1) Executive Functioning Skills

Executive function can include many developmental areas. Three core areas include:

• inhibition (which includes selective attention, and self-control)
• working memory
• flexibility of thought (included metacognition). Find out more

Inhibition

• Selective attention (concentration) and self control
• Organised and clutter free resources, workspaces and classrooms
• Planned movement breaks
• Adjust activities to use special interest as a tool to engage and maintain concentration
• Use simple verbal or visual reminders to re-engage
• Personal Organisation / Independence Skills
• Use visual timetables, prompts and checklists – these can support a young person to
  develop routines in school and support welfare
• Break tasks down into manageable chunks. Post-it notes can be sequenced and moved around so all parts of an activity are crossed off as they are completed.
• Identify safe care and self-awareness needs (e.g not knowing when your face is dirty). Instigate routines to support this in the young person’s plan. Checklists or social stories may help here.

Working memory

• Break tasks down into manageable chunks. Post-it notes can be sequenced and moved around so all parts of an activity are crossed off as they are completed.
• Use visual timetables and prompts.
• Reduce the information a young person has to ‘hold in mind’ – use mind maps, give additional processing time, use lists, post-it notes and highlighting text instead of writing notes.

Flexibility of thought

• Learning materials that are adapted and personalised with pupil’s special interests

Regulation

• Set and communicate clear classroom code of conduct.
• Introduce a personal energy level plan.
• Have a relational support plan to support the young person with regulation; this will ensure the young person has a safe space and known routine to re-regulate.

Masking (when young people camouflage their level of need for periods of time)

• Introduce a personal energy level plan which considers sensory and regulation needs.

Managing Change/Transition (this can be both vertical (e.g one year group to another, primary to secondary, preparation for adulthood) and horizontal (e.g lesson to lesson, breaktime to learning time, playtime to bedtime)

• Use visual timetables and prompts, use of calendars explaining changes i.e term time / holiday time.
• Visual timers / count downs
• Social stories to explain change
• Consistent routines for beginnings and endings of days
• Use Now, Next, Then prompts so pupil knows what they need to do, how long for and what they can do after the activity has been completed.
• Treat transitions as a separate learning activity. Plan transitions carefully with the young person and parent/carer (and other professionals who might be supporting the young person), perhaps creating a personal transition plan.

View and/or download the Neurodiversity Needs Toolkit