Executive functioning

• Finds it difficult to follow instructions, particularly where these have more than one step.
• Loses their place in tasks – they may miss out steps or repeat steps.
• Finds tasks where they must remember information, and do something with that information, very difficult – for example, mental arithmetic.
• Seems to have a short attention span: they may seem to ‘daydream’ or be distractible.
• Finds it difficult to retain information in their long-term memory (difficulties with working memory often make it harder for children to store information in their long-term memory too).
• Is making poor academic progress, particularly in literacy and maths.

Based on need, some of this provision will be effective.

• Consider and assess their knowledge and understanding of the curriculum and ensure that key knowledge and skills are taught to fluency (accuracy with speed). This can help to ensure that their working memory is not overloaded.
• Play memory games in a pair or a small group to provide opportunities to teach and practise strategies to support working memory (explain that the focus is on strategies to support memory, not on ‘improving’ memory). These strategies could include:
  • teaching children under seven to rehearse information or instructions sub vocally, and prompt them to use this skill (children over seven tend to start using this skill on their own initiative)
  • teaching children and young people to ‘chunk’ longer lists into smaller units (like when we remember a telephone number by breaking into smaller parts)
  • teaching children and young people to organise things to remember into smaller groups, based on connections between them
  • helping children and young people to assign each item to be remembered to one of their fingers
  • using mnemonics (for example, rhymes and acronyms)
  • pointing at items in a list to help remember them.
• Provide additional support for working memory overload as needed:
  • repeat instructions
  • break down instructions into smaller steps
  • provide additional visual or written scaffolding for the task
  • remind the child or young person of an agreed strategy for asking for help
• Check in with the child or young person after giving instructions and check for understanding by asking them to tell you what they need to do.
• Minimise the need for copying. Where copying is required, provide a model at the child or young person’s desk (copying from the board is harder for children and young people than copying from something in front of them).
• Record instructions on a talking button or device, so that the child or young person can replay them.
• Provide memory aids and teach children and young people to use these in the context of an ‘easy’ task first. These aids may reduce the processing demands of a task (for example, spelling lists) or support memory (e.g. a checklist of language features to use in a piece of writing).
• Help the child or young person to understand how they learn and what works best for them: provide opportunities to practice using different memory aids and evaluate what works best for them. Teach
  • jotting down multiples at the start of a Maths test
  • drawing a picture or mind map of key information.