By Dr. Derek Ihori and Dr. Alexia Melara

The college- and career-ready core standards that states have adopted require strong executive functioning skills — skills in which students with disabilities often exhibit deficits. This research-based guide provides explanations and best practices so you can help students succeed in a standards-based curriculum.

First, you learn about the executive functions of inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility/shifting, and how to identify deficits in the school environment. Then, you discover how these functions relate to success with core standards, and learn interventions to foster students’ skills in:

• Managing time and projects
• Differentiating essential from extraneous information
• Focusing attention and avoiding off-task behaviors
• Planning and organizing thoughts and materials, and identifying multiple ways to address tasks
• Plus more!

Also includes an Executive Functioning Observable Skill Checklist, Chain of Events exercise, and more ready-to-use tools!