Take the time to know your students and understand their profile and their strengths and needs.​

Explicitly teach the concept of Executive Functions and practice those skills as a class.

Activation: organizing, prioritizing and activating to work

• Learning Skills: Organization and Initiative
• Classroom Strategy: ​
  • Explicitly teach and model how to break tasks into simple steps

Focus: focusing, sustaining and shifting attention to tasks

• Learning Skill: Independent Work
• Classroom Strategy: 
  • ​Provide instructions in a number of ways (written, oral, visual)
  • Chunk information and instructions for tasks

Effort: regulating and sustaining alertness, and speed of execution

• Learning Skill: Responsibility
• Classroom Strategy: 
  • ​Explicitly teach and model the amount of time required to complete a task
  • Encourage use of organizational tools (e.g. agendas, calendars). Know your student and what works for them. Agendas can be a waste of time for some students

Emotion: managing frustration and regulating emotions

• Learning Skills: Collaboration and Self-regulation
• Classroom Strategy: 
  • ​Give descriptive and authentic feedback and positive reinforcement frequently​

Memory: using working memory and accessing recall

• Learning Skill: Independent Work
• Classroom Strategy: 
  • ​Keep instructions simple and provide them in a number of ways
  • Check for understanding of instructions
  • Use colour coding to help with memory and organization​

Action: monitoring and self-regulating behaviour

• Learning Skill: Self-regulation
• Classroom Strategy:
  • ​Frequent check-ins - establish rapport and check-in regularly
  • Work together with student to develop strategies