its fourth revision.[1] The test was developed in 1941 by psychologists Sidney W. Bijou and Joseph Jastak. The test is appropriate for individuals ages 5–94 years. The WRAT4 provides two equivalent forms (Blue and Green), which enables retesting within short periods of time without potential practice effects that occur from repeating the same items. The alternate forms also may be administered together in a single examination. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Language (WRAMAL)

The Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning, Second Edition (WRAML2) is a standardized test that measures an individual’s memory functioning. It evaluates both immediate and delayed memory ability along with the acquisition of new learning.[1] The WRAML2 is normed for individuals ages 5–90 years. The WRAML2 is composed of two verbal, two visual, and two attention-concentration subtests, yielding a Verbal Memory Index, a Visual Memory Index, and an Attention-Concentration Index. Together, these subtests yield the General Memory Index.[1] The Working Memory Index consists of the Symbolic Working Memory and Verbal Working Memory subtests. In addition, there are four recognition subtests. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) is a test designed to measure intelligence in adults and older adolescents.[1] It is currently in its fourth edition (WAIS-IV). The original WAIS (Form I) was published in February 1955 by David Wechsler, as a revision of the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale that had been released in 1939.[2] The fourth edition of the test (WAIS-IV) was released in 2008 by Pearson. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), developed by David Wechsler, is an individually administered intelligence test for children between the ages of 6 and 16 inclusive that can be completed without reading or writing. The Fifth Edition (WISC-V) is the most current version. The WISC-V takes 48–65 minutes to administer and generates a Full Scale IQ (formerly known as an intelligence quotient or IQ score) which represents a child’s general intellectual ability. It also provides five primary index scores (i.e., Verbal Comprehension Index, Visual Spatial Index, Fluid Reasoning Index, Working Memory Index, and Processing Speed Index) that represent a child’s abilities in more discrete cognitive domains. Five ancillary composite scores can be derived from various combinations of primary or primary and secondary subtests. Five complementary subtests yield three complementary composite scores to measure related cognitive abilities relevant to assessment and identification of learning problems. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Woodcock Johnson Cognitive Abilities

The Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities include both the Standard Battery and the Extended Battery. The Standard Battery consists of tests 1 through 10 while the Extended Battery includes tests 11 through 20. There is also a Woodcock-Johnson III Diagnostic Supplement to the Tests of Cognitive Abilities with an additional 11 cognitive tests.[4] All of which combined allows for a considerably detailed analysis of cognitive abilities. The Cattell–Horn–Carroll theory factors that this test examines are based on 9 broad stratum abilities which are: Comprehension-Knowledge, Long-Term Retrieval, Visual-Spatial Thinking, Auditory Processing, Fluid Reasoning, Processing Speed, Short-Term Memory, Quantitative Knowledge and Reading-Writing.[4] A General Intellectual Ability (GIA) or Brief Intellectual Ability (BIA) may be obtained. The BIA score is derived from three cognitive tests which include Verbal Comprehension, Concept Formation, and Visual Matching. These three cognitive tests measure three abilities; Comprehension-Knowledge (Gc), Fluid Reasoning (Gf), and Processing Speed (Gs), which best represents an individual’s verbal ability, thinking ability, and efficiency in performing cognitive tasks. The BIA takes about 10 to 15 minutes to administer and is especially useful for screenings, re-evaluations that don’t require a comprehensive intellectual assessment, or research that needs a short but reliable measure of intelligence.[5] On the other hand, the GIA obtained from the WJ III Tests of Cognitive Abilities provide a more comprehensive assessment of general ability (g) and the score is based on a weighted combination of tests that best represents a common ability underlying all intellectual performance. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement

The WJ III NU Tests of Achievement has two parallel forms (A and B) that are divided into two batteries—Standard and Extended. The Standard Battery includes tests 1 through 12 that provide a broad set of scores. The 10 tests in the Extended Battery provide more in-depth diagnostic information on specific academic strengths and weaknesses. Examiners can administer the Standard Battery either alone or with the Extended Battery. The WJ III NU Tests of Achievement has two parallel forms (A and B) that are divided into two batteries—Standard and Extended. The Standard Battery includes tests 1 through 12 that provide a broad set of scores. The 10 tests in the Extended Battery provide more in-depth diagnostic information on specific academic strengths and weaknesses. Examiners can administer the Standard Battery either alone or with the Extended Battery.

Practitioners use the WJ III NU Tests of Achievement to help assess students for learning disabilities and to determine if they need special services. IDEA 2004 requires the use of a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant, functional, developmental, and academic information about the student. The WJ III NU Tests of Achievement include tests and clusters that directly parallel those outlined by IDEA and provide sound procedures for determining learning variances between abilities and achievement. This assessment tool may be used as part of the process for conducting educational evaluations.

By Laurie Gross, Educational Consultant and Reading Specialist.

Executive Function Coaching

March 15, 2015

The CEO of the Brain

A complex variety of mental skills that we use on a daily basis to achieve our goals, executive function can be considered the “CEO of the brain.” Executive function as a whole allows each of us to set goals; plan how to complete a project; prioritize tasks; organize time, materials and information; shift approaches flexibly; and hold and manipulate information in working memory and control their behaviors for task completion. Therefore, there is a strong correlation between effective executive function and success in school.

Executive function continues to develop in the prefrontal cortex of the brain until at least the age of 25, which is why we often work with college students, too. While all children and teenagers are developing their executive functions, some children and teenagers have notable and specific weaknesses that may be clinically significant. Regardless of how bright these students are, they struggle to do schoolwork and successfully manage tasks. That’s where a skilled and master teacher or learning specialist can assist with targeted, explicit instruction, or coaching. More significant executive function challenges often go hand-in-hand with ADHD, but all students needs to be working on these skills as part of continuous improvement and effectiveness.

What Are Executive Functions?

Executive functions are a complex and integrated set of skills that allow each of us to achieve our goals and perform any task effectively. Developing executive function skills is not an event but rather a life-long endeavor. As we age up, we take on more and more responsibilities, which requires a regular refinement of these integrates skills in developmentally and age appropriate ways. Our everyday tasks — school, work, and extracurriculars — provide an authentic vehicle for practicing, developing, and enhancing this skill set, which includes:

Planning
Organizing
Initiating and completing tasks
Managing time and possessions
Prioritizing (and re-prioritizing in real time)
Multi-tasking
Transitioning between tasks and locations
Thinking flexibly to solve real life problems
Controlling impulses and emotions
Engaging in tasks requiring short-term, long-term, and working memory

Executive function may be better understood as a 6-step process:

Analyze a task. Figure out what needs to be done.
Plan how to handle the task.
Get organized. Break down the plan into a series of steps.
Figure out how much time is needed to carry out the plan, and set aside the time.
Make adjustments as needed.
Finish the task in the time allotted.

How Do We Approach Executive Function Coaching?

To practice the skills under the umbrella of executive function, we often work with our students using schoolwork or real-life tasks. These authentic tasks are typically more engaging for students and lead to a deeper understanding of the strategic process. We don’t believe in scripted curricula or a one-size-fits-all approach.

Customized for each learner, we often use assistive technologies, various timers and clocks, modified planners, and a variety of organizers, tools, and strategies to help students better manage their work. At My Learning Springboard, our practices are shaped by Brad and Faya’s years of teaching and special education experience in fully inclusive classroom settings, as well as by the work of Sarah Ward, the renowned Language and Speech Therapist who specializes in working with children with executive function challenges.

When we talk with parents, psychologists, learning specialists, and school faculty, we often discuss the following signs of executive dysfunction as they apply to a specific student. These discussions lead to creative brainstorming in order to customize an approach that will be manageable in each situation. Some hallmarks of executive function challenges include organizational issues, time management difficulties, and struggling to perform in school, which are further detailed in the sections below.

Organizational Issues

These challenges include but are not limited to:

Losing or forgetting important items on a regular basis
Being unable to visualize and maintain a clean room, desk, or locker
Interrupting tasks to gather necessary items

Time Management Difficulties

These challenges include but are not limited to:

Struggling to be on time due to disorganization or poor planning
Difficulty moving from one task to the next in a timely manner
Finding it difficult to figure out how to get started on and complete a task in an allotted time frame
Struggling to interpret multi-step directions
Focusing on small details or the overall picture, but not on both at the same time
Having trouble figuring out how much time a task realistically requires
Doing things either quickly, messily, and often incorrectly, or slowly and incompletely

Struggling To Perform In School

These challenges include but are not limited to:

Difficulty memorizing facts, digesting important information, organizing thoughts in writing, solving multi-step problems, and completing and turning in homework in a timely fashion
Finding it difficult to incorporate feedback into work or an activity
Difficulty transitioning to a new plan, even when it’s clear that the current plan isn’t working
Having trouble paying attention and being easily distracted
Losing a train of thought when interrupted
Needing to be told the directions numerous times
Having trouble making decisions
Lacking the words to explain something in detail
Needing help processing what something feels/sounds/looks like
Having trouble with higher order thinking

Scheduling a Planning Meeting

If you think that your child or college student is experiencing difficulty with any of the executive function skills listed above, please do not hesitate to reach out to discuss your child’s situation and needs in more detail. Difficulty with executive function can hold many students back from the success they could otherwise achieve in school and beyond. No matter at what point the situation is addressed, there are myriad ways in which to help children, or adults for that matter, become more effective at everything they do. Our team of highly skillful teachers is ready to help!

An initial planning meeting is usually the best way to get started. These meetings can be 30, 45, or 60 minutes by Zoom, by phone, or in person per a family’s preference. A single planning meeting allows us to talk more substantively about your family’s specific needs, priorities, and goals so that we can determine possible next steps. We’re committed to developing unique solutions for unique learners!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Warm regards,
Brad Hoffman and Faya Hoffman,
Co-Founders and Learning Concierges, My Learning Springboard

What Parents Need to Know: The Common Core

Raising Awareness

Building Capacity

Teaching Confidence to Kids

Where does confidence come from?

Special Education

Most Common Formal Assessments for Educational Evaluations

Autism Spectrum Rating Scale (ASRS)

Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration

Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC)

Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF)

Connors’ Rating Scale

Delis-Kaplan Executive Function Scale

Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT)

Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children

Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement

Nelson-Denny Reading Test

Rey Complex Figure Test and Recognition Trial (RCFT)

Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROFT)

Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA)

Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence (TONI)

Wide Range Achievement Test

Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Language (WRAMAL)

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)

Woodcock Johnson Cognitive Abilities

Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement

Executive Function Coaching

The CEO of the Brain

What Are Executive Functions?

How Do We Approach Executive Function Coaching?

Organizational Issues

Time Management Difficulties

Struggling To Perform In School

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