We’ve assembled these helpful tips on explicit instruction in executive functioning skills to help educators support their students with dyslexia. Explicit instruction in these skills can empower students with dyslexia to better manage their learning processes, improve academic performance, and build confidence in their abilities.
Don’t miss part one in this three-part article series. To learn about how professional learning can help educators support executive functioning skills in students with dyslexia, read part three.
How Can Teachers Help Students with Dyslexia Build Executive Functioning Skills?
The tips and strategies we’ve shared below employ these approaches, which are all helpful techniques for strengthening executive functioning skills in your students with dyslexia.
- Use multisensory instructional methods. Engage multiple senses simultaneously to reinforce learning and improve executive functioning.
- Combine visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities. This combination aids in better information retention and task management for students with dyslexia.
- Provide auditory cues. Use verbal prompts, reminders, or audio recordings to reinforce instructions and facilitate task completion.
- Encourage self-monitoring. Teach students to check their work, set goals, and reflect on their progress to develop metacognitive skills.
- Promote mindfulness practices. Incorporate activities such as deep breathing, relaxation techniques, or mindfulness exercises to enhance attention and focus.
- Monitor progress and provide feedback. Regularly assess students' executive functioning skills, provide feedback, and adjust instruction accordingly to support growth.
By incorporating these strategies, you can create an inclusive and supportive learning environment that empowers students with dyslexia to develop and strengthen their executive functioning skills and succeed in school and in their future careers and lives.
Explicit Instruction in Executive Functions
Essential for helping students with dyslexia develop these crucial skills, explicit instruction can be invaluable. When students are given powerful tools for working memory, like rehearsal or chunking to help students remember information better, they’re better able to overcome the challenges they face. For example, cognitive flexibility exercises and inhibitory control strategies can be taught directly, empowering students with dyslexia to better manage their learning processes, improve academic performance, and build confidence in their abilities.
- Working Memory Strategies: Teachers can guide students to repeatedly verbalize or write down information to enhance retention. For instance, spelling out a difficult word multiple times can help reinforce memory.
- Cognitive Flexibility Exercises: Brainstorming sessions encouraging students to generate multiple solutions to a problem can enhance their ability to think flexibly. Using visual tools like mind maps can help students organize their thoughts and see connections between ideas, promoting cognitive flexibility.
- Inhibitory Control Strategies: Teaching students to use positive self-talk can help them control impulsive behaviors and stay focused on tasks. For example, a student might say to themselves, “I can stay calm and solve this problem step by step.” Implementing simple deep-breathing exercises can help students manage their emotions and reduce stress. Instructors can start the day or class with a few minutes of guided deep breathing.
- Goal Setting and Planning: Teach students to set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals. This structure helps them understand and achieve their objectives in a manageable way. Encourage students to plan their day by listing tasks and prioritizing them. This practice can help in organizing their activities and managing time effectively.
- Time Management: Use visual timers or alarms to help students manage their time during tasks and transitions. This strategy can aid in developing a sense of time and improving task completion rates. Teach students to estimate how long a task will take and then compare it with the actual time spent. This exercise can improve their ability to plan and allocate time realistically.
- Organizational Skills: Provide students with checklists for daily tasks and assignments. Checklists can help them stay organized and ensure that they complete all required activities.
- Self-Monitoring: Encourage students to keep journals where they reflect on their daily activities, successes, and areas for improvement. This practice can help them become more aware of their behaviors and strategies. Use charts or graphs to help students track their progress on specific goals or tasks; the visual representation can motivate them and provide a clear picture of their achievements.
- Emotional Regulation: Use emotion charts to help students identify and label their feelings. Understanding their emotions can aid in managing them more effectively. Teach specific coping strategies such as counting to ten, taking a walk, or engaging in a preferred activity to manage emotions.
- Attention Control: Implement short breaks between tasks to help students reset and maintain focus. Activities like stretching or brief physical exercises can be effective. Use specific signals or cues to remind students to refocus their attention. This can be a verbal cue or a visual signal like a light or a hand gesture.
- Task Initiation: Provide clear, concise prompts to help students start tasks (verbal cues, written instructions, or visual aids). Use "first-then" statements to motivate students; for example, “First complete your math worksheet, then you can have a five-minute break.”
- Perseverance and Grit: Teach the concept of a growth mindset, emphasizing that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work, encouraging persistence in the face of challenges. Focus on praising the effort rather than the outcome. Recognizing hard work and determination can motivate students to keep trying, even when tasks are difficult.
Try these strategies to support your students with dyslexia as they work to build and strengthen their executive functioning skills.