Executive functions are mental skills that help us control our behavior in order to reach goals. These skills help us pay attention, resist impulses, stay organized, and adapt to change. They allow us to plan, set goals, and follow through with our intentions. Executive functions are critical for doing well in school; they help children be engaged, well-regulated learners.[1][2][3] Executive functions have been found to predict literacy and mathematics abilities, and a successful transition to kindergarten.[1][2][3] They may be even more important for early learning than intelligence.[1]
Executive functions develop rapidly in early childhood.[4] Delays in their development can lead to challenges that can last into adulthood if not addressed. Thankfully, these skills can be learned and strengthened.[4][5][6][7] It can be hard to know what a child’s skills should be like at a given age. This can make identifying executive function issues in preschoolers tricky. Children have the best chance of overcoming developmental delays when they are identified early; so it’s important to know what signs to look for. Click below to learn more about potential signs of executive functioning issues. This resource [8] is useful to both parents and early childhood providers. Feel free to share this with others!
Link to article: Executive Functioning Issues: What You're Seeing in Your Preschooler
Citations
Citations:
[1] Blair, C., & Raver, C. C. (2014). Closing the achievement gap through modification of neurocognitive and neuroendocrine function: Results from a cluster randomized controlled trial of an innovative approach to the education of children in kindergarten. PloS one, 9(11), e112393. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0112393
[2] McClelland, M. M., Cameron, C. E., Connor, C. M., Farris, C. L., Jewkes, A. M., & Morrison, F. J. (2007). Links between behavioral regulation and preschoolers' literacy, vocabulary, and math skills. Developmental Psychology, 43(4), 947. doi10.1037/0012-1649.43.4.947
[3] Welsh, J. A., Nix, R. L., Blair, C., Bierman, K. L., & Nelson, K. E. (2010). The development of cognitive skills and gains in academic school readiness for children from low-income families. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(1), 43.
[4] Carlson, S. M. (2005). Developmentally sensitive measures of executive function in preschool children. Developmental neuropsychology, 28(2), 595-616.
[5] Blair, C., & Raver, C. C. (2015). School readiness and self-regulation: A developmental psychobiological approach. Annual Review of Psychology, 66, 711-731. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010814-015221
[6] Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135-168. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750
[7] Zelazo, P.D., Blair, C.B., and Willoughby, M.T. (2016). Executive function: Implications for Education (NCER 2017-2000) Washington, DC: National Center for Education Research, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. This report is available on the Institute website at http://ies.ed.gov/.
[8] Morin, A. (2014). Executive functioning issues: What you’re seeing in your preschooler. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/executive-functioning-issues/executive-functioning-issues-what-youre-seeing-in-your-preschooler.
